System and method for billing a utility consumer after installation of a new lighting technology

Abstract

A method includes obtaining, at a metering device, power usage information associated with operation of a second technology; calculating, at a processor and based on the power usage information obtained from the metering device, a power base load capacity relief of an electrical system to a utility provider resulting from change from a first technology to the second technology; receiving, at the processor, a technology cost including fixed and variable costs to install and maintain the second technology; calculating, at the processor, a return needed for repayment of the technology cost; determining, by the processor, a new utility rate by apportioning the return needed for repayment of the technology cost as a function of the power base load capacity relief and calculating; and providing a utility invoice to the utility consumer for a power reduction over time at the new utility rate.

1 . A computerized method for billing a utility consumer after installation of a new lighting technology by the utility consumer at a facility associated with the utility consumer, the computerized method comprising:
 obtaining, at a processor, power usage information associated with operation of a second lighting technology;   calculating, at the processor, a power base load capacity relief resulting from change from a first lighting technology to the second lighting technology;   receiving, at the processor, a technology cost including fixed and variable costs to install and maintain the second lighting technology;   determining, by the processor, a new utility rate by apportioning a return needed for repayment of the technology cost as a function of the power base load capacity relief; and   calculating and providing a utility invoice to the utility consumer for a power reduction over time at the new utility rate, the power reduction over time provided by use of the second lighting technology;   wherein the amount billed to the utility consumer via the utility invoice is less than a cost savings attained by the utility consumer via the power base load capacity relief such that the amount billed to the utility consumer is financed via a portion of the cost savings.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the new utility rate is not applied to actual energy use over time and the utility invoice does not request payment for energy use over time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating and providing the utility invoice are completed by the processor and a communications interface coupled to the processor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the new utility rate and the invoice accounts for the value of pollution credits gained through use of the second technology. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising communicating pollution credit information to a trading exchange for trading of pollution credits. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein payment of costs is the only repayment source for installation and maintenance of the second technology.