Co2 removal system, co2 removal method, and computing device

Abstract

A CO2 removal system (1) has a CO2 removal device (11) for removing CO2, and a computing device (100). The computing device (100) has a memory (102) for storing a program and a processor (101) for executing the program. The processor (101): receives first information necessary for calculating the overall cost and the substantial CO2 reduction amount and second information related to a plurality of power plant packages (31-33); calculates the overall cost based on the cost associated with the operation of the CO2 removal device (11) and the carbon credit revenue resulting from the removal by the CO2 removal device (11); calculates the maximum CO2 removal amount and the substantial CO2 reduction amount; selects one power plant package from the plurality of power plant packages (31-33) on the basis of the overall cost and substantial CO2 reduction amount that have been calculated; and performs control such that the CO2 removal device (11) is operated using the power from said power plant package.

Description

CO2 removal system, CO2 removal method, and computing device

[0001] The present invention relates to a CO2 removal system and a CO2 removal method that achieve carbon negativity.

[0002] Reducing greenhouse gases such as CO2 is required as a measure to combat global warming. Consequently, negative emission technologies, which lead to a reduction in atmospheric CO2, are attracting attention. There are already examples of carbon negativity being achieved using negative emission technologies, and further technological development is expected.

[0003] Carbon negativity refers to a state where the amount of greenhouse gas absorbed exceeds the amount emitted. In recent years, carbon negativity has attracted attention due to concerns about the progression of global warming. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report states that "there is no doubt that human impacts have warmed the atmosphere, oceans, and land." Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), but CO2 accounts for more than 70% of greenhouse gases and is considered to have the greatest impact on global warming. Therefore, reducing CO2 emissions from industrial activities is considered an effective way to prevent global warming, and measures are being taken worldwide.

[0004] Japan's Ministry of the Environment is aiming to create a system that compels companies to reduce emissions, including a carbon tax and emissions trading, which would set an upper limit on CO2 emission allowances and allow companies to buy and sell any shortfalls. They believe that increased energy conservation will reduce energy costs in the medium to long term and lead to economic growth through the export of decarbonization technologies overseas.

[0005] Furthermore, since it is difficult to reduce CO2 emissions to zero, carbon-negative technologies are necessary. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a carbon dioxide gas neutralization system and a carbon dioxide gas neutralization method for achieving carbon negativity. An aqueous solution containing sodium chloride is electrolyzed in an electrolytic device, and the basic aqueous solution and carbon dioxide gas are neutralized to convert it into an aqueous solution containing carbonate anions. In this carbon dioxide gas neutralization system, it is noted that the energy intensity of carbon dioxide absorption is greater than the energy intensity of carbon dioxide emissions from the power generation equipment used in the electrolytic device. CO2 removal means require energy, and the amount of CO2 emitted per unit of energy differs individually.

[0006] Converting CO2 into other products and storing them in this way is called CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage). Converting CO2 into other products and utilizing them is called CCU (Carbon Capture and Utilization). In the future, it is expected that the CO2 reduced by CCS and CCU will be subject to credit trading in the carbon credit market. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 describes providing power usage support information to assist in selecting different power generation methods when electricity is consumed in the product usage process.

[0007] International Publication No. 2022 / 191095, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-189567

[0008] To efficiently achieve carbon negativity using a CO2 removal system, it is necessary to consider both the net CO2 reduction, which is the amount of CO2 effectively reduced by the system, and the total cost required to reduce CO2, which takes into account the various costs and revenues incurred in the system.

[0009] Patent Document 1 states that in the carbon dioxide gas neutralization treatment system, the energy intensity of carbon dioxide absorption is greater than the energy intensity of carbon dioxide emissions from the power generation equipment used in the electrolytic device. However, Patent Document 1 does not describe any consideration of costs. Furthermore, paragraph 0134 of Patent Document 1 states that "the novelty of the present invention lies in the discovery of conditions under which negative emissions are possible, allowing for immediate practical application even when continuous operation is carried out using only thermal power generation for electrolytic electricity," but there is room for further consideration regarding the appropriate selection of the power generation method used to further improve efficiency.

[0010] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 states that the electricity usage support information includes price and CO2 emission information for each type of electricity. However, Patent Document 2 does not mention carbon credit prices. Moreover, in Patent Document 2, the price for each type of electricity represents only the cost in electricity usage, and the CO2 emission information is merely a value associated with power generation. Therefore, it is difficult to select electricity with different power generation methods while considering the total cost, which includes various costs incurred in the system and the revenue associated with carbon credits. Thus, with the invention described in the prior art, it is difficult to achieve efficient carbon negativity that simultaneously increases the actual reduction in CO2 and reduces the total cost necessary to reduce CO2.

[0011] Therefore, the present invention aims to achieve carbon negativity by simultaneously increasing the net reduction in CO2 emissions and lowering costs.

[0012] To solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a CO2 removal system comprising a CO2 removal device and a computing device, wherein the computing device comprises a memory for storing a program and a processor for executing the program, and the processor receives first information necessary for calculating the total cost and the net CO2 reduction, and second information relating to a plurality of power plant packages that supply power to the CO2 removal device, calculates the cost associated with operating the CO2 removal device and the total cost based on carbon credit revenue from the removal by the CO2 removal device from the first information and the second information, calculates the maximum CO2 removal amount, which is the maximum amount of CO2 that the CO2 removal device can remove by a predetermined period, and the net CO2 reduction amount, which is the amount of CO2 emitted in accordance with a predetermined required net CO2 reduction amount from the plurality of power plant packages, from the first information and the second information, and selects one of the power plant packages from the plurality of power plant packages based on the calculated total cost and the net CO2 reduction amount, and controls the operation of the CO2 removal device using the power of the selected power plant package.

[0013] The present invention relates to a CO2 removal method, which is performed by a CO2 removal system having a CO2 removal device and a computing device, wherein the computing device has a memory for storing a program and a processor for executing the program, and the processor is characterized by performing the following steps: receiving first information necessary for calculating the total cost and the net CO2 reduction amount, and second information relating to a plurality of power plant packages that supply power to the CO2 removal device; calculating the cost associated with operating the CO2 removal device and the total cost based on carbon credit revenue from the removal by the CO2 removal device from the first information and the second information; calculating the maximum CO2 removal amount, which is the maximum amount of CO2 that the CO2 removal device can remove by a predetermined period, and the net CO2 reduction amount, which is the amount of CO2 emitted in accordance with a predetermined required net CO2 reduction amount from the plurality of power plant packages, from the first information and the second information; selecting one of the power plant packages from the plurality of power plant packages based on the calculated total cost and the net CO2 reduction amount; and controlling the CO2 removal device to operate using the power of the selected power plant package.

[0014] The computing device of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a receiving unit that receives first information necessary for calculating the total cost and the actual amount of CO2 reduction incurred in operating a CO2 removal device that removes CO2, and second information relating to a plurality of power plant packages that supply power available to the CO2 removal device; a calculation unit that calculates the total cost and the actual amount of CO2 reduction from the first information and the second information received by the receiving unit; a selection unit that selects one of the plurality of power plant packages based on the total cost and the actual amount of CO2 reduction calculated by the calculation unit; and a control unit that controls the CO2 removal device to operate using the power of the power plant package selected by the selection unit. Other means will be described in the embodiments for carrying out the invention.

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to achieve carbon negativity by simultaneously increasing the net reduction in CO2 emissions and lowering costs.

[0016] This is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the CO2 removal system according to the first embodiment. This diagram illustrates the information table of a customer requesting CO2 removal. This diagram illustrates the equipment information table of a customer requesting CO2 removal. This is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the CO2 removal system according to the second embodiment. This is a graph showing time-series information on CO2 emissions from a thermal power plant. This is a graph showing time-series information on CO2 emissions from a nuclear power plant. This is a graph showing time-series information on CO2 emissions from a solar power plant. This is a graph showing time-series information on CO2 emissions from power plant package 34. This is a graph showing time-series information on CO2 emissions from power plant package 35. This is a graph showing time-series information on CO2 emissions from power plant package 36. This is a graph showing time-series information on power generation amount from power plant package 34. This is a graph showing time-series information on power generation amount from power plant package 35. This is a graph showing time-series information on power generation amount from power plant package 36. This is a graph showing the amount of CO2 removed, emissions, and net CO2 reduction from power plant package 34. This is a graph showing the amount of CO2 removed, emissions, and net CO2 reduction from power plant package 35. This graph shows the amount of CO2 removed, emitted, and net CO2 reduction by power plant package 36. This graph shows the amount of CO2 removed and emitted relative to the net reduction requested by the customer by power plant package 34. This graph shows the amount of CO2 removed and emitted relative to the net reduction requested by the customer by power plant package 35. This graph shows the amount of CO2 removed and emitted relative to the net reduction requested by the customer by power plant package 36. This graph shows the time-series information of electricity price information by power plant package 34. This graph shows the time-series information of electricity price information by power plant package 35. This graph shows the time-series information of electricity price information by power plant package 36. This graph shows the time-series information of carbon credit prices. This graph shows the time-series information of CO2 emissions from the customer's factory. This graph shows the time-series information of CO2 emissions from the customer's store. This graph shows the time-series information of CO2 emissions from the customer's office. This is a diagram explaining the individual electricity information table. This is a diagram explaining the electricity package information table. This is a diagram explaining the carbon negative information table.This is a diagram explaining the carbon credit information table. This is a graph showing the electricity demand curve and surplus electricity. This is a graph showing the real electricity demand curve. This is a diagram showing the structure of electricity information. This is a sequence diagram showing the buying and selling of carbon credits. This is the overall flowchart of the CO2 removal process. This is a detailed flowchart of the power plant package selection process. This is a detailed flowchart of the operation optimization process. This is a diagram showing the marketplace type carbon credit market. This is a diagram showing the auction type carbon credit market. This is a diagram showing the trading type carbon credit market. This is a graph showing the CO2 emissions for each power generation method and the amount of CO2 removed by the electrolytic voltage system.

[0017] First, the background of the invention will be explained with reference to Figure 21.

[0018] Figure 21 is a graph showing CO2 emissions for each power generation method and the amount of CO2 removed by the electrolytic voltage system. As shown in Figure 21, the CO2 emissions per unit of power of coal-fired power generation is 943 [g]. This is the sum of 864 [g] of CO2 emissions from burning coal and 79 [g] of CO2 emissions required for the installation of power plant equipment.

[0019] The CO2 emissions per unit of electricity of an oil-fired power plant are 738 g. This is the sum of 695 g of CO2 emissions from the combustion of oil and 43 g of CO2 emissions required for the installation of the power plant equipment. The CO2 emissions per unit of electricity of an LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) power plant are 599 g. This is the sum of 476 g of CO2 emissions from the combustion of LNG and 123 g of CO2 emissions required for the installation of the power plant equipment.

[0020] The CO2 emissions per kWh of power from an LNG compound are 474 g. This is the sum of 376 g of CO2 emissions from the combustion of LNG and 98 g of CO2 emissions required for the installation of the power plant equipment. In contrast, the CO2 emissions per kWh of power from solar power are 38 g. The CO2 emissions per kWh of power from wind power are 26 g. The CO2 emissions per kWh of power from nuclear power are 19 g. The CO2 emissions per kWh of power from geothermal power are 13 g. The CO2 emissions per kWh of power from hydroelectric power are 11 g.

[0021] It has been believed that efficient carbon negativity cannot be achieved unless low-CO2 emission methods are used among these power generation methods. However, simply selecting renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power, which have low CO2 emissions, may result in insufficient power supply at night or under unfavorable weather conditions, potentially reducing the amount of CO2 removed by CO2 removal measures and thus lowering CO2 reduction. Therefore, by appropriately selecting coal-fired power plants, whose power supply is not affected by nighttime or weather conditions, it becomes possible to efficiently achieve carbon negativity when renewable energy sources are unavailable. In other words, it is necessary to consider how to select electricity from different power generation methods.

[0022] As shown in Figure 21, consider the case where the CO2 removal means can remove 1640 g of CO2 per unit power of 1 kWh using an electrolytic power of 1.0 V. Since hydroelectric power emits 11 g of CO2 per unit power of 1 kWh, the net result is that 1629 g of CO2 was removed.

[0023] In contrast, when electricity derived from coal-fired power plants is used, 943 g of CO2 is emitted per unit of 1 kWh of electricity, resulting in a net removal of 697 g of CO2. When electricity derived from LNG-fired power plants is used, 599 g of CO2 is emitted per unit of 1 kWh of electricity, resulting in a net removal of 1041 g of CO2.

[0024] Let's consider a case where a CO2 removal means can remove 1093 g of CO2 per unit power of 1 kWh using electrolytic power of 1.5V. If electricity derived from coal-fired power generation is used, 943 g of CO2 is emitted per unit power of 1 kWh, so after subtraction, 150 g of CO2 is removed.

[0025] When using electricity derived from LNG thermal power generation, 599 g of CO2 is emitted per unit of 1 kWh of electricity, so after subtraction, 494 g of CO2 is removed.

[0026] The theoretical carbon-negative conditions are shown in equation (1) below. The left side of equation (1) represents the amount of CO2 removed by the CO2 removal means for electrolytic power. The right side of equation (1) represents the amount of CO2 emitted by the power generation method used by this CO2 removal means. The theoretical carbon-negative conditions in equation (1) represent the cases in which carbon negativity can be achieved.

[0027] 1640 × Q / X > A … (1) Here, the CO2 emission unit for electricity is A [gCO ２ [kWh] Electrolytic voltage: X Faraday effect: Q

[0028] The following equation (2) shows the system carbon-negative conditions. Equation (2) calculates in detail whether the carbon-negative conditions are met for each proportion of electricity used by the CO2 removal means. The right-hand side of equation (2) shows in detail the CO2 emissions from the power generation method used by the CO2 removal means. In addition to the amount of CO2 emitted by burning fossil fuels according to the amount of electricity, it adds the CO2 emissions associated with the extraction and transportation of those fossil fuels, the manufacturing and operation of the power generation system, and neutralization.

[0029] F × 1640 × Q / X > A + (M1 + M2 + S + N) ... (2) Here, power CO2 emission units: A [gCO ２ / kWh] Electrolysis voltage: X Faraday effect: Q Raw material CO2 emissions: M1 [gCO ２ / kWh] Transportation CO2 emissions: M2[gCO ２ / kWh] System manufacturing and operation CO2 emissions: S[gCO ２ / kWh] Neutralized CO2 emission: N[gCO ２ / kWh] CO2 removal rate: F

[0030] As described above, it is necessary to operate a CO2 removal system by mixing various power generation methods. In this process, minimizing the actual reduction in CO2 emissions is crucial for the efficient operation of the CO2 removal system. This invention solves this problem.

[0031] Hereafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the figures. (First Embodiment) First, before describing the first embodiment, the future carbon credits envisioned by the present invention will be explained. Currently, carbon credits for CO2 emissions and absorption are recognized. In addition, it is quite conceivable that in the future, carbon credits will also be awarded for CO2 removed using carbon-negative technology. The present invention assumes such a case and aims to achieve carbon negativity by increasing the net reduction in CO2, which is obtained by subtracting CO2 emissions from the amount of CO2 removed using the CO2 removal system 1, and by reducing the overall system costs.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, "increasing the net reduction in CO2" means increasing the amount of CO2 removed, or selecting a power generation method that emits less CO2 through power supply when performing CO2 removal. The total cost is the sum of the electricity price, which differs for each power generation method used for CO2 removal, and the operating costs required to remove the net reduction in CO2, minus the revenue based on the price of carbon credits issued by CO2 removal. Furthermore, "reducing the total cost" means reducing the electricity price, which differs for each power generation method used for CO2 removal, and the operating costs required to remove the net reduction in CO2, or increasing the revenue based on the price of carbon credits issued by CO2 removal.

[0033] Figure 1 is a configuration diagram of the CO2 removal system 1 according to the first embodiment. The CO2 removal system 1 of the first embodiment comprises a CO2 removal device 11 that removes CO2 and a computing device 100. The computing device 100 further comprises a processor 101, a memory 102, a storage unit 12, a reception unit 13, a control unit 14, an issuing unit 16, a selection unit 17, a buying / selling unit 18, and a calculation unit 10. The memory 102 stores a program. The processor 101 executes the program stored in the memory 102. This realizes the reception unit 13, the control unit 14, the issuing unit 16, the selection unit 17, the buying / selling unit 18, and the calculation unit 10. Power is supplied to the CO2 removal system 1 by connecting a grid power plant package 6 and a renewable energy power plant package 7. This power is mainly used for CO2 removal by the CO2 removal device 11.

[0034] The grid power plant package 6 includes power plant package 31, which includes a thermal power plant 311, and power plant package 32, which includes a nuclear power plant 321. The renewable energy power plant package 7 includes power plant package 33, which includes a solar power plant 331. The electricity generated by each of the power plant packages 31 to 33 is supplied to the CO2 removal system 1. Although the diagram shows power plant packages 31 to 33, it is also possible to consider each individual power plant as a separate power plant package. Furthermore, the renewable energy power plant package 7 may be located at the site where the CO2 removal device 11 is installed, and may be managed collectively by the entity that manages the CO2 removal device 11. In this case, the price of electricity related to the renewable energy power plant package 7, as described later, may be the price of electricity assuming that the electricity is received from an external source, or it may be possible to calculate an expense equivalent to the price of electricity, such as estimating the operating costs required to operate the renewable energy power plant package 7 in order to generate the electricity. One of the features of the present invention is that the CO2 removal system 1 can choose how to receive the electricity it uses from each of the power plant packages 31 to 33.

[0035] The CO₂ removal system 1 may be connectable to the customer's factory equipment 23, customer store equipment 24, and customer office 25, and the control unit 14 may control the power utilization in these customer facilities. Here, a customer refers to an enterprise that requests the fixation of CO₂, etc.

[0036] The CO₂ removal system 1 is capable of communicating with a terminal (not shown) that manages the carbon credit market 21, receiving the carbon credit price from the carbon credit market 21, and conducting transactions of the carbon credits created by the CO₂ removal system 1. Also, it receives power information from a terminal (not shown) that manages the power price market 22 and receives the price of the power supplied from the grid power generation plant package 6. Further, when the renewable power generation plant package 7 is not co-located with the CO₂ removal system 1 and power is purchased from the market, the CO₂ removal system 1 may receive the price of the power supplied from the renewable power generation plant package 7. The CO₂ removal system 1 can comply with the CO₂ emission quota imposed on enterprises.

[0037] The CO₂ removal device 11 is a device that uses electrochemistry and is a device that removes CO₂ when power is supplied. As a result of the CO₂ removal device 11 removing CO₂, examples of the generated products include carbonates. The carbonates can be stored, for example, underground, or can be further converted into another substance through subsequent processes. A specific example of the CO₂ removal device 11 is the device described in Patent Document 1.

[0038] The processor 101 receives the first information necessary for calculating the total cost and the substantial CO₂ reduction amount, and the second information regarding the power generation plant packages 31 to 33 that supply power to the CO₂ removal device 11. This operation corresponds to the operation of the reception unit 13. The processor 101 calculates the cost associated with the operation of the CO₂ removal device 11 and the total cost based on the carbon credit revenue from the removal of the CO₂ removal device 11 from the received first information and second information. This operation corresponds to the operation of the calculation unit 10.

[0039] Then, the processor 101 calculates the substantial CO₂ reduction amount based on the maximum CO₂ removal amount, which is the maximum amount of CO₂ that the CO₂ removal device 11 can remove by a predetermined period, and the CO₂ emission amount, which is the amount of CO₂ emitted according to a predetermined required CO₂ substantial reduction amount from the power plant packages 31 to 33. This operation corresponds to the operation of the calculation unit 10. Finally, the processor 101 selects one of the power plant packages 31 to 33 based on the calculated total cost and substantial CO₂ reduction amount, and controls the operation of the CO₂ removal device 11 using the power of the selected power plant package. This operation corresponds to the operation of the control unit 14.

[0040] Further, the processor 101 receives customer request information including a customer request reduction deadline, which is a period requested by the customer for the end of the removal by the CO₂ removal device 11, and a customer request substantial CO₂ reduction amount indicating the amount of CO₂ for which removal is requested by the CO₂ removal device 11, power price information, power generation amount information, and power plant package information including a power CO₂ emission coefficient of the power plant packages 31 to 33 that supply power to the CO₂ removal device 11, a total operation cost index for each electrolysis voltage of the CO₂ removal device 11 required for removing the customer request substantial CO₂ reduction amount, and carbon negative information including the processing capacity of the CO₂ removal device 11, and a carbon credit price indicating the price of carbon credits due to CO₂ removal.

[0041] The processor 101 calculates the maximum CO₂ removal amount, which is the maximum amount of CO₂ that the CO₂ removal device 11 can remove by the customer request reduction deadline, based on the customer request reduction deadline, the power generation amount information, and the processing capacity. The processor 101 calculates the CO₂ emission amount, which is the amount of CO₂ emitted by the power plant packages 31 to 33, based on the power CO₂ emission coefficient, the customer request substantial CO₂ reduction amount, and the processing capacity.

[0042] The processor 101 calculates the net CO2 reduction that can be achieved by the customer's requested reduction deadline, based on the maximum CO2 removal amount and CO2 emissions. The processor 101 calculates the operating cost associated with the operation of the CO2 removal device 11, based on the total operating cost index, the customer's requested net CO2 reduction, and CO2 emissions. The processor 101 calculates the carbon credit revenue from the removal by the CO2 removal device 11, based on the carbon credit price and the customer's requested net CO2 reduction. The processor 101 calculates the total cost, which is the sum of the electricity price information and operating costs, and the carbon credit revenue. Based on the net CO2 reduction and the total cost, the processor 101 selects one of the power plant packages 31 to 33 and controls the operation of the CO2 removal device 11 using the power of the selected power plant package.

[0043] The memory unit 12 stores the CO2 emission coefficients of the power plant packages 31, 32, and 33, which are the power supply sources, or information on their CO2 emissions. The memory unit 12 also stores data on CO2 emissions based on power consumption calculated by the calculation unit 10. Furthermore, the memory unit 12 may also store the amount of CO2 from the CO2 emission allowance imposed on each company, which differs for each customer. Here, the amount of CO2 removed is the amount of CO2 that has been electrochemically converted into products by the CO2 removal device 11. The amount of CO2 emitted is the amount of CO2 emitted when generating electricity used to operate the CO2 removal device 11, or when manufacturing products at the customer's facilities. The net reduction in CO2 is the amount of CO2 removed minus the amount of CO2 emitted, and refers to the amount of CO2 that has actually been reduced from the atmosphere.

[0044] The reception unit 13 receives the information listed in the customer request table 19 shown in Figure 2, the first information necessary to calculate the total cost and the net CO2 reduction, and the second information which is power information including information on the electricity available to the CO2 removal device 11 and information on the power plant. The reception unit 13 receives the amount of electricity, CO2 emissions, electricity price, operating cost of the CO2 removal device 11 relative to the amount of electricity, the amount of CO2 removed by the CO2 removal device 11 relative to the amount of electricity, and carbon credit price information which differs for each CO2 origin. The reception unit 13 accepts one of the following as the priority requested by the customer: economic feasibility, net CO2 reduction, or reduction deadline.

[0045] The reception unit 13 may also receive information on electricity prices for each time period and information on the time periods when surplus electricity is generated in the power grid. Furthermore, updated electricity information, which is predicted electricity information such as future power generation amounts for grid power and renewable energy, and updated electricity information sent from the power supply side, are received by the reception unit 13 from outside the CO2 removal system 1 and stored in the storage unit 12 in advance.

[0046] Figure 2 shows an example of a customer request table 19. The customer request table 19 includes a customer request budget 191, a customer request for actual CO2 reduction 192, a customer request for reduction deadline 193, and a customer request priority 194. The customer request budget 191 is the budget amount requested by the customer for CO2 removal costs. The customer request for actual CO2 reduction 192 is information indicating the amount of CO2 that the customer wants removed by the CO2 removal system 1. The customer may input the amount of CO2 to be reduced, taking into account the conditions for carbon neutrality. The customer request for reduction deadline 193 is information about the period requested by the customer until the CO2 removal process is completed. The customer request priority 194 stores information on which the customer wants to prioritize more: a large amount of actual CO2 reduction (efficiency) or a low CO2 removal cost (economic efficiency). In Figure 2, it is shown that the priority for a large amount of actual CO2 reduction is 1st, and the priority for a low CO2 removal cost is 2nd.

[0047] These customer request tables 19 are transmitted to the reception unit 13 from the customer's terminal (not shown in the diagram). The customer request priority 194 only needs to indicate whether CO2 removal amount or economic efficiency is prioritized, and can be in any format, such as a flag or a numerical value.

[0048] Figure 3 shows the equipment information table 201 of a customer requesting CO2 removal. The columns of the equipment information table 201 include a factory column 2011, a store column 2012, and an office column 2013. The rows of the equipment information table 201 include an operating status column, a night operation feasibility column, and a CO2 emission column.

[0049] According to the equipment information table 201, the factory is operating at 50%, nighttime operation is possible, and CO2 emissions are XX tons per month. The store operates from 10:00 to 20:00, nighttime operation is not possible, and CO2 emissions are YY tons per month. The office operates from 8:00 to 19:00, nighttime operation is not possible, and CO2 emissions are ZZ tons per month. The CO2 removal system 1 may use the equipment information table 201 in Figure 3 to formulate and propose a plan to the customer for removing CO2 by operating the CO2 removal device 11 within the permissible operating range from the power package.

[0050] Returning to Figure 1, the explanation continues. The calculation unit 10 calculates the total cost and the net CO2 reduction amount for each power plant package based on the information received by the reception unit 13, assuming that the CO2 removal device 11 is operated in that power plant package. The calculation unit 10 calculates the net CO2 reduction amount for each power plant package by subtracting the CO2 emissions from the CO2 removal amount. The calculation unit 10 calculates the total cost for each power plant package by subtracting the carbon credit price corresponding to the net CO2 reduction amount from the electricity price and the operating cost of the CO2 removal device 11. Details of the calculation unit 10 will be described later.

[0051] The selection unit 17 selects one of several power plant packages based on the actual CO2 reduction amount and overall cost calculated by the calculation unit 10. The control unit 14 controls the CO2 removal device 11 to operate using the power of the power plant package selected by the selection unit 17.

[0052] More specifically, the selection unit 17 may select from among the multiple power sources, namely the grid power plant package 6 and the renewable energy power plant package 7, the power source that will supply the electricity used by the CO2 removal device 11, after subtracting the total amount of CO2 emissions from the CO2 removal device 11, the one that will result in the highest net reduction of CO2 removed by the CO2 removal device 11. The control unit 14 then controls the operation of the CO2 removal device 11 using the electricity generated by the power source selected by the selection unit 17. Alternatively, the selection unit 17 may select from among the multiple power sources, namely the grid power plant package 6 and the renewable energy power plant package 7, the power source that will supply the electricity used by the CO2 removal device 11, the one that will result in the lowest overall cost for operating the CO2 removal device 11.

[0053] The actual reduction in CO2 emissions is calculated by subtracting the amount of CO2 emitted from the amount of CO2 removed. In order to efficiently achieve carbon negativity, which is the problem that this invention aims to solve, simply selecting the renewable energy power plant package 7, which has low CO2 emissions, may result in a reduced power supply at night or in unsuitable weather conditions, leading to a decrease in the amount of CO2 removed and consequently a smaller actual reduction in CO2 emissions. Therefore, by appropriately selecting the grid power plant package 6, which is not affected by nighttime or weather conditions, in accordance with customer requirements, it becomes possible to efficiently respond when the renewable energy power plant package 7 is unavailable. In this case, depending on the customer's situation, there may be cases where a certain amount of CO2 reduction is required within a certain timeframe, or where there is no particular timeframe and CO2 removal is required at a low cost. It is important to operate the CO2 removal device 11 in accordance with the customer's requirements.

[0054] Furthermore, the control unit 14 removes CO2 equivalent to the difference between CO2 emissions and CO2 emission allowances, so that companies can comply with or achieve the CO2 emission allowances imposed on them, such as achieving carbon neutrality. In order to estimate the net CO2 reduction for the entire system using a combination of power plants, a power supply using a combination of multiple power plants is referred to as a power plant package.

[0055] The control unit 14 may use electricity at times when the electricity price is below a predetermined value to remove CO2 using the CO2 removal device 11. The control unit 14 may also use electricity at times when there is surplus electricity in the power grid to remove CO2 using the CO2 removal device 11.

[0056] The issuing unit 16 issues CO2 removal amount certifications based on the amount of CO2 removed by the CO2 removal device 11. The CO2 removal amount certifications issued by the issuing unit 16 are also called carbon credits. The trading unit 18 buys and sells the carbon credits issued by the issuing unit 16 in the carbon credit market 21. The calculation unit 10 uses power information from the power supplier to calculate the CO2 emissions due to power consumption.

[0057] Figure 4 is a configuration diagram of the CO2 removal system 1 according to the second embodiment. Power plant packages 34 to 36 are connected to the CO2 removal system 1 of the second embodiment, and electricity is supplied from one of these. The CO2 removal system 1 of the second embodiment is based on the premise that it can contract with multiple power companies simultaneously and dynamically switch to receive electricity from any of these power companies. In some countries and regions, electricity may be supplied using this embodiment.

[0058] Power plant package 34 is a power plant package that includes a thermal power plant 341, a solar power plant 342, and a wind power plant 343. Power plant package 35 is a power plant package that includes a nuclear power plant 351, a solar power plant 352, and a wind power plant 353. Power plant package 36 is a power plant package that includes a solar power plant 361 and a hydroelectric power plant 362. Note that a power plant package may be a combination of one or more power plants and may include renewable energy power plants. Renewable energy power plants include, but are not limited to, solar power plants and wind power plants. The indicator for grid CO2 emissions is calculated from the proportion of thermal power generation, nuclear power generation, and gas power generation.

[0059] This electricity is primarily used to remove CO2 by the CO2 removal device 11. The CO2 removal system 1 is connected to customer-owned facilities, including customer factory equipment 23, customer store equipment 24, and customer office 25, and is controlled by the control unit 14. The CO2 removal system 1 trades carbon credits with the carbon credit market 21 and obtains electricity price information from the electricity price market 22.

[0060] The CO2 removal device 11 is a device that removes CO2 when power is supplied to it. The memory unit 12 stores CO2 emission coefficients or CO2 emission information of the power plant packages 34 to 36, which are the power sources. The reception unit 13 receives power information, including information on the power available to the CO2 removal device 11 that removes CO2, and information on the power plant packages 34 to 36 that generate the power.

[0061] The selection unit 17 selects one of several power plant packages based on the actual CO2 reduction amount and overall cost calculated by the calculation unit 10. Specifically, the selection unit 17 selects from among the power plant packages 34 to 36, which are multiple power sources, the one that will supply the power used by the CO2 removal device 11, after subtracting the total amount of CO2 emitted by the CO2 removal device 11, and which will result in the highest amount of CO2 removal by the CO2 removal device 11. Alternatively, the selection unit 17 selects from among the power plant packages 34 to 36, which are multiple power sources, the one that will supply the power used by the CO2 removal device 11, and which will result in the lowest overall cost for operating the CO2 removal device 11. The control unit 14 controls the operation of the CO2 removal device 11 using the power generated by the power source selected by the selection unit 17. The method for controlling the operation of the CO2 removal device 11 can be carried out using known techniques. The control unit 14 may control the operation of the CO2 removal device 11 to remove CO2 equivalent to the difference between the CO2 emissions and the CO2 emission allowance, so that the company can comply with the CO2 emission allowance imposed on it.

[0062] The control unit 14 may use electricity at times when the electricity price is below a predetermined value for CO2 removal by the CO2 removal device 11. Alternatively, the control unit 14 may use electricity at times when there is surplus electricity in the power grid for CO2 removal by the CO2 removal device 11.

[0063] The issuing unit 16 issues CO2 removal amount certifications based on the amount of CO2 removed by the CO2 removal device 11. The CO2 removal amount certifications issued by the issuing unit 16 are also called carbon credits. The trading unit 18 buys and sells the carbon credits issued by the issuing unit 16 in the carbon credit market 21. The calculation unit 10 uses power information from the power supplier to calculate the CO2 emissions due to power consumption.

[0064] Figure 5A is a conceptual graph showing the time series of CO2 emissions from a thermal power plant. Figure 5B is a conceptual graph showing the time series of CO2 emissions from a nuclear power plant. Figure 5C is a conceptual graph showing the time series of CO2 emissions from a solar power plant. The vertical axis of the graphs represents CO2 emissions. The horizontal axis of the graphs represents time. The time series information of CO2 emissions shown in these graphs is stored in the memory unit 12.

[0065] Figure 6A is a conceptual graph showing the time-series information of CO2 emissions from power plant package 34. Figure 6B is a conceptual graph showing the time-series information of CO2 emissions from power plant package 35. Figure 6C is a conceptual graph showing the time-series information of CO2 emissions from power plant package 36. The vertical axis of the graphs represents CO2 emissions. The horizontal axis of the graphs represents time. The time-series information of CO2 emissions shown in these graphs is stored in the memory unit 12.

[0066] The following explanation will be based on Figures 6A to 6C, but the same results can be obtained by processing the data to consider CO2 emissions from each power plant, as shown in Figures 5A to 5C. As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, when power plant package 34 or 35 is selected, CO2 emissions decrease around noon and increase at night. This is because the proportion of renewable energy increases around noon, and the proportion of grid power increases at night. As shown in Figure 6C, the CO2 emissions from power plant package 36 may change gradually from hour to hour depending on the weather and sunlight conditions. In addition, the amount of renewable energy supplied changes from hour to hour depending on the weather and sunlight conditions.

[0067] Figure 6D is a conceptual graph showing the time-series information of power generation from power plant package 34. Figure 6E is a conceptual graph showing the time-series information of power generation from power plant package 35. Figure 6F is a conceptual graph showing the time-series information of power generation from power plant package 36. As shown in Figures 6D and 6E, the power generation from power plant packages 34 and 35 decreases around noon and increases at night. This is because the proportion of renewable energy increases around noon, and the proportion of grid power increases at night. As shown in Figure 6F, the power generation from power plant package 36 may change in stages from hour to hour depending on the weather and sunlight conditions. Thus, the supply of renewable energy changes from hour to hour depending on the weather and sunlight conditions.

[0068] Figure 7A is a graph showing the amount of CO2 removed, emissions, and net reduction at a certain point in time when the power from power plant package 34 is used for CO2 removal. Figure 7B is a graph showing the amount of CO2 removed, emissions, and net reduction at a certain point in time when the power from power plant package 35 is used for CO2 removal. Figure 7C is a graph showing the amount of CO2 removed, emissions, and net reduction at a certain point in time when the power from power plant package 36 is used for CO2 removal. The vertical axis of the graphs represents the amount of CO2.

[0069] The CO₂ removal amount in the graph is the amount of CO₂ removed by the CO₂ removal device 11 using a unit power of 1 kWh, and it can be said that it is constant regardless of the power plant package. The CO₂ emission amount in the graph is the amount of CO₂ emitted when the power plant package generates a unit power of 1 kWh. Regarding the emitted CO₂ amount, it can be calculated from the time-series information of the CO₂ emission amount per hour of each power plant package shown in FIGS. 5A to 5C and FIGS. 6A to 6C. The CO₂ substantial reduction amount in the graph is the value obtained by subtracting the CO₂ emission amount from the CO₂ removal amount.

[0070] When comparing these graphs, it can be seen that the CO₂ substantial reduction amount when using the power of the power plant package 36 shown in FIG. 7C for the CO₂ removal device 11 to remove CO₂ is the highest when compared in terms of a unit power of 1 kWh.

[0071] Also, FIGS. 7D, 7E, and 7F are graphs showing the differences in the CO₂ removal amounts when using the power plant packages 34, 35, and 36, respectively, with the CO₂ substantial reduction amount obtained by subtracting the CO₂ emission amount from the CO₂ removal amount being constant. The vertical axis of the graph indicates the amount of CO₂. The bar graph shows the CO₂ removal amount, emission amount, and substantial reduction amount in order from the left.

[0072] FIG. 8A is a graph conceptually showing the time-series information of the electricity price by the power plant package 34. The solid line x and the dashed line y indicate the electricity prices when the power plant package 34 is operated in different states, and x is cheaper than y. FIG. 8B is a graph conceptually showing the time-series information of the electricity price by the power plant package 35. The solid line x １ and the dashed line y １ indicate the electricity prices when the power plant package 35 is operated in different states, and x １ is cheaper than y １ . FIG. 8C is a graph conceptually showing the time-series information of the electricity price by the power plant package 36. The solid line x ２ indicates the electricity price. The vertical axis of each graph indicates the electricity price. The electricity price is, for example, x < y, x １ < y １ , x ２ < x １< x. The horizontal axis of the graph represents time. The time series of electricity price information shown in these graphs is stored in the memory unit 12.

[0073] The time-series information on electricity prices from these power plant packages 34 to 36 allows us to know the electricity price information at each time point, and to appropriately calculate the operating costs including the CO2 removal system 1, customer factory equipment 23, customer store equipment 24, and customer office 25.

[0074] Figure 9 is a conceptual graph showing the time-series information of carbon credit prices when carbon is removed by this system. The vertical axis of the graph represents the carbon credit price, and the horizontal axis represents time. The time-series information of carbon credit prices shown in these graphs is stored in the memory unit 12.

[0075] This time-series information on carbon credit prices allows us to know the carbon credit price at each point in time, and to appropriately calculate the amount of carbon credits corresponding to the amount of CO2 removed by the CO2 removal system 1.

[0076] Figure 10A is a graph conceptually showing time-series information on CO2 emissions from customer factory equipment 23. Figure 10B is a graph conceptually showing time-series information on CO2 emissions from customer store equipment 24. Figure 10C is a graph conceptually showing time-series information on CO2 emissions from customer office 25. The vertical axis of the graphs represents CO2 emissions. The horizontal axis of the graphs represents time. The time-series data on CO2 emissions from customer factory equipment 23, customer store equipment 24, and customer office 25 shown in these graphs are stored in the storage unit 12.

[0077] The time-series information on CO2 emissions from these customer factory facilities 23, customer store facilities 24, and customer offices 25 allows us to know the CO2 emissions at each time point. The control unit 14 calculates the amount of CO2 to be removed, which corresponds to the difference between the CO2 emissions and the CO2 emission allowance imposed on the company, so that the company can comply with the CO2 emission allowance. At that time, the calculation unit 10 can calculate the amount of CO2 that needs to be removed by the CO2 removal system 1 because it can calculate the CO2 emissions at each time point and the CO2 emission allowance for a predetermined period.

[0078] Figure 11A is a diagram illustrating the power information table 40 for a single power source. The power information table 40 consists of a power column 401, a daytime average power price column 402, a nighttime average power price column 403, a total power price column 404 until the customer-requested reduction deadline, a power generation amount information column 405, and a power CO2 emission coefficient column 406.

[0079] The power column 401 stores the power generation method. The daytime average power price column 402 stores the average daytime power price for each power generation method. The nighttime average power price column 403 stores the average nighttime power price for each power generation method. The daytime and nighttime hours can be set as appropriate. The total power price until the customer's requested reduction deadline column 404 stores the total power price by the power generation method used to operate the CO2 removal system until the customer's requested reduction deadline. The power generation amount information column 405 stores information on the time-dependent amount of power generated by each power generation method. The power CO2 emission coefficient column 406 stores the coefficient of CO2 emissions per unit of power generated by each power generation method. Here, the information on each power generation method stored in the power plant package of the first or second embodiment is stored.

[0080] Figure 11B is a diagram illustrating the power package information table 41. Here, the same item table as in Figure 11A is shown for two examples where three types of power are mixed. In the first row, α represents the proportion of coal-fired power generation in the power mix. β represents the proportion of solar power generation in the power mix. γ represents the proportion of wind power generation in the power mix. The sum of α, β, and γ is 1.

[0081] In the second row, α represents the proportion of coal-fired power generation in the power mix. β represents the proportion of solar power generation in the power mix. γ represents the proportion of nuclear power generation in the power mix. The sum of α, β, and γ is 1.

[0082] The price and coefficient of the mix can be derived by multiplying the individual prices and coefficients by their respective mix ratios α, β, and γ, and then adding them together. Based on the information stored in the power information table 40, the calculation unit 10 calculates the average daytime electricity price, the average nighttime electricity price, the total electricity price until the customer-requested reduction deadline, the amount of electricity generated, and the CO2 emission coefficient for power plant packages 31 to 36. However, it is not limited to this; the power package information table 41 may already contain information for each power plant package, and the selection unit 17 may use this information to select a power plant package.

[0083] Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating the carbon negative information table 42. The carbon negative information table 42 includes a CO2 removal method column 421, a total operating cost column 422 for the actual CO2 reduction amount requested by the customer 192, a required power consumption information column 423, a CO2 removal coefficient column 424, a processing capacity column 425 for the CO2 removal device, and a removal time column 426 for the CO2 removal device.

[0084] The CO2 removal method column 421 stores CO2 removal methods with different electrolysis voltages. The total operating cost column 422 for the customer-requested effective CO2 reduction amount 192 stores the total operating cost required to remove the customer-requested effective CO2 reduction amount 192 using this CO2 removal method. The required power information column 423 stores time-series information on the required power. The CO2 removal coefficient column 424 stores the amount of CO2 that can be removed with 1 kWh of power. The processing capacity column 425 of the CO2 removal device stores how much CO2 can be removed per unit of power using the CO2 removal method with different electrolysis voltages. The CO2 removal device's available time column 426 stores the time period from which the CO2 removal device 11 can operate. For example, the available time for the CO2 removal device when the electrolysis voltage is 1.0V is from time Ta to Tb. The available time for the CO2 removal device when the electrolysis voltage is 1.5V is from time Tc to Td.

[0085] Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the carbon credit information table 43. The carbon credit information table 43 includes a region column 431, a carbon origin column 432, a carbon credit price column 433 due to removal, and a carbon credit transaction volume column 434 due to removal. The region column 431 stores information on the region from which the CO2 originates. The carbon origin column 432 stores information on where the CO2 was emitted from. The carbon credit price column 433 stores time-dependent carbon credit price information for the removed CO2, which differs for each origin. The carbon credit transaction volume column 434 stores the transaction volume for the removed CO2, which differs for each origin.

[0086] Figure 14A is a graph showing the electricity demand curve and surplus electricity. The vertical axis of the graph represents the amount of electricity. The horizontal axis of the graph represents the time of day. The solid line represents the amount of electricity demand. The negative component of electricity is the pumping operation and interconnection lines of pumped-storage hydroelectric power plants. The positive component of power lines is the power generation operation of solar, hydroelectric, thermal, and pumped-storage hydroelectric power plants. The area separated by the white dashed line is surplus electricity. By using the electricity generated during the time periods when surplus electricity is available to remove CO2, it is possible to contribute to the stabilization of the power grid. The price of electricity from power companies fluctuates from time to time. Therefore, by using the electricity at times when the price of electricity is below a predetermined value for CO2 removal by the CO2 removal device 11, it is possible to remove CO2 at a lower cost.

[0087] Figure 14B is a graph showing the real electricity demand curve. The vertical axis of the graph represents the amount of electricity. The horizontal axis of the graph is the same as in Figure 14A and represents the time of day. Around 10:00, grid demand decreases. Consequently, the operating efficiency of power plants decreases. Around 14:00, power generation from solar power plants reaches its peak. At this time, most of the electricity supplied by power companies from thermal power plants and other sources becomes an oversupply, and the surplus electricity destabilizes the grid.

[0088] Around 6 PM, solar power plants cease generating electricity, and electricity demand increases sharply. At this time, there is a risk that the supply-demand balance control may not be able to keep up. By using the electricity generated during this time to remove CO2 using the CO2 removal device 11, it is possible to contribute to the stabilization of the power grid.

[0089] Figure 15 shows the detailed configuration of the power information. The power information includes the power generation method column 411, the average daytime electricity price column 412, the average nighttime electricity price column 413, the total electricity price column 414 until the customer-requested reduction deadline, the power generation amount information column 415, and the power CO2 emission coefficient column 416 listed in the power package information table 41 in Figure 11B, and also includes information on the power plant, the date and time of generation, and the power certificate. The issuing unit 16 uses the power information to evaluate or maintain the CO2 emissions due to the system's power consumption.

[0090] Figure 16 is a sequence diagram showing the buying and selling of carbon credits. The issuing unit 16 issues tokens (authentication) based on CO2 removal process information. The trading unit 18 instructs the customer 26 to buy and sell CO2 in the carbon credit market 21. The customer 26 buys and sells these carbon credit tokens through the carbon credit market 21.

[0091] Figures 17A to 17C are flowcharts of the process for CO2 removal in the present invention. Initially, the reception unit 13 receives the customer request table 19, and when carbon negative emissions are requested by a customer or the like (step S10), the process for CO2 removal is started. The reception unit 13 obtains information on multiple power plant packages by referring to the power package information table 41 (step S11).

[0092] The reception unit 13 then obtains information on carbon-negative methods by referring to the carbon-negative information table 42 (step S12). The reception unit 13 then obtains carbon credit market information by referring to the carbon credit information table 43 (step S13).

[0093] Next, the selection unit 17 invokes a process to select a power plant package that supplies the power to operate the CO2 removal device 11 in order to maximize the net reduction in CO2 emissions or minimize the overall cost (step S14). The flowchart of this process is shown in Figure 17B below.

[0094] Figure 17B is a detailed flowchart of the power plant package selection process. The calculation unit 10 refers to the power plant package information obtained from the power package information table 41 in step S11 and calculates the maximum power generation amount, power generation time, CO2 emissions, and electricity price for each power plant package (step S141).

[0095] The calculation unit 10 calculates the maximum power generation amount by integrating the power generation amount information fields 415, which differ for each power generation method field 411, over the entire period until the customer-requested reduction deadline. The power generation possible time refers to the time during which the amount of power generated is not zero until the customer-requested reduction deadline.

[0096] The calculation unit 10 calculates the available power generation time by counting the available power generation time based on the hourly power generation amount in the power generation amount information field 415, which differs for each power package. For power generation methods that depend on the natural environment, such as solar power and wind power, the calculation unit 10 may also calculate the available power generation time based on weather information, etc.

[0097] The calculation unit 10 calculates CO2 emissions by multiplying the information in the power CO2 emission coefficient column 416 by the amount of electricity generated to reduce the customer-requested effective CO2 reduction amount 192. The calculation unit 10 calculates the amount of electricity generated to reduce the customer-requested effective CO2 reduction amount by referring to the carbon negative information table 42 and dividing the customer-requested effective CO2 reduction amount 192 by the information in the CO2 removal device processing capacity column 425. The electricity price corresponds to the information in the total electricity price column 414 until the customer-requested reduction deadline. By calculating the maximum amount of electricity generated in this step, it is possible to determine whether the customer-requested effective CO2 reduction amount can be achieved and to present options such as the period until the effective reduction according to the customer's priority. The calculation unit 10 may also treat the customer-requested reduction deadline information as a predetermined period, such as 24 hours or one week.

[0098] Next, the calculation unit 10 calculates the maximum amount of CO2 removed for each power generation package of the CO2 removal device 11 that can be operated, by referring to the information in the CO2 removal method column 421, the required power amount information column 423, and the removal time column 426 of the CO2 removal device 11, which were obtained from the carbon negative information table 42 in step S12. The required power amount information column 423 stores the amount of power generation required to reduce the actual CO2 reduction amount requested by the customer. The removal time column 426 stores the operational time during which the CO2 removal device 11 can be operated and the time allocated to each customer.

[0099] Furthermore, the calculation unit 10 uses the maximum CO2 removal amount and the CO2 emissions calculated in step S141 to calculate a different net CO2 reduction amount for each power generation package (step S142).

[0100] The calculation unit 10 calculates the maximum amount of CO2 removed by the operational CO2 removal device 11 by multiplying the information in the processing capacity column 425 of the CO2 removal device by the maximum power generation amount calculated in step S141. The CO2 emissions of each power plant package have already been calculated in step S141. The calculation unit 10 calculates the actual amount of CO2 reduction that can be reduced by the customer's requested reduction deadline by subtracting the CO2 emissions of each power plant package from the maximum amount of CO2 removed by the operational CO2 removal device 11. In this way, the calculation unit 10 can estimate different actual CO2 reduction amounts for each power plant package by subtracting the CO2 emissions of each power plant package from the maximum amount of CO2 removal.

[0101] Furthermore, the calculation unit 10 calculates the total cost incurred when operating the operational CO2 removal device 11 based on the carbon negative method information, carbon credit market information, electricity prices, and customer request table 19 information obtained by the reception unit 13 (step S143).

[0102] The calculation unit 10 first confirms that the maximum CO2 removal amount calculated in step S142 exceeds the sum of the customer-requested actual CO2 reduction amount 192 and the CO2 emissions from the electricity used for CO2 removal calculated in step S141 (CO2 removal amount). The total cost can be roughly calculated by adding the value obtained by multiplying the electricity price calculated in step S141 and the total operating cost column 422 information obtained in step S12 for the customer-requested actual CO2 reduction amount 192 by the CO2 removal amount, and then subtracting the revenue from carbon credits calculated by multiplying the carbon credit price column 433 information obtained in step S13 by the customer-requested actual CO2 reduction amount calculated in step S142.

[0103] Next, in step S144, the processor 101 of the arithmetic unit 100 determines, based on the customer request priority 194 in the customer request table 19, whether the actual CO2 reduction amount has a higher priority than economic considerations. If the actual CO2 reduction amount has a higher priority than economic considerations (Yes), the process proceeds to step S145. If the actual CO2 reduction amount has a lower priority than economic considerations (No), the process proceeds to step S147.

[0104] In step S145, the selection unit 17 selects two or more power plant packages in descending order of the actual CO2 reduction amount calculated in step S142. Then, when the selection unit 17 selects and determines the power plant package that results in the lowest overall cost until the customer-requested reduction deadline calculated by the calculation unit 10 in step S143 (step S146), the process shown in Figure 17B is terminated.

[0105] In step S147, the selection unit 17 selects two or more power plant packages in descending order of the total cost calculated in step S143. Then, in step S148, the selection unit 17 selects and determines the power plant package that will result in the largest amount of net CO2 reduction that can be achieved by the customer-requested reduction deadline calculated in step S142, and terminates the process shown in Figure 17B. In steps S145 and S147, the selection unit 17 can select any number of power plant packages, as long as there are multiple packages.

[0106] In step S14, the selection unit 17 considers the actual amount of CO2 reduction that can be achieved by the CO2 removal device for each power generation method used for the CO2 removal means calculated in step S142, and the total cost incurred when operating the CO2 removal device 11 calculated in step S143. This makes it possible to efficiently achieve carbon negativity in accordance with the priority of customer requirements.

[0107] Furthermore, if the customer has indicated a CO2 reduction deadline as their primary priority, the selection unit 17 may select multiple power plant packages prioritizing the reduction deadline. After that, it is advisable to consider the second priority and then decide on one power plant package.

[0108] Returning to Figure 17A, the explanation continues. The control unit 14 calls an operation optimization process (step S15) that determines the amount of CO2 removed by the CO2 removal device 11 according to the market price of carbon credits. The flowchart of this process is shown in Figure 17C, which will be described later.

[0109] Figure 17C is a detailed flowchart of the operation optimization process. First, the reception unit 13 checks the trends in the carbon credit price column 433 and the trends in the carbon credit transaction volume column 434 for the carbon credit market data by origin and region obtained in step S13 (step S151).

[0110] Subsequently, the selection unit 17, referring to the carbon credit price column 433 or the carbon credit transaction volume column 434 resulting from removal, determines the CO2 credit trading partner that will yield the greatest cost, i.e., profit, based on the carbon credit price for the actual CO2 reduction (step S152). Then, the calculation unit 10 calculates the estimated credit sale amount for the transaction volume and transaction period of the multiple trading partners determined in step S152 (step S153).

[0111] Finally, the calculation unit 10 formulates a CO2 removal plan based on the estimated sale price, taking into account the transaction period and the CO2 removal costs due to electricity usage (step S154), and the process shown in Figure 17C is completed. Here, the CO2 removal cost is calculated from the operating costs (Opex: Operating Expenditure) incurred when operating the CO2 removal device 11, and is the value obtained by multiplying the total operating cost column 422 for the customer-requested actual CO2 reduction amount obtained in step S12 by the actual CO2 reduction amount. In addition, if necessary, the capital costs (CAPEX: Capital Expenditure) incurred when installing the CO2 removal device 11 may also be included in the CO2 removal cost.

[0112] Returning to Figure 17A, the explanation continues. The control unit 14 adjusts the operation of the customer factory equipment 23, customer store equipment 24, and customer office 25 according to the CO2 emission allowance (step S16). Specifically, by referring to the equipment information table 201, the control unit adjusts the operation of the customer factory equipment 23, customer store equipment 24, and customer office 25 so that the CO2 emissions obtained by subtracting the amount of CO2 removed by the CO2 removal system 1 from the CO2 emissions of the customer factory equipment 23, customer store equipment 24, and customer office 25 do not exceed the upper limit of the CO2 emission allowance allocated to the company, that is, the value of the actual CO2 reduction is positive.

[0113] Finally, the trading unit 18 completes the process shown in Figure 17A when it trades carbon credits equivalent to the amount of CO2 removed on the market (step S17).

[0114] Figure 18 shows a marketplace-type carbon credit market. In a marketplace-type carbon credit market, CO2 negative emission sellers 51 notify CO2 negative emission buyers 53 of carbon credit information via the marketplace 52. Subsequently, CO2 negative emission buyers 53 submit purchase requests to CO2 negative emission sellers 51, and carbon credits are transferred.

[0115] Figure 19 shows an auction-type carbon credit market. In an auction-type carbon credit market, a CO2 negative emission seller 51 notifies an auction operator 54 of carbon credit information. The auction operator 54 then notifies a CO2 negative emission buyer 53 of the auction information. Subsequently, the CO2 negative emission buyer 53 submits a bid to the auction operator 54. Once the auction operator 54 has determined the successful bidder, it notifies the CO2 negative emission seller 51.

[0116] The CO2 negative emission seller 51 transfers carbon credits to the CO2 negative emission buyer 53 via the auction operator 54.

[0117] Figure 20 shows a trading-type carbon credit market. In a trading-type carbon credit market, CO2 negative emission sellers 51 submit selling bids to the exchange 55, and CO2 negative emission buyers 53 submit buying bids to the exchange 55. The exchange 55 then matches the buying bids with the selling bids and determines which bid will be accepted. Upon acceptance of the bids, the CO2 negative emission sellers 51 transfer the credits to the CO2 negative emission buyers 53.

[0118] The configuration and effects of the present invention will be described below. [1] A CO2 removal system (1) having a CO2 removal device (11) that removes CO2 and a computing device (100), wherein the computing device (100) has a memory (102) for storing a program and a processor (101) for executing the program, the processor (101) receives first information necessary for calculating the total cost and the net CO2 reduction, and second information relating to a plurality of power plant packages (31 to 33) that supply power to the CO2 removal device (11), calculates the cost associated with the operation of the CO2 removal device (11) and the total cost based on carbon credit revenue from the removal by the CO2 removal device (11) from the first information and the second information, calculates the maximum CO2 removal amount which is the maximum amount of CO2 that the CO2 removal device (11) can remove by a predetermined period, and the net CO2 reduction amount based on CO2 emissions which is the amount of CO2 emitted from the plurality of power plant packages (31 to 33) according to a predetermined required net CO2 reduction, A CO2 removal system (1) characterized by selecting one of the multiple power plant packages (31 to 33) based on the calculated total cost and the actual reduction in CO2 emissions, and controlling the operation of the CO2 removal device (11) using the power of the selected power plant package.

[0119] This allows us to provide a CO2 removal system that efficiently achieves carbon negativity, taking into account the actual CO2 reduction amount and cost for each power generation method used in the CO2 removal device.

[0120] [2] The processor (101) receives customer request information including a customer request reduction deadline, which is the period during which the customer requests the completion of removal by the CO2 removal device (11), and a customer request amount of actual CO2 reduction, which indicates the amount of CO2 to be removed by the CO2 removal device (11); power plant package information including power price information, power generation information, and power CO2 emission coefficients for a plurality of power plant packages that supply power to the CO2 removal device (11); carbon negative information including a total operating cost index for each electrolysis voltage of the CO2 removal device required when removing the customer request amount of actual CO2 reduction, and the processing capacity of the CO2 removal device; and a carbon credit price indicating the price of carbon credits obtained by CO2 removal. Based on the customer request reduction deadline, the power generation information, and the processing capacity, the processor (101) calculates the maximum amount of CO2 removal, which is the maximum amount of CO2 that the CO2 removal device can remove by the customer request reduction deadline; and based on the power CO2 emission coefficient, the customer request amount of actual CO2 reduction, and the processing capacity, the processor (101) receives the customer request reduction deadline, which is the maximum amount of CO2 that the CO2 removal device can remove by the customer request reduction deadline; and calculates the amount of CO2 emissions, which is the amount of CO2 emitted by the plurality of power plant packages. The CO2 removal system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: the system calculates the actual amount of CO2 reduction that can be reduced by the customer-requested reduction deadline based on the maximum amount of CO2 removed and the CO2 emissions; the system calculates the operating costs associated with the operation of the CO2 removal device based on the total operating cost index, the customer-requested actual amount of CO2 reduction, and the CO2 emissions; the system calculates the revenue from carbon credits obtained from the removal of CO2 by the CO2 removal device based on the carbon credit price and the customer-requested actual amount of CO2 reduction; the system calculates the total cost, which is the sum of the electricity price information and the operating costs and the subtraction of the carbon credit revenue; the system selects one of the multiple power plant packages based on the actual amount of CO2 reduction and the total cost; and controls the CO2 removal device (11) to operate using the power of the selected power plant package.

[0121] This makes it possible to cut costs as much as possible, even when the customer's requirement is for a net reduction in CO2 emissions. It also makes it possible to maximize the net reduction in CO2 emissions, even when the customer's requirement is for cost reduction and other economic considerations.

[0122] [3] The CO2 removal system according to claim 2, characterized in that the processor calculates the maximum amount of power that can be generated by the plurality of power plants by the customer-requested reduction deadline based on the amount of power generated by each of the power plants, and calculates the maximum amount of CO2 that the CO2 removal device can remove by the customer-requested reduction deadline based on the maximum amount of power generated and the processing capacity.

[0123] This allows the processor to suitably calculate the maximum amount of CO2 to be removed.

[0124] [4] The CO2 removal system according to claim 1, characterized in that the processor (101) accepts any of the following priorities requested by the customer: economic efficiency, net CO2 reduction amount, or reduction deadline.

[0125] This allows the CO2 removal system to be operated in a way that optimizes the high-priority metrics requested by the customer.

[0126] [5] The CO2 removal system (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that, when the priority requested by the customer is the amount of actual CO2 reduction, the processor (101) selects from the plurality of power plant packages (31-33, 34-36) the power plant package that yields the greatest amount of actual CO2 reduction.

[0127] This allows the CO2 removal system to be operated in a way that maximizes the net reduction in CO2 emissions, which is a high-priority indicator for customers.

[0128] [6] The CO2 removal system according to claim 3, characterized in that, when the customer's priority is economic efficiency, the processor (101) selects from the plurality of power plant packages (31-33, 34-36) the power plant package that results in the smallest overall cost.

[0129] [7] The CO2 removal system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the power plant package is a combination of one or more power plants, including grid power plants or renewable energy power plants.

[0130] This makes it possible to supply the electricity used for CO2 removal from multiple power plants.

[0131] [8] The CO2 removal system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the power information includes information on the power price for each time period, and the processor (101) further uses the power at times when the power price is below a predetermined value for the removal of CO2 by the CO2 removal device (11).

[0132] This makes it possible to remove CO2 at a low cost.

[0133] [9] The CO2 removal system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the power information includes time information when surplus power is generated in the power system, and the processor (101) further uses the power at the time when surplus power is generated in the power system for the removal of CO2 by the CO2 removal device (11).

[0134] This can contribute to the stabilization of the power grid.

[0135]

[10] The CO2 removal system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the processor (101) issues carbon credits based on the net reduction in CO2 obtained by subtracting the CO2 emissions from the amount of CO2 removed.

[0136] This allows for the issuance of carbon credits corresponding to the actual reduction in CO2 emissions.

[0137]

[11] The CO2 removal system (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the carbon credits issued by the processor (101) are bought and sold in the carbon credit market (21).

[0138] This makes it possible to appropriately buy and sell carbon credits in proportion to the amount of CO2 removed.

[0139]

[12] The CO2 removal system (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the processor (101) determines the amount of CO2 to be removed by the CO2 removal device (11) in accordance with the change in carbon credit prices over time.

[0140] This allows for the generation of carbon credits at a reasonable price.

[0141]

[13] The CO2 removal system (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the processor (101) adjusts the operation of the equipment (customer factory equipment 23, customer store equipment 24, customer office 25) in accordance with the CO2 emission allowance.

[0142] This will allow us to protect our CO2 emission quotas.

[0143]

[14] The CO2 removal system (1) according to claim 9, wherein the information received by the processor (101) includes any of the following: the date and time of power generation, the power plant, the power generation method, the CO2 emission coefficient for CO2 emitted during power generation, and the power certificate, and the processor (101) uses the information received by the processor (101) to calculate the amount of CO2 emission removal according to the power consumption.

[0144] This makes it possible to generate carbon credits in proportion to the amount of CO2 emissions removed.

[0145]

[15] A CO2 removal method to be performed by a CO2 removal system (1) having a CO2 removal device (11) and a computing device (100), wherein the computing device (100) has a memory (102) for storing a program and a processor (101) for executing the program, and the processor (101) takes the steps of receiving first information necessary for calculating the total cost and the net reduction in CO2, and second information relating to a plurality of power plant packages (31-33) that supply power to the CO2 removal device (11), and calculating from the first information and the second information the cost associated with the operation of the CO2 removal device (11) and the total cost based on carbon credit revenue from the removal by the CO2 removal device (11), A method for removing CO2, characterized by performing the following steps: calculating, from the first information and the second information, the maximum amount of CO2 that the CO2 removal device (11) can remove within a predetermined period, which is the maximum amount of CO2 that the CO2 removal device (11) can remove, and the amount of CO2 reduction based on CO2 emissions, which is the amount of CO2 emitted in accordance with a predetermined required amount of CO2 reduction from the plurality of power plant packages (31 to 33); selecting one of the power plant packages (31 to 33) based on the calculated total cost and the amount of CO2 reduction; and controlling the CO2 removal device (11) to operate using the power of the selected power plant package.

[0146] This makes it possible to evaluate the efficiency of CO2 removal in proportion to power consumption.

[16] A computing device characterized by having: a reception unit (13) that receives first information necessary to calculate the total cost and the actual amount of CO2 reduction required to operate a CO2 removal device (11) that removes CO2, and second information relating to a plurality of power plant packages (31 to 33) that supply usable power to the CO2 removal device (11); a calculation unit (10) that calculates the total cost and the actual amount of CO2 reduction from the first information and the second information received by the reception unit (13); a selection unit (17) that selects one of the power plant packages (31 to 33) based on the total cost and the actual amount of CO2 reduction calculated by the calculation unit (10); and a control unit that controls the CO2 removal device (11) to operate using the power of the power plant package selected by the selection unit (17).

[0147] This enables the calculation of the actual reduction in CO2 emissions and the overall cost, and provides a computing device that can operate a CO2 removal system using a power plant package that efficiently achieves carbon negativity based on the calculation results.

[0148] 《Modifications》 The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes various modifications. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail to make the present invention easier to understand, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. It is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace parts of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

[0149] Each of the above configurations, functions, processing units, and processing means may be partially or entirely implemented in hardware, such as an integrated circuit. Each of the above configurations and functions may also be implemented in software by a processor interpreting and executing a program that implements each function. Information such as programs, tables, and files that implement each function can be stored in a recording device such as memory, a hard disk, or an SSD (Solid State Drive), or on a recording medium such as a flash memory card or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk).

[0150] In each embodiment, the control lines and information lines shown are those deemed necessary for explanation and do not necessarily represent all control lines and information lines in the actual product. In practice, it can be assumed that almost all components are interconnected.

[0151] 1 CO2 Removal System 100 Calculation Unit 101 Processor 102 Memory 10 Calculation Unit 11 CO2 Removal Device 12 Storage Unit 13 Reception Unit 14 Control Unit 17 Selection Unit 16 Issuance Unit 18 Buy / Sell Unit 19 Customer Request Table 191 Customer Request Budget 192 Customer Request Net CO2 Reduction Amount 193 Customer Request Reduction Deadline 194 Customer Request Priority 201 Equipment Information Table 23 Customer Factory Equipment 24 Customer Store Equipment 25 Customer Office 21 Carbon Credit Market 22 Electricity Price Market 31-33 Power Plant Package 311 Thermal Power Plant 321 Nuclear Power Plant 331 Solar Power Plant 6 Grid Power Plant Package 7 Renewable Energy Power Plant Package 34-36 Power Plant Package 341 Thermal Power Plant 342 Solar Power Plant 343 Wind Power Plant 351 Nuclear Power Plant 352 Solar power plants 353 Wind power plants 361 Solar power plants 362 Hydroelectric power plants 41 Power package information table 42 Carbon negative information table 43 Carbon credit information table 52 Marketplace 51 CO2 negative emission sellers 53 CO2 negative emission buyers 55 Exchanges 54 Auction operators

Claims

1. A CO2 removal system comprising a CO2 removal device and a computing device, wherein the computing device comprises a memory for storing a program and a processor for executing the program, the processor receives first information necessary for calculating the total cost and the net CO2 reduction, and second information relating to a plurality of power plant packages that supply power to the CO2 removal device, the processor calculates the cost associated with operating the CO2 removal device and the total cost based on carbon credit revenue from the removal by the CO2 removal device from the first information and the second information, the processor calculates the maximum CO2 removal amount, which is the maximum amount of CO2 that the CO2 removal device can remove by a predetermined period, and the net CO2 reduction amount, which is the amount of CO2 emitted from the plurality of power plant packages according to a predetermined required net CO2 reduction amount, from the first information and the second information, the processor selects one of the plurality of power plant packages based on the calculated total cost and the net CO2 reduction amount, and controls the CO2 removal device to operate using the power of the selected power plant package.

2. The processor receives customer request information including a customer request reduction deadline, which is the period during which the customer requests the completion of removal by the CO2 removal device, and a customer request for actual CO2 reduction, which indicates the amount of CO2 to be removed by the CO2 removal device; power plant package information including electricity price information, power generation amount information, and power CO2 emission coefficients for a plurality of power plant packages that supply power to the CO2 removal device; carbon negative information including a total operating cost index for each electrolysis voltage of the CO2 removal device required when removing the customer request for actual CO2 reduction, and the processing capacity of the CO2 removal device; and a carbon credit price indicating the price of carbon credits obtained by CO2 removal. Based on the customer request reduction deadline, the power generation amount information, and the processing capacity, the processor calculates the maximum CO2 removal amount, which is the maximum amount of CO2 that the CO2 removal device can remove by the customer request reduction deadline; and based on the power CO2 emission coefficient, the customer request for actual CO2 reduction, and the processing capacity, the processor calculates the CO2 emissions, which is the amount of CO2 emitted by the plurality of power plant packages. The CO2 removal system according to claim 1, characterized in that: the system calculates the actual amount of CO2 reduction that can be reduced by the customer-requested reduction deadline based on the maximum amount of CO2 removed and the CO2 emissions; the system calculates the operating costs associated with the operation of the CO2 removal device based on the total operating cost index, the customer-requested actual amount of CO2 reduction, and the CO2 emissions; the system calculates the revenue from carbon credits obtained from the removal of CO2 by the CO2 removal device based on the carbon credit price and the customer-requested actual amount of CO2 reduction; the system calculates the total cost, which is the sum of the electricity price information and the operating costs and the subtraction of the carbon credit revenue; the system selects one of the multiple power plant packages based on the actual amount of CO2 reduction and the total cost; and controls the CO2 removal device to operate using the power of the selected power plant package.

3. The CO2 removal system according to claim 2, characterized in that the processor calculates the maximum amount of power that can be generated by the plurality of power plants by the customer-requested reduction deadline based on the amount of power generated by each of the power plants, and calculates the maximum amount of CO2 that the CO2 removal device can remove by the customer-requested reduction deadline based on the maximum amount of power generated and the processing capacity.

4. The CO2 removal system according to claim 1, characterized in that the processor accepts any of the following priorities requested by the customer: economic efficiency, net CO2 reduction amount, or reduction deadline.

5. The CO2 removal system according to claim 4, characterized in that, if the customer's priority is the amount of actual CO2 reduction, the processor selects from the plurality of power plant packages the power plant package that will result in the greatest amount of actual CO2 reduction.

6. The CO2 removal system according to claim 4, characterized in that, when the customer's priority is economic efficiency, the processor selects from the plurality of power plant packages the power plant package that results in the lowest overall cost.

7. The CO2 removal system according to claim 1, characterized in that the power plant package is a combination of one or more power plants, including grid power plants or renewable energy power plants.

8. The CO2 removal system according to claim 1, characterized in that the information received by the processor includes information on the price of electricity for each time period, and the processor further uses the electricity at times when the price of electricity is below a predetermined value for the removal of CO2 by the CO2 removal device.

9. The CO2 removal system according to claim 1, characterized in that the information received by the processor includes time information when surplus power is generated in the power system, and the processor further uses the power at the time when surplus power is generated in the power system for CO2 removal by the CO2 removal device.

10. The CO2 removal system according to claim 3, further comprising: an issuing unit that issues carbon credits based on the net reduction in CO2 emissions obtained by subtracting the CO2 emissions from the amount of CO2 removed by the CO2 removal device.

11. The CO2 removal system according to claim 10, characterized in that carbon credits issued by the processor are bought and sold on the carbon credit market.

12. The CO2 removal system according to claim 10, characterized in that the processor determines the amount of CO2 to be removed by the CO2 removal device in accordance with the time-dependent changes in the carbon credit price.

13. The CO2 removal system according to claim 10, characterized in that the processor adjusts the operation of the equipment according to the CO2 emission allowance.

14. The CO2 removal system according to claim 10, characterized in that the information received by the processor includes any of the following: the date and time of power generation, the power plant, the power generation method, the CO2 emission coefficient emitted during power generation, or the power certificate, and the processor uses the information received by the processor to calculate the amount of CO2 emissions removed according to the power consumption.

15. A CO2 removal method to be performed by a CO2 removal system having a CO2 removal device and a computing device, wherein the computing device has a memory for storing a program and a processor for executing the program, and the processor performs the following steps: receiving first information necessary for calculating the total cost and the net CO2 reduction, and second information relating to a plurality of power plant packages that supply power to the CO2 removal device; calculating the cost associated with operating the CO2 removal device and the total cost based on carbon credit revenue from the removal by the CO2 removal device from the first information and the second information; calculating the net CO2 reduction based on the maximum amount of CO2 removal, which is the maximum amount of CO2 that the CO2 removal device can remove by a predetermined period, and the amount of CO2 emissions, which is the amount of CO2 emitted in accordance with a predetermined required net CO2 reduction from the plurality of power plant packages, from the first information and the second information; selecting one of the power plant packages from the plurality of power plant packages based on the calculated total cost and the net CO2 reduction; and controlling the CO2 removal device to operate using the power of the selected power plant package.

16. A computing device comprising: a receiving unit that receives first information necessary to calculate the total cost and the actual CO2 reduction amount required to operate a CO2 removal device that removes CO2, and second information relating to a plurality of power plant packages that supply power available to the CO2 removal device; a calculation unit that calculates the total cost and the actual CO2 reduction amount from the first information and the second information received by the receiving unit; a selection unit that selects one of the plurality of power plant packages based on the total cost and the actual CO2 reduction amount calculated by the calculation unit; and a control unit that controls the CO2 removal device to operate using the power of the power plant package selected by the selection unit.

Images