Patent ID: 8812165

Claim:
A computer-implemented system for optimizing energy usage, the system comprising: a computer system comprising at least one processor and operatively associated memory, the computer system programmed to execute an optimization engine object, wherein the optimization engine object is in communication with a plurality of dependent objects comprising at least one of: a dependent optimization engine object; and at least one of a dependent supply-side object to generate energy and a dependent demand-side object to use energy; wherein the optimization object is programmed to: receive dependent object attribute data from each of the at least one dependent objects, wherein the dependent object attribute data for each dependent object of the optimization engine comprises, for a first time period: at least one attribute selected from the group consisting of: a schedule of net resources indicating supply-side capacity of the dependent object; and a schedule of net demand indicating demand-side usage of the dependent object; and preference data indicating usage preferences associated with the dependent object; determine an optimal configuration for the plurality of dependent objects over the first time period subject to at least one optimization constraint, wherein determining the optimal configuration comprises determining a net energy usage of the plurality of dependent objects; conditioned upon the optimization engine depending from a superior optimization engine, transmit the net energy usage to the superior optimization engine.