System and method for querying for energy data in a network environment

An apparatus, comprising:

• a management module configured to:
• communicate a first query over a network to a plurality of entities that reside in a domain, the first query requesting current energy usage;
• communicate messages over the network to control power consumption for the entities in the domain;
• communicate a second query to a subset of the entities based on their respective priorities in the domain, wherein the second query requests the subset of the entities to determine their respective energy consumption values if they changed their respective energy levels from a first level to a second level;
• and
• receive a delta value, from each entity of the subset of entities to indicate a net energy consumption change that would result from a change to the second level from the first level.

Logic encoded in non-transitory media for execution and when executed by a processor operable to:

• communicate a first query over a network to a plurality of entities that reside in a domain, the first query requesting current energy usage;
• communicate messages over the network to control power consumption for the entities in the domain;
• communicate a second query to a subset of the entities based on their respective priorities in the domain, wherein the second query requests the subset of the entities to determine their respective energy consumption values if they changed their respective energy levels from a first level to a second level;
• and
• receive a delta value, from each entity of the subset of entities to indicate a net energy consumption change that would result from a change to the second level from the first level.

A system, comprising:

• means for communicating a first query over a network to a plurality of entities that reside in a domain, the first query requesting current energy usage;
• means for communicating messages over the network to control power consumption for the entities in the domain;
• means for communicating a second query to a subset of the entities based on their respective priorities in the domain, wherein the second query requests the subset of the entities to determine their respective energy consumption values if they changed their respective energy levels from a first level to a second level;
• and
• means for receiving a delta value, from each entity of the subset of entities to indicate a net energy consumption change that would result from a change to the second level from the first level.