Patent ID: 8825217

Claim:
A method of controlling electrical energy consumption within an electricity distribution network, the electricity distribution network supplying electrical energy to a geographical area, a plurality, of electric devices being distributed within said geographical area, wherein each of the electric devices is connectable to the electricity distribution network to consume electrical energy provided therefrom, thereby increasing a net amount of electrical energy consumption in said geographical area, and/or to provide electrical energy to the electricity distribution network, thereby decreasing a net amount of electric energy consumption in said geographical area, the method comprising: maintaining a device database comprising profile information, the profile information comprising energy recovery information relating to an energy recovery property of at least some of said electric devices in said geographical area; identifying a time period during which consumption of electrical energy supplied by the electricity distribution network is to be controlled; selecting, based on at least said energy recovery information, a plurality of groups of said electric devices located within said geographical area, each said group comprising a plurality of said electric devices; associating one or more time intervals with each of the selected groups, the one or more time intervals associated with a given selected group being different to the one or more time intervals associated with the other selected groups, each said time interval being a time interval of said time period during which net electrical energy consumption of an associated group is to be controlled; sending one or more requests, for receipt at the electric devices of the selected groups, to control electrical energy consumption and/or provision by the electric devices, thereby reducing a net consumption of electrical energy in said geographical area, during a respective associated time interval.