Patent ID: 7249043

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of providing a limited consumable energy resource to a plurality of individual users located at geographically discrete user locations, the method comprising the steps of: aggregating the plurality of individual users at said geographically discrete locations into an energy resource-consuming block; arranging for the availability of the resource from at least one supplier of the resource, said resource being a consumable energy resource; and using a computer system to regulate real-time use of an amount of the resource by each of the individual users based on each of the user's need for the resource at the user's discrete location so that a particular user having a greater need for the resource receives a greater provision of the resource while controlling usage of the resource by said block to maintain aggregated usage of the resource below a predetermined level, said regulating step comprising the steps of obtaining energy demand and need information from at least some of said users, and using said demand and need information in said system in order to: (a) allocate respective amounts of the resource to the individual users; (b) vary over time the allocated amounts of the resource to the individual users; and (c) control the usage of the resource by the individual users as necessary to maintain the aggregate usage of the resource by all of the users below said predetermined level.