CLIAMS:We claim:
1. A method for optimizing energy consumption, the method comprising:
generating, with an energy optimization device, an energy model for each of a plurality of sites in an enterprise network;
determining, with the energy optimization device, a plurality of service windows for each of the plurality of sites;
generating, with the energy optimization device, an energy consumption forecast for each of the plurality of sites based on the generated energy models and the determined service windows;
obtaining, with the energy optimization device, current energy consumption information for one of the plurality of sites;
determining, with the energy optimization device, one or more optimization recommendations for the one of the plurality of sites based on a deviation of the obtained current energy consumption information for the one of the plurality of sites from the generated energy consumption forecast for the one of the plurality of sites in an active one of the determined service windows for the one of the plurality of sites; and
outputting, with the energy optimization device, the one or more optimization recommendations.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
obtaining, with the energy optimization device, historical business information for each of the plurality of sites, the historical business information comprising service type, size, layout, orientation, time of operation, geographic location, sales or production trend, variations in business operations, sales turnover, seasonality, or weather;
obtaining, with the energy optimization device, historical energy consumption information for each of the plurality of sites, the historical energy consumption information comprising historical energy consumption data, energy asset information including make, model, specification, functional profile, age, technology, type of consumption, or energy source information including schedule, availability, or cost for each of the plurality of sites; and
obtaining, with the energy optimization device, infrastructure information for each of the plurality of sites, the infrastructure information comprising energy policies or practices.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining the plurality of service windows further comprises identifying a plurality of time windows of a time period for each of the plurality of sites during which the historical business information or historical energy consumption information for each of the plurality of sites deviates by an established threshold from the historical business information or historical energy consumption information for each of the plurality of sites of other time windows of the time period for each of the plurality of sites.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating the energy model for each of the plurality of sites further comprises:
generating, with the energy optimization device, a business model for each of the plurality of sites based at least on the historical business information;
generating, with the energy optimization device, an energy consumption model for each of the plurality of sites based at least on the historical energy consumption information; and
generating, with the energy optimization device, an energy infrastructure model for each of the plurality of sites based at least on the infrastructure information.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising generating and storing, with the energy optimization device, one or more mappings for one or more of the plurality of sites based on one or more of the business, energy consumption, or energy infrastructure models, or the plurality of service windows for the one or more of the plurality of sites.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining one or more optimization recommendations further comprises:
identifying the active one of the service windows for the one of the plurality of sites;
obtaining energy consumption information for active assets currently consuming energy for the one of the plurality of sites; and
comparing the energy consumption information for the active assets to the energy consumption forecast for the identified active service window for the one of the plurality of sites.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more optimization recommendations are selected from replacing one or more assets, reducing idle time of one or more assets, operating one or more assets based on an appropriate or preferred mode, or maintaining or repairing one or more assets.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the outputting the optimization recommendations further comprises:
calculating operational savings for one or more of the determined service windows for the one of the plurality of sites;
prioritizing the optimization recommendations for the one of the plurality of sites;
generating one or more reports for one or more of the plurality of sites selected from an energy consumption trend report, site energy consumption report, asset comparison report, site comparison report, deviation report, or forecasted energy consumption report; and
generating one or more dashboard interfaces for providing the reports or data included in the reports to a user upon request.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for optimizing energy consumption comprising machine executable code which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform steps comprising:
generating an energy model for each of a plurality of sites in an enterprise network;
determining a plurality of service windows for each of the plurality of sites;
generating an energy consumption forecast for each of the plurality of sites based on the generated energy models and the determined service windows;
obtaining current energy consumption information for one of the plurality of sites;
determining one or more optimization recommendations for the one of the plurality of sites based on a deviation of the obtained current energy consumption information for the one of the plurality of sites from the generated energy consumption forecast for the one of the plurality of sites in an active one of the determined service windows for the one of the plurality of sites; and
outputting the one or more optimization recommendations.

10. The medium of claim 9 further comprising machine executable code which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform steps further comprising:
obtaining historical business information for each of the plurality of sites, the historical business information comprising service type, size, layout, orientation, time of operation, geographic location, sales or production trend, variations in business operations, sales turnover, seasonality, or weather;
obtaining historical energy consumption information for each of the plurality of sites, the historical energy consumption information comprising historical energy consumption data, energy asset information including make, model, specification, functional profile, age, technology, type of consumption, or energy source information including schedule, availability, or cost for each of the plurality of sites; and
obtaining infrastructure information for each of the plurality of sites, the infrastructure information comprising energy policies or practices.

11. The medium of claim 10 wherein the determining the plurality of service windows further comprises identifying a plurality of time windows of a time period for each of the plurality of sites during which the historical business information or historical energy consumption information for each of the plurality of sites deviates by an established threshold from the historical business information or historical energy consumption information for each of the plurality of sites of other time windows of the time period for each of the plurality of sites.

12. The medium of claim 10 wherein the generating the energy model for each of the plurality of sites further comprises:
generating a business model for each of the plurality of sites based at least on the historical business information;
generating an energy consumption model for each of the plurality of sites based at least on the historical energy consumption information; and
generating an energy infrastructure model for each of the plurality of sites based at least on the infrastructure information.

13. The medium of claim 12 further comprising machine executable code which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform steps further comprising generating and storing one or more mappings for one or more of the plurality of sites based on one or more of the business, energy consumption, or energy infrastructure models, or the plurality of service windows for the one or more of the plurality of sites.

14. The medium of claim 9 wherein the determining one or more optimization recommendations further comprises:
identifying the active one of the service windows for the one of the plurality of sites;
obtaining energy consumption information for active assets currently consuming energy for the one of the plurality of sites; and
comparing the energy consumption information for the active assets to the energy consumption forecast for the identified active service window for the one of the plurality of sites.

15. The medium of claim 9 wherein the one or more optimization recommendations are selected from replacing one or more assets, reducing idle time of one or more assets, operating one or more assets based on an appropriate or preferred mode, or maintaining or repairing one or more assets.

16. The medium of claim 9 wherein the outputting the optimization recommendations further comprises:
calculating operational savings for one or more of the determined service windows for the one of the plurality of sites;
prioritizing the optimization recommendations for the one of the plurality of sites;
generating one or more reports for one or more of the plurality of sites selected from an energy consumption trend report, site energy consumption report, asset comparison report, site comparison report, deviation report, or forecasted energy consumption report; and
generating one or more dashboard interfaces for providing the reports or data included in the reports to a user upon request.
17. An energy optimization device, comprising:
a memory; and
a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory, comprising:
generating an energy model for each of a plurality of sites in an enterprise network;
determining a plurality of service windows for each of the plurality of sites;
generating an energy consumption forecast for each of the plurality of sites based on the generated energy models and the determined service windows;
obtaining current energy consumption information for one of the plurality of sites;
determining one or more optimization recommendations for the one of the plurality of sites based on a deviation of the obtained current energy consumption information for the one of the plurality of sites from the generated energy consumption forecast for the one of the plurality of sites in an active one of the determined service windows for the one of the plurality of sites; and
outputting the one or more optimization recommendations.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the processor is further configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory further comprising:
obtaining historical business information for each of the plurality of sites, the historical business information comprising service type, size, layout, orientation, time of operation, geographic location, sales or production trend, variations in business operations, sales turnover, seasonality, or weather; and
obtaining historical energy consumption information for each of the plurality of sites, the historical energy consumption information comprising historical energy consumption data, energy asset information including make, model, specification, functional profile, age, technology, type of consumption, or energy source information including schedule, availability, or cost for each of the plurality of sites; and
obtaining infrastructure information for each of the plurality of sites, the infrastructure information comprising energy policies or practices.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the determining the plurality of service windows further comprises identifying a plurality of time windows of a time period for each of the plurality of sites during which the historical business information or historical energy consumption information for each of the plurality of sites deviates by an established threshold from the historical business information or historical energy consumption information for each of the plurality of sites of other time windows of the time period for each of the plurality of sites.
20. The device of claim 18 wherein the generating the energy model for each of the plurality of sites further comprises:
generating a business model for each of the plurality of sites based at least on the historical business information;
generating an energy consumption model for each of the plurality of sites based at least on the historical energy consumption information; and
generating an energy infrastructure model for each of the plurality of sites based at least on the infrastructure information.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein the processor is further configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory further comprising generating and storing one or more mappings for one or more of the plurality of sites based on one or more of the business, energy consumption, or energy infrastructure models, or the plurality of service windows for the one or more of the plurality of sites.

22. The device of claim 17 wherein the determining one or more optimization recommendations further comprises:
identifying the active one of the service windows for the one of the plurality of sites;
obtaining energy consumption information for active assets currently consuming energy for the one of the plurality of sites; and
comparing the energy consumption information for the active assets to the energy consumption forecast for the identified active service window for the one of the plurality of sites.

23. The device of claim 17 wherein the one or more optimization recommendations are selected from replacing one or more assets, reducing idle time of one or more assets, operating one or more assets based on an appropriate or preferred mode, or maintaining or repairing one or more assets.

24. The device of claim 17 wherein the outputting the optimization recommendations further comprises:

calculating operational savings for one or more of the determined service windows for the one of the plurality of sites;
prioritizing the optimization recommendations for the one of the plurality of sites;
generating one or more reports for one or more of the plurality of sites selected from an energy consumption trend report, site energy consumption report, asset comparison report, site comparison report, deviation report, or forecasted energy consumption report; and
generating one or more dashboard interfaces for providing the reports or data included in the reports to a user upon request.

Dated this 12th day of February, 2013
Sravan Kumar Gampa
Of K&S Partners
Agent for the Applicant
,TagSPECI:TECHNICAL FIELD
This technology generally relates to methods and devices for optimizing energy consumption and, more particularly, to methods, non-transitory computer readable medium, and devices for managing energy utilization across a plurality of geographically separated sites in a network of a service window based enterprise.