Abstract: Methods and systems provided for creating a scalable building block for a virtual power plant, where individual buildings can incorporate on-site renewable energy assets and energy storage and optimize the acquisition, storage and consumption of energy in accordance with a value hierarchy. Each building block can be aggregated into a virtual power plant, in which centralized control of load shifting in selected buildings, based on predictive factors or price signals, can provide bulk power for ancillary services or peak demand situations. Aggregation can occur at multiple levels, including developments consisting of both individual and common renewable energy and storage assets. The methods used to optimize the system can also be applied to “right size” the amount of renewable energy and storage capacity at each site to maximize return on the capital investment.

Abstract: An energy optimization method and control apparatus may be used in a single building or a group of buildings to optimize utility-supplied and renewable sources in order to minimize the total energy cost. Simultaneously, it may also produce and store energy, such as electricity or hydrogen, that can be used to fuel vehicles, provide a means for independent production of household energy needs, or both. Various factors, such as the production of thermal energy and electricity from the renewable sources, the current store of stored energy, the current and expected thermal and electricity requirements of the building (based on a profile), the current and expected electricity loads of the equipment used to process stored energy, the expected thermal and electricity generating capacity of the renewable sources and other factors can be used to determine the mix of renewable-based and utility-based energy that minimizes the total energy cost.