Patent ID: 8260469

Claim:
A geographically distributed and hybrid renewable energy power plant, the power plant comprising: a plurality of renewable energy power generation sources that are distributed over a geographic area; a plurality of grid interface boxes, wherein each of the grid interface boxes is respectively configured to connect one renewable energy power generation source of the renewable energy power generation sources to a power distribution grid, to measure a power output by the one renewable energy power generation source, and to regulate power delivered to the power distribution grid by the one renewable energy power generation source; and a plant front end for communicating with the grid interface boxes, for determining a total output power available from the renewable energy power generation sources based on instantaneous power available from each of the renewable energy power generation sources, for determining a statistical availability of the total output power based on weather and other conditions affecting power output from the renewable energy power generations sources, and for outputting the total output power and the statistical availability to an energy management system.