Solar Power Production and Metering

Abstract

Systems and methods for positioning photovoltaic panels above agricultural land are disclosed. The photovoltaic panels can be suspended over agricultural land and supported by vertical holders, which are generally arranged in a two-dimensional grid. Sufficient clearance exists between the base surface and the photovoltaic panels for the operators and the agricultural machinery. The position of the photovoltaic panels can be adjusted using panel orientation systems. A decision about the photovoltaic panel angle with respect to the incoming sunlight can be based on the insolation/shade needs of the agricultural plants beneath the system and also on the need to generate electrical energy by insolating the panels. Furthermore, the systems and methods can be used for a net metering of energy. An energy ratepayer who is also a sole or fractional owner of the renewable energy production capacity can subtract the energy production from the energy consumption, thus resulting in the net metering of energy.

1 . An apparatus for controlling the orientation of photovoltaic panels, comprising:
 a generally horizontal platform mounted on one or more generally vertical supports, said supports configured and dimensioned to elevate the platform such as to allow clearance for agricultural machinery and/or personnel between the platform and a base surface;   one or more holders attached with the platform, said holders configured and dimensioned for pivotably holding the photovoltaic panels; and   first orientation means configured to pivot the photovoltaic panels in response to a control signal thus changing a shading on the base surface below the platform, wherein said control signal is determined at least in part based on insolation data and plant growth cycle data.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said insolation data comprises solar intensity and/or direction of solar radiation. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said plant growth cycle data comprise temperature, humidity, light, available nutrients in the soil, and plant age. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a measurement device configured to measure intensity and direction of the solar radiation. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said platform is mounted substantially over at least one greenhouse, and   said supports comprise parts of said at least one greenhouse.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said control signal is determined at least in part based on the ventilation of the greenhouse by pivoting the photovoltaic panels. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more frames extending about a longitudinal axis, said frames tiltably mounted to the platform and configured and dimensioned for holding the photovoltaic panels parallel to one another, and   second orientation means configured to adjust a tilt angle of said frames, thus adjusting the tilt angle of the photovoltaic panels held by the holders along the longitudinal axis of the frames.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said first orientation means adjust the pivot angle of the photovoltaic panels in all the frames to substantially the same value. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said second orientation means adjust the tilt angle of all the frames to substantially the same value. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said frames are tilted about an axis passing through the frame and being substantially parallel to the base surface. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said control signal is determined based on pre-programmed data about the position of Sun relative to latitudinal and longitudinal position of the apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a generally horizontal service platform attached with the holders and disposed between the photovoltaic panels and the base surface, said service platform configured and dimensioned to carry an operator and/or a sprinkler system. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said service platform is disposed above the photovoltaic panels. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an energy metering device configured to measure energy produced by said photovoltaic panels. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said energy metering device is configured to measure energy produced by an individual photovoltaic panel or by a group of the photovoltaic panels. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an energy measuring device configured to measure the electrical energy production by the photovoltaic panels and to generate an energy production report representative of the energy produced by one or more photovoltaic panels associated with a ratepayer;   means for sending the energy production report to a local metering device located locally with the ratepayer;   the local metering device configured to: receive the energy production report from the remotely located energy production facility, measure the energy consumption of the ratepayer, process the energy production report with the energy consumption of the ratepayer to determine a net energy consumption report; and   means for sending the net energy consumption report to a utility company.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said means for sending the energy production report to the metering device operate wirelessly or over an existing power grid. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said means for sending the net energy consumption report to a utility company operate wirelessly or over an existing power grid. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising means for sending the net energy consumption report to a green credit accounting entity for assigning a green credit to said customer. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising means for sending the net energy consumption report to an accounting entity for calculating a green rebate. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a master green meter configured to:
 measure the electrical energy production by the photovoltaic panels, 
 generate an energy production report representative of the energy produced by the photovoltaic panels, and 
 transmit the energy production report to a utility company, 
   wherein the utility company assigns a value to the energy produced by the photovoltaic panels and delivers the energy to the end users using a common power grid.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one energy measuring device configured to measure the electrical energy produced by one or more photovoltaic panels, and   a control computer in communication with said energy measuring devices, said control computer configured to collect the measurement data from said energy measuring devices and to transmit said measurement data and a fractional owner identification to a utility company,   wherein the utility company assigns a value to the energy produced by the photovoltaic panels and delivers the energy to end users.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein said end users are chosen in accordance with the fractional owners instructions. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmission means for delivering the electrical energy produced by the photovoltaic panels to at least one end user, and   at least one green metering device assigned to said at least one end user, said at least one metering device configured to:
 meter the electrical energy produced by the photovoltaic panels and delivered to said at least one end user, and 
 transmit metered values to the utility company. 
   
     
     
         25 . A method for controlling the orientation of photovoltaic panels, comprising:
 receiving insolation data comprising solar intensity and/or angle of solar radiation;   receiving plant growth cycle data;   determining a position of the photovoltaic panel based on the insolation data and/or plant growth cycle; and   orienting the photovoltaic panels to the position, said position of the photovoltaic panels configured such as to result in a predetermined percentage of a base surface below the photovoltaic panels being shaded.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said plant growth cycle data comprise temperature, humidity, light, available nutrients in the soil, and plant age. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said determining is based at least in part on the cost of electrical energy. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising reading a temperature of the surface below the photovoltaic panels, wherein the determining the position of the photovoltaic panel is based at least in part on said temperature of the surface below the photovoltaic panels. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said photovoltaic panels are configured over at least one greenhouse, and wherein said determining is based at least in part on a ventilation of said at least one greenhouse. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 associating at least a portion of said remotely located energy production facility with a ratepayer;   generating an energy production report representative of the renewable energy produced at said remotely located energy production facility and associated with the ratepayer;   sending the energy production report to a local metering device located locally with the ratepayer, wherein the local metering device is configured to receive the energy production report and wherein the local metering device is configured to measure the energy consumption of the ratepayer;   receiving the energy production report sent from the remotely located energy production facility at the local metering device; and   using the local metering device for processing the energy production report with the energy consumption of the ratepayer to determine a net energy consumption report.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said sending comprises sending the energy production report wirelessly or over an existing power grid to the local metering device. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising sending the net energy consumption report to a utility company. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said sending the net energy consumption report to a utility company is done wirelessly or over an existing power grid 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising sending the net energy consumption report to a green credit accounting entity for assigning a green credit to said ratepayer. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising sending the net energy consumption report to an accounting entity for calculating a green rebate for said ratepayer. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 measuring the electrical energy produced by one or more photovoltaic panels by at least one energy measuring device,   collecting the measurement data from said at least one energy measuring devices by a control computer that is in communication with said at least one energy measuring device, and   transmitting said measurement data and a fractional owner identification to a utility company by the control computer,   wherein the utility company assigns a value to the energy produced by the photovoltaic panels and delivers the energy to end users.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said end users are chosen in accordance with the fractional owners instructions. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 transmitting the electrical energy produced by the photovoltaic panels to at least on end user, and   metering the electrical energy produced by the photovoltaic panels and delivered to said at least one end user by at least one green metering device, and   transmitting the metered values and the end user identifier to the utility company.