Intelligent electronic interface for thermal energy storage module and stored thermal energy and method of buying and selling stored thermal energy capacity

摘要

An intelligent electronic control and communications interface module for a thermal energy storage module comprising an interface for bi-directionally communicating data between a thermal energy storage module and a smart grid, wherein said data comprise data concerning the current status of the storage capacity, and requests to store thermal energy or to discharge thermal energy. Also disclosed is a thermal energy storage module comprising an intelligent electronic control and communications interface module, and a method of doing business comprising treating stored thermal energy, thermal energy storage capacity, and/or control priority thereof as a quantifiable tradable asset.