Patent ID: 8626643

Claim:
A method for financing installation of a new utility technology by a utility consumer after installation of the new utility technology at a facility associated with the utility consumer, the method comprising: 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, the power reduction over time provided by use of the second 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.