Abstract: A system is provided for matching real-time renewable resource credits with energy loads. The system generates real-time renewable energy credits (“RECs”) in real time with one or more attributes. A real-time REC is evidence of production of a base amount of electricity with attributes that may include actual time of production, location of production, and power type. When a supplier generates a base amount of electricity using renewable energy, the supplier is issued a real-time REC indicating actual time and production location. A consumer may purchase the real-time REC from that supplier based on matching the consumer's consumption to the real-time REC, make a claim, and then retire the real-time REC. As a result of this matching of production and consumption based on actual time and location, suppliers of electricity generated using renewable energy may be incentivized to build renewable energy plants near consumers, resulting in less pollution and less loss of energy during transmission.

Abstract: A system is provided for recording in a blockchain future tokens representing interest in future revenue to support building of a renewable energy plant. The system receives an issue specification indicating number of future tokens and their maturity dates that are to be issued and an owner of the future tokens. For each future token for a maturity date of the issue specification, the system creates a future token indicating the maturity date and the owner. The system then records the future tokens in the blockchain. The system records transactions to transfer ownership of future token to investors in the renewable energy plant and transactions to indicate when a future token has matured because an investor has been paid according to terms of the investment.

Abstract: Systems and methods that provide trackers and tracking assemblies having node managers, such as smart node managers are described herein. Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an autonomous energy distribution network including a plurality of solar tracker devices configured to receive solar energy and transform the solar energy into electrical energy, where each of the solar tracker devices is directly connected to a node in a power distribution grid. The network also includes a node manager configured to receive status information from the solar trackers, where the status information includes information regarding the state of the node to which each of the solar tracker device are directly connected.

Abstract: A system is provided to identify energy opportunities for an entity (e.g., supplier or consumer) to help ensure than an objective of the entity is met. An objective of an entity may be to consume electrical power that is at least 50% provided by clean energy. Another objective may be to reduce energy consumption during periods of electrical shortages. Yet another objective may be to supply electrical power during periods of high price and consume electrical power during periods of low price. The system inputs data relating to the day-ahead energy market, the real-time energy market, historical supply and demand, forecast supply and demand, and so on and identifies various energy opportunities for entities. The system then notifies the entities of the energy opportunities that may be of interest so that the entities can decide whether to take advantage of the energy opportunities.

Abstract: Systems and methods that provide trackers and tracking assemblies having node managers, such as smart node managers are described herein. Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an autonomous energy distribution network including a plurality of solar tracker devices configured to receive solar energy and transform the solar energy into electrical energy, where each of the solar tracker devices is directly connected to a node in a power distribution grid. The network also includes a node manager configured to receive status information from the solar trackers, where the status information includes information regarding the state of the node to which each of the solar tracker device are directly connected.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an autonomous energy distribution network including a plurality of solar tracker devices configured to receive solar energy and transform the solar energy into electrical energy, where each of the solar tracker devices is directly connected to a node in a power distribution grid. The network also includes a node manager configured to receive status information from the solar trackers, where the status information includes information regarding the state of the node to which each of the solar tracker device are directly connected.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a solar tracker assembly. In one embodiment, the assembly includes a base having a track, a centrally-positioned base member, a motor operably coupled to the base member, and a plurality of arms extending from the base member towards the track, with the track including a plurality of arcuate members that are assembled to form the track. A rotatable frame is coupled to the arms and has one or more towers and an actuator positioned on the one or more towers. A pivoting frame is coupled to the one or more towers, with the pivoting frame configured to carry a solar panel array. In operation, the motor can rotate the base member and arms around a Z-axis to position the rotatable frame at azimuth and the actuator can move the pivoting frame around an X-Y axis to position the pivoting frame at zenith.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an autonomous energy distribution network including a plurality of solar tracker devices configured to receive solar energy and transform the solar energy into electrical energy, where each of the solar tracker devices is directly connected to a node in a power distribution grid. The network also includes a node manager configured to receive status information from the solar trackers, where the status information includes information regarding the state of the node to which each of the solar tracker device are directly connected.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to, for example, methods for operating a node manager such as a node manager operably coupled to a solar tracker assembly. In one embodiment, the method includes providing control signals to motors of the solar tracker assembly to control an orientation of a photovoltaic array and receiving status information form one or more sensors configured to measure at least one of ambient, operating, and performance conditions local to tracker electronics of the tracker assembly. The method further includes modifying the control signals based, at least in part, on the status information and communicating, via the tracker electronics, at least a portion of the status information over a cellular communication via a cellular link.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a solar tracker assembly. In one embodiment, the assembly includes a base having a track, a centrally-positioned base member, a motor operably coupled to the base member, and a plurality of arms extending from the base member towards the track, with the track including a plurality of arcuate members that are assembled to form the track. A rotatable frame is coupled to the arms and has one or more towers and an actuator positioned on the one or more towers. A pivoting frame is coupled to the one or more towers, with the pivoting frame configured to carry a solar panel array. In operation, the motor can rotate the base member and arms around a Z-axis to position the rotatable frame at azimuth and the actuator can move the pivoting frame around an X-Y axis to position the pivoting frame at zenith.