Patent ID: 8468040

Claim:
A method for improving performance of a utility grid that is used by entities that provide generation, transmission and distribution services, said method comprising: a. establishing an entity that is independent from the entities that provide generation, transmission and distribution services in connection with said utility grid; b. identifying at least one upgrade project associated with the utility grid that satisfies at least one of the following criteria: (i) incrementally increases the revenues of at least one of the entities that provide generation, transmission and distribution services with respect to the utility grid, or (ii) incrementally reduces the costs of at least one of the entities that provide generation, transmission and distribution services with respect to the utility grid or an electricity user, wherein said upgrade project includes at least one physical installation associated with said utility grid that directly reduces a transmission bottleneck or other cause of congestion on said utility grid; c. funding the implementation of said at least one upgrade project using funds of said independent entity; d. measuring performance of the utility grid with respect to at least one predetermined performance parameter representing at least one physical attribute of the utility grid so as to determine the difference in performance of the utility grid with respect to said at least one performance parameter based on incorporation of the upgrade project; e. calculating a revenue share based on economic benefits realized by at least one of the entities that provide generation, transmission or distribution with respect to the utility grid based on said performance measurement relative to a base performance level in the absence of said upgrade project, said revenue share calculation being performed by a processing unit that is programmed to perform said calculation based at least in part on said performance measurement relative to said base performance level; and f. transferring monetary value equal to said calculated revenue share to said independent entity.