Bidding for energy supply to resellers and their customers

A method for creating an automated bidding process among energy Providers in which a moderating computer collects bids from each Provider of a plurality of energy Providers, processes the bids and communicates with a first control computer, thereby enabling the first control computer to designate at least one Provider of the plurality of energy Providers to provide energy, consisting of electric power or natural gas, to at least one reseller for use by at least one end-user customer of the at least one reseller, based on an economic choice in accordance with auction rules, the method comprising:

• a. by at least one of the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with the first control computer, transmitting at least a portion of historical energy usage data associated with the at least one end- user customer of the at least one reseller to at least a portion of the plurality of energy Providers;
• b. by the moderating computer, receiving, from each Provider of the plurality of energy Providers, including at least one energy Provider to whom the at least a portion of historical energy usage data has been transmitted in Step a., bids to provide electric power or natural gas to the at least one reseller for use by the at least one end-user customer of the at least one reseller;
• c. by the moderating computer, processing the bids in accordance with the auction rules to produce processed bid data;
• d. by the moderating computer, storing the bids and the processed bid data in a data base of the moderating computer as first control computer data;
• e. by the moderating computer, transmitting at least a portion of the first control computer data to the first control computer;
• f. by at least one of the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with the first control computer, transmitting at least a portion of the first control computer data to at least one bidding Provider of the plurality of energy Providers;
• and
• g. by the first control computer, designating at least one Provider of the plurality of energy Providers to provide electric power or natural gas to the at least one reseller for use by the at least one end-user customer, with each designated Provider to supply at least a portion of the electric power or natural gas needed by the at least one end-user customer for use during at least a portion of a specific future time interval.

A method for conducting an automated bidding process among a plurality of energy Providers, such process utilizing a moderating computer and based on an economic choice in accordance with auction rules, the method comprising:

• a. transmitting at least a portion of historical energy usage data associated with at least one end-user customer of at least one reseller to at least a first portion of the plurality of energy Providers;
• b. receiving, from each Provider of the plurality of energy Providers, including at least one energy Provider to whom the at least a portion of historical energy usage data has been transmitted in Step a., bids to provide energy, consisting of electric power or natural gas, to the at least one reseller for use by the at least one end-user customer of the at least one reseller;
• c. processing the bids in accordance with the auction rules;
• d. distributing at least a portion of processed bid information to at least one bidding Provider of the plurality of energy Providers;
• and
• e. designating, on the basis of the processed bid information, at least one Provider of the plurality of energy Providers to provide electric power or natural gas to the at least one reseller for use by the at least one end-user customer, with each designated Provider to supply at least a portion of the electric power or natural gas needed by the at least one end-user customer for use during at least a portion of a specific future time interval,
• wherein each of Steps a., d. and e. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with a control computer, or the moderating computer working in conjunction with both at least one adjunct computer and the control computer, and wherein each of Steps b. and c. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer.

A method for creating an automated bidding process among energy Providers for the benefit of end users in which a moderating computer collects bids from each Provider of a plurality of energy Providers, processes the bids and communicates with a first control computer, thereby enabling the first control computer to designate at least a first Provider of the plurality of energy Providers to provide energy, consisting of electric power or natural gas, to at least one end user, based on an economic choice in accordance with auction rules, the method comprising:

• a. by at least one of the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with the first control computer, transmitting at least a portion of historical energy usage data associated with the at least one end user to at least a portion of the plurality of energy Providers;
• b. by the moderating computer, receiving, from each Provider of the plurality of energy Providers, including at least one energy Provider to whom the at least a portion of historical energy usage data has been transmitted in Step a., bids to provide electric power or natural gas to the at least one end user;
• c. by the moderating computer, processing the bids in accordance with the auction rules to produce processed bid data;
• d. by the moderating computer, storing the bids and the processed bid data in a data base of the moderating computer as first control computer data;
• e. by the moderating computer, transmitting at least a portion of the first control computer data to the first control computer;
• f. by at least one of the moderating computer or the first control computer, transmitting at least a portion of the first control computer data to at least one bidding Provider of the plurality of energy Providers;
• and
• g. by the first control computer, designating at least the first Provider of the plurality of energy Providers to provide electric power or natural gas to the at least one end user, with each designated Provider to supply at least a portion of the electric power or natural gas to be used by the at least one end user at at least one end-user facility during at least a portion of a specific future time interval.

A method for conducting an automated bidding process among a plurality of energy Providers for the benefit of Buyers, such process utilizing a moderating computer and based on an economic choice in accordance with auction rules, the method comprising:

• a. receiving, from at least one Buyer, at least one request for future energy supply, consisting of electric power or natural gas;
• b. processing the at least one request and distributing at least a portion of at least one processed request to a plurality of energy Providers;
• c. transmitting at least a portion of historical energy usage data associated with the at least one Buyer to at least a portion of the plurality of energy Providers;
• d. receiving, from at least two Providers of the plurality of energy Providers, including at least one energy Provider to whom the at least a portion of historical energy usage data has been transmitted in Step c., bids to provide electric power or natural gas to the at least one Buyer;
• e. processing the bids in accordance with the auction rules;
• f. distributing at least a portion of processed bid information to at least one bidding Provider of the at least two Providers;
• and
• g. designating, on the basis of the processed bid information, at least one Provider of the at least two Providers to provide electric power or natural gas to the at least one Buyer, with each designated Provider to supply at least a portion of the electric power or natural gas needed by the at least one Buyer during at least a portion of a specific future time interval for use at at least one end-user facility,
• wherein each of Steps a., c., f. and g. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with a control computer, or the moderating computer working in conjunction with both at least one adjunct computer and the control computer, and wherein each of Steps b., d. and e. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer.

A method for creating an automated bidding process among energy Providers in which a moderating computer collects bids from each Provider of a plurality of energy Providers, processes the bids and designates at least one Provider of the plurality of energy Providers to provide energy, consisting of electric power or natural gas, to at least one end user, based on an economic choice in accordance with auction rules, the method comprising:

• a. transmitting at least a portion of historical energy usage information associated with the at least one end user to at least a portion of the plurality of energy Providers;
• b. receiving, from each Provider of the plurality of energy Providers, including at least one energy Provider to whom the at least a portion of historical energy usage information has been transmitted in Step a., bids to provide electric power or natural gas to the at least one end user;
• c. processing the bids in accordance with the auction rules to produce processed bid data;
• d. storing the bids and the processed bid data in a data base as first bidding data;
• e. transmitting at least a portion of the first bidding data to at least one bidding Provider of the plurality of energy Providers;
• f. designating at least one Provider of the plurality of energy Providers to supply at least a portion of the electric power or natural gas needed by the at least one end user for use at at least one end-user facility during a specific future time interval;
• and g. transmitting, to at least one of the designated Providers, data indicating at least a portion of the quantity of electric power or natural gas used by the at least one end user during at least a part of the specific future time interval at the at least one end-user facility,
• wherein each of Steps a., d., e., f. and g. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with a control computer, or the moderating computer working in conjunction with both at least one adjunct computer and the control computer, and wherein each of Steps b. and c. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer.

A method for conducting an automated bidding process among a plurality of energy Providers for the benefit of end users, such process utilizing a moderating computer and based on an economic choice in accordance with auction rules, the method comprising:

• a. transmitting at least a portion of historical energy usage information associated with at least one end user to at least a portion of a plurality of energy Providers;
• b. receiving, from each Provider of the plurality of energy Providers, including at least one energy Provider to whom the at least a portion of historical energy usage information has been transmitted in Step a., bids to provide energy, consisting of electric power or natural gas, to the at least one end user;
• c. processing the bids in accordance with the auction rules;
• d. transmitting at least a portion of processed bid information to at least one bidding Provider of the plurality of energy Providers;
• and
• e. designating, on the basis of the processed bid information, at least two Providers of the plurality of energy Providers to provide electric power or natural gas to the at least one end user, with each of said designated Providers to supply at least a portion of the electric power or natural gas needed by the at least one end user for use at at least one end-user facility during a specific future time interval,
• wherein each of Steps a., d. and e. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with a control computer, or the moderating computer working in conjunction with both at least one adjunct computer and the control computer, and wherein each of Steps b. and c. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer.

A method for conducting an automated bidding process among a plurality of energy Providers for the benefit of end users, such process utilizing a moderating computer and based on an economic choice in accordance with auction rules, the method comprising:

• a. transmitting at least a portion of historical energy usage information associated with at least one end user to at least a portion of a plurality of energy Providers;
• b. receiving, from each Provider of the plurality of energy Providers, including at least one energy Provider to whom the at least a portion of historical energy usage information has been transmitted in Step a., bids to provide energy, consisting of electric power or natural gas, to the at least one end user;
• c. processing the bids in accordance with the auction rules;
• d. transmitting at least a portion of processed bid information to at least one bidding Provider of the plurality of energy Providers;
• and
• e. designating, on the basis of the processed bid information, at least one Provider of the plurality of energy Providers to supply at least a portion of the electric power or natural gas needed by the at least one end user for use at at least one end-user facility during a specific future time interval, such that the designated Providers, when their respective designations to supply are summed, are designated to supply 100% of the electric power or natural gas needed by the at least one end user for use at the at least one end-user facility during at least a portion of the specific future time interval,
• wherein each of Steps a., d. and e. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with a control computer, or the moderating computer working in conjunction with both at least one adjunct computer and the control computer, and wherein each of Steps b. and c. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer.

A method for conducting an automated bidding process among a plurality of energy Providers for the benefit of Buyers, such process utilizing a moderating computer and based on an economic choice in accordance with auction rules, the method comprising:

• a. receiving, from at least one Buyer, at least one request for future energy supply, consisting of electric power or natural gas;
• b. processing the at least one request and distributing at least a portion of at least one processed request to a plurality of energy Providers;
• c. transmitting at least a portion of historical energy usage information associated with the at least one Buyer to at least a portion of the plurality of energy Providers;
• d. receiving, from at least two Providers of the plurality of energy Providers, including at least one energy Provider to whom the at least a portion of historical energy usage information has been transmitted in Step c., bids to provide electric power or natural gas to the at least one Buyer;
• e. processing the bids in accordance with the auction rules;
• f. transmitting at least a portion of processed bid information to at least one bidding Provider of the at least two Providers;
• g. designating, on the basis of the processed bid information, at least one Provider of the at least two Providers, with the at least one designated Provider designated to supply 100% of the electric power or natural gas needed by the at least one Buyer during the specific future time interval for use at the at least one end-user facility;
• and
• h. transmitting, to at least one of the designated at least one Provider, data indicating at least a portion of the quantity of electric power or natural gas used by the at least one Buyer during at least a part of the at least a portion of the specific future time interval at the at least one end-user facility,
• wherein each of Steps a., c., f., g. and h. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer, the moderating computer working in conjunction with a control computer, or the moderating computer working in conjunction with both at least one adjunct computer and the control computer, and wherein each of Steps b., d. and e. is performed by at least one of the moderating computer or the moderating computer working in conjunction with at least one adjunct computer.