Patent ID: 7778940

Claim:
A system for managing an energy distribution network of local power production units over a distributed communications network, comprising: a control server configured to control the power production of a plurality of local power production units, wherein the control server determines the amount of power to be provided by each of the local power production units based on at least the operating characteristics of the local power production units, local power production needed by the local power production units, and sequencing power generation among the energy distribution network and interconnected local power production units, wherein the control server is configured to establish a plurality of operational nodes comprising one or more local power production units, wherein a grouping of local power production units into a particular operational node is based upon geography, mutual proximity, combined generation power outputs, or peaking/non-peaking performance considerations of the local power production units, wherein the control server is configured to dynamically add or remove local power production units from the operational node; a plurality of local power production interface units configured to: receive control messages from the control server, wherein each of the local power production interface units is communicatively coupled to a local power production unit; and transmit operating characteristic messages to the control server, wherein each of the local power production interface units includes one or more data interfaces configured to receive operating characteristic information from a one or more of the local power production unit, an electrical meter, a thermometer, a gas pressure meter, a fuel pressure meter or a fuel consumption meter; and an interconnection switch coupled to each local power production unit and a power grid, wherein the control server is configured to operate the switch.