Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a system for matching parties to a transaction of a biomass feedstock including at least one mobile sensory device structured and disposed for collecting biomass data for the biomass feedstock; a data storage repository configured to store seller criteria and a group of buyer criteria; and a processor of a central server configured to access the storage repository and execute software instructions stored in memory for receiving a group of buyer criteria, wherein each of the group of buyer criteria is sent from a buyer computing device used by one of a group of buyers of the biomass feedstock; receiving seller criteria for the biomass feedstock sent from a seller computing device or the at least one mobile sensory device; and sending the user criteria to the buyer and seller account messages to indicate potential market activity.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This application is based on and claims priority to provisional patent application No. 61/983,873 filed on Apr. 24, 2014. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to biomass feedstocks and, more particularly, to a computing system for developing a commodity status for biomass feedstocks. 
       DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART 
       [0003]    Biomass refers to organic matter produced by plants and/or animals. Biomass includes trapped solar energy that can be converted to electricity, heat, or liquid fuels. Examples of biomass feedstocks include crop residues such as corn stover, sugarcane bagasse, purpose-grown grass crops, and woody materials such as chips and sawdust. Biomass feedstock is any biological material that meets specification for a technology to convert it into energy. 
         [0004]    Biomass feedstocks are converted into energy by directly burning the feedstocks to produce steam for heat and power or by refining the feedstocks into liquid fuels and/or products. Energy generation from biomass has substantially lower environmental impacts than traditional fossil fuels. Furthermore, a general move toward environmentally-friendly energy incites many businesses to adopt “green” technologies and support environmentally friendly processes. However, because biomass feedstocks are typically bulky and costly to transport, a big challenge today is for geographically dispersed bio-refineries to obtain the required amount and quality biomass feedstock to operate the facility efficiently. 
         [0005]    Biomass is not yet a commodity because it is highly variably, widely dispersed, and typically unquantified at a scale that translates to financial market protocols. Without means to rapidly quantify and qualify materials, it is difficult to establish meaning classifications for biomass that leads to commodity status. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    in one embodiment of he present invention there is provided a system for matching parties to a transaction of a biomass feedstock including at least one mobile sensory device structured and disposed for collecting biomass data for the biomass feedstock; a data storage repository configured to store seller criteria and a group of buyer criteria; and a processor of a central server configured to access the storage repository and execute software instructions stored in memory for receiving a group of buyer criteria, wherein each of the group of buyer criteria is sent from a buyer computing device used by one of a group of buyers of the biomass feedstock, wherein the group of buyers comprises a buyer, and wherein each of the group of buyer criteria comprises a purchase quantity, a buyer price, and a transaction location at which to buy the biomass feedstock; receiving seller criteria for the biomass feedstock sent from a seller computing device or the at least one mobile sensory device, wherein the seller criteria comprises a sales volume of biomass from an area of production used to produce the biomass feedstock, proposed pricing, a location or group of locations at which to procure the biomass feedstock, and the biomass data as a representation of biomass specification data; matching, within a predetermined distance to a prospective buyer after receiving the group of buyer criteria, each of the group of buyers with the seller based on determining that the volume and representation of biomass specification data is sufficient to meet the purchase parameters and the transaction location at which to buy the biomass feedstock falls within the group of locations&#39; pre-determined distance-to-market radii; and sending the user criteria to the buyer and seller account messages to indicate potential market activity. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method for providing an information technology platform for facilitating commercial transactions for biomass feedstocks and related goods and services, including collecting, by at least one processing unit, a producer profile for each of a group of producers; collecting, by the at least one processing unit over at least one network, biomass data for the biomass associated with each of the group of producers via one or more mobile sensory devices; determining, by the at least one processing unit, a representation of biomass specification data based at least in part on the biomass data; providing, by the at least one processing unit over the at least one network, to a group of buyers access to the representation of biomass qualities; and facilitating, by the at least one processing unit, a purchase of the biomass from one or more members of the group of producers by one or more members of the group of buyers. 
         [0008]    One method provides an electronic forum for facilitating commercial transactions for biomass feedstocks and related goods and services includes collecting a producer profile for each of a group of producers, collecting biomass data for the biomass associated with each of the group of producers, determining a representation of biomass qualities using data accumulated via remote sensing technologies, providing to a group of buyers access to the representation of biomass specification data through the electronic forum, and facilitating purchase of the biomass from one or more of the group of producers by one or more of the group of buyers. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a computing device and its relevant components including an application with a producer profile that collects biomass feedstock location, contact, type, qualities, quantity and cost information; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  illustrates a computing device and its relevant components including an application with a buyer profile that collects biomass feedstock location, contact, type, qualities, quantity and cost information 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  illustrates the electronic system for acilitating commercial transactions for biomass feedstocks between producers and buyers, and 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  illustrates the transactional process of the integrated computing system for developing a commodity status for biomass of the present invention according to one embodiment and including a bid/ask platform. 
       
    
    
       [0014]    Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the everal views of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    Referring to the several views of the drawings, the biomass management and exchange system of the present invention is shown and described herein and is generally indicated as  10 . 
         [0016]    Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. 
         [0017]    It should also be noted that a plurality of hardware and software based devices, as well as a plurality of different structural components can be used to implement the invention. In addition, it should be understood that embodiments of the invention can include hardware, software, and electronic components or modules that, for purposes of discussion, can be illustrated and described as if the majority of the components were implemented solely in hardware. However, one of ordinary spilt in the art, and based on a reading of this detailed description, would recognize that, in at least one embodiment, the electronic based aspects of the invention can be implemented in software (e,g., stored on non-transitory computer-readable medium) executable by one or more processors. As such, it should be noted that a plurality of hardware and software based devices, as well as a plurality of different structural components can be utilized to implement the invention. Furthermore, and as described in subsequent paragraphs, the specific configurations illustrated in the drawings are intended to exemplify embodiments of the invention and that other alternative configurations are possible. 
         [0018]    The biomass management and exchange system  10  facilitates the exchange of biomass by connecting biomass producers  12  with biomass buyers  14 . The biomass management and exchange system  10  creates two types of profiles: a producer profile  16  and a buyer profile  18 . To create a producer profile  16 , the producer  12  specifies identifying information about the producer  12  and the biomass material  20 . For example, the producer can specify the location  22  of the biomass material, provide an owner&#39;s name for a contact name)  24 , specify the type  26  of biomass material, provide measures regarding the qualities  28  of the biomass (e.g., age), provide at least an estimated quantity  30  of the biomass material, provide a cost  32  associated with the biomass material, and specify types and quantity of computing devices  102  associated with the producer profile  16  (e.g., a mobile phone, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, etc.). Similarly, to create a buyer profile  18 , the buyer  14  specifies information about the buyer and the desired biomass material. For example, the buyer can specify the location  34  of the business in need of a particular type  35  of biomass material, provide a contact name  36 , provide an estimate of the quantity  38  of biomass desired, provide at least an estimate of the price  40  the buyer is willing to pay for the biomass material, and specify types and quantity of computing devices associated with the buyer profile  18 . 
         [0019]    The biomass management and exchange system  10  includes a data storage repository  104 , processor  106  and one or more applications  10 $, such as web-based applications, for operating and controlling related hardware and software, as part of a server  100  that stores a multitude of buyer profiles  18  and producer profiles  16 , The biomass management and exchange system  10  can be accessed through a network (i.e., the Internet) through a computing device  102  (e.g., a smartphone). In some instances, the biomass management and exchange system  10  is partly hosted in the computing device while other parts of the biomass management and exchange system  10  are accessed through a network. The biomass management and exchange system  10  connects the biomass buyers  14  with the biomass producers  12  and allows the biomass buyers and producers to negotiate with each other to buy and sell biomass feedstock  20 . Using the biomass management and exchange system  10 , a buyer  14  can locate and communicate with different producers  12  and obtain the biomass material  20  in the most efficient and cost-effective method. Similarly. by using the biomass management and exchange system  10 , biomass producers  12  can reach biomass buyers  14  who didn&#39;t know about the producers before. Thus, the biomass management and exchange system  10  increases the buying and selling options for both the biomass buyers and the biomass producers. 
         [0020]    The biomass management and exchange system  10  also includes other information to encourage and facilitate transactions between the producers  12  and the buyers  14 . For example, the biomass management and exchange system  10  can include market data including, for example, global market price data for biomass feedstock, typical or average availability, within a specified range, of different types of biomass feedstock and other relevant information for the market of biomass material. The b omass management and exchange system  10  can also include business intelligence information, For example, the biomass management and exchange system  10  can provide information to a business leader about progression toward attaining different business goals (for example, progress made in opening a new energy generating plant), or effective biomass producing methods, and the like. The biomass management and exchange system  10  can also collect information about the biomass producers  12  and the biomass buyers  14  such as, for example, how much biomass feedstock  20  a particular producer sells and how often, how much biomass feedstock a particular buyer buys in a given amount of time, what type of biomass feedstock a particular buyer buys, from how many different producers a particular buyer obtains the biomass feedstock  20 , as well as other information of the sort. The collection of this type of information allows the biomass management and exchange system  10  to analyze the selling and buying habits of the biomass producers and the biomass sellers and provide each buyer/producer with different prediction algorithms. For example, the prediction algorithms can be related to where biomass may be needed and/or produced, an estimated price of biomass for a future period of time, and the like. This type of predictability can lead to biomass feedstock  20  becoming a commodity with increased standards and protocols being apparent via data analysis. The biomass management and exchange system  10  also includes an opportunity for relevant products and/or services to be advertised to biomass producers and buyers, for example, transportation and/or logistics companies to deliver biomass feedstock to the buyers. 
         [0021]    The following is an illustrative example of the biomass management and exchange system  10  in use. A biomass producer  12  first produces and collects the biomass raw material  20 . The producer then creates a producer profile  16  using the biomass management and exchange system  10  through a web-based application  108  on an computing device  102 . The producer  12  specifies identifying information, such as the location of the biomass, the type of biomass, the age of the biomass, and, optionally, the computing devices  102  (e.g., smartphones, computers, tablet computers) used to access the producer profile. Using one or more sensors  50 , (e.g., a wireless, Bluetooth® humidity sensor), the producer  12  measures at least one qualitative quality of the biomass, for example the humidity of the biomass feedstock. In one embodiment, the sensor  50  is connected to, or a part of, the computing device  102 . Each sensor  50  is configured to automatically upload the qualitative information, such as the humidity reading, to the producer profile  16 , where the information is associated with a particular biomass stack (Le,, at least a portion of the biomass feedstock produced). In some instances, a conventional humidity sensor  50  is used to measure the humidity of the biomass feedstock  20 . In such instances, the humidity value may be manually updated to the producer profile  16  by the producer  12 . The biomass management and exchange system  10  can differentiate between an automatic humidity reading from a humidity sensor  50  and a manual entry of a humidity reading. In other instances, other qualities of the biomass is measured (e,g., content of a particular chemical, the particle size of the biomass) using a sensor  50  and uploaded to the producer profile  16 . The producer  12  can also upload pictures of the biomass  20  to the profile  16 . Other non-limiting information associated with the biomass can include weather data, time, and location data associated with the biomass  20 . In other instances, a near infrared sensor can be used and/or unmanned surveillance of the biomass can be performed by installing additional sensors  50 . If the producer  12  sells more than one biomass stack, the producer can associate different pictures with different biomass stacks. Once all the information regarding the biomass  20  and the location  22  of the biomass is uploaded to the producer profile  16 , the producer  12  can begin to search for potential buyers  14  and offer the producers&#39; biomass  20  for sale at a particular price  32 . 
         [0022]    The producer  12  can also input laboratory data  52  for validation either via uploading reports or relevant documentation, photos, videos, and the like. The laboratory data  52  can also be contributory to the specification of the biomass material  20 . The cumulative data obtained through the sensors  50  (e.g., the humidity sensor) and from laboratory data  52  is aggregated by the biomass management and exchange system  10 , The biomass management and exchange system  10  analyzes the received data from the producers  12  and, using predictive algorithms, develops predictions of future biomass production, usage, and one or more qualities. For example, the biomass management and exchange system  10  gathers the biomass data from various producers and uses the biomass data to detect patterns and predict, in one such instance, a category that a biomass harvested in the future would fall into, the probability that a given biomass feedstock  20  on the biomass management and exchange system  10  will be within predetermined specifications, and/or the probability that a given biomass feedstock will become compliant with predetermined specifications over time. The pattern detection, data collection, and data processing and analysis can help to develop reliable commodity constraints for biomass, which can facilitate and encourage transactions of biomass materials. 
         [0023]    A biomass buyer  14  creates a buyer profile  18  in a similar manner. As provided above, the buyer  14  specifies the location  34  of the business (typically an energy generating plant), the type  35  of biomass the buyer wants, and, optionally, the computing devices  102  used to access the buyer profile  18 . The buyer  14  then searches for appropriate biomass producers  12 . The buyer  14  can search for biomass producer profiles  16  and sort them according to different categories, for example, price of biomass unit, location, date available. Since transporting biomass feedstock may be costly, it is beneficial for the buyer to search for producers within a specified geographic range or perimeter. This way, transportation costs can be minimized. To this end, the biomass management and exchange system  10  allows the buyer  14  to restrict a search to a specified geographic area. 
         [0024]    The buyer  14  then identifies the producers  12  from which to obtain the biomass  20 . The buyer then initiates contact with the producer and offers to buy at least some biomass material. In some examples, rather than waiting for a buyer to approach a producer,, the producer can search for a buyer and initiate contact with the buyer. 
         [0025]    After a buyer  14  and producer  12  have connected, a series of negotiations and/or between the producer  12  and the buyer  14  take place until an agreement is reached. The negotiations and/or bidding may take place on an electronic bid/ask platform  60  through the computer-based system over the server  100  or external to the computer-based system (e.g., phone conference). The agreement can include transportation parameters, delivery date, one or more qualities of the biomass, the price paid for the biomass  20 , and the like. In some embodiments, the biomass management and exchange system  10  is configured to generate one or more agreement forms that indicate the parameters of the transaction. The details, discussed above, can include transportation parameters, a delivery date, qualities of the biomass, a price paid, and the like. In some embodiments, the biomass management and exchange system  10  stores different predetermined options for each parameter of the transaction. These stored options allow a buyer or a producer to quickly and easily choose a different option for a particular parameter. In some embodiments, the buyer  14  and/or the producer  14  can also specify a new parameter and customize it accordingly. The data from the transaction is loaded to the biomass management and exchange system to improve the algorithms and to increase the business intelligence of the system. In some instances, the biomass is monitored via the biomass management and exchange system until the biomass is delivered to the buyer. The biomass can be monitored for quality assurance purposes by measuring, for example. the humidity of the biomass. In some embodiments, the humidity of the biomass is measured when the biomass leaves an originating location. Based on the measured humidity, an expected humidity (or humidity range) at a destination can be calculated. The humidity of the biomass can then be measured at the destination to ensure that the humidity is within the expected range. The biomass can also be monitored via a GPS system&#39;to calculate an estimated time of arrival. All of this information is made available to users through the computer-based system. 
         [0026]    Each buyer can store information about the different producers in the biomass management and exchange system. For example, the buyer can store exact locations of the biomass for a particular producer, the fastest and/or most direct route to a producer location, costs associated with a particular producer, past transactions and results associated with a particular producer. The information associated with a particular producer can be visible to all or some of the users of the biomass management and exchange system. However, in some embodiments, the identity of the buyer who posted the information remains confidential. Thus, each producer can be rated in comparison with other producers and other buyers can make more informed decisions when negotiating with a particular producer. Each producer can also store information about the different buyers, such as, for example, exact locations associated with the buyers with most direct/fastest routes, past transactions with a particular buyer, and the like. The information associated with a particular buyer can be visible to all or some of the users of the biomass management and exchange system. However, in some embodiments, the identity of the producer who posted the information remains confidential. Thus, each buyer can be rated in comparison with other buyers and other producers can make more informed decisions when negotiating with a particular buyer. In some embodiments, only select users of the biomass management and exchange system have access to historical information associated with each buyer and/or each producer. 
         [0027]    It should be understood that the above described methods and systems can be used with biomass and other bioenergy materials, including but not limited to biodiesel, ethanol, bio-chemicals, wood, woody materials, plant material, corn stover, straws and the like. 
         [0028]    Therefore, the biomass management and exchange system  10  connects biomass producers  12  and biomass buyers  14  such that costs are minimized and the quality of the biomass feedstock is maintained. The biomass management and exchange system  10  also offers other tools for the producers and buyers to access information associated with the biomass market (local and global) and to run their own business. 
         [0029]    While the present invention has been shown and described in accordance with several preferred and practical embodiments, it is recognized that departures from the instant disclosure are contemplated within the spirit and scope of the present invention which are not limited except as defined in the following claims as interpreted by the Doctrine of Equivalents.