Management center

Abstract

A management center is provided. A hydrogen refueling station (10) is provided with: a water electrolysis device (12) for producing hydrogen gas by means of an electrolytic reaction that consumes power supplied from a commercial power grid (90); a compressor (14) that compresses the hydrogen gas produced by the water electrolysis device (12); an accumulator (16) that accumulates the hydrogen gas compressed by the compressor (14); a distributor (18) for filling the fuel cell vehicle (92) with the hydrogen gas accumulated in the pressure accumulator (16); and a control device (20) that controls the amount of power consumed by the water electrolysis device (12) on the basis of a command for adjusting the power supply / demand of the commercial power grid (90).

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the Chinese invention patent application with the application date of February 19, 2021, application number 202180016505.5 (PCT / JP2021 / 006456), and invention name “Hydrogen supply system, hydrogen refueling station and hydrogen supply and demand management method”. Technical Field

[0002] The invention relates to a hydrogen supply system provided with a hydrogen filling station. Background Art

[0003] In recent years, hydrogen has attracted attention as a clean energy source, and fuel cell vehicles that use hydrogen as fuel are becoming more popular. In order to further popularize fuel cell vehicles, it is necessary to prepare hydrogen refueling stations as fuel supply infrastructure. At hydrogen refueling stations, hydrogen is compressed and stored in accumulators, and high-pressure hydrogen is filled into fuel cell vehicles through dispensers. Hydrogen used as fuel is produced by methods such as steam reforming city gas or liquefied petroleum gas, and by methods such as dehydrogenating organic hydrides such as methylcyclohexane.

[0004] Generally speaking, hydrogen refueling stations include two types: on-site hydrogen production and external hydrogen supply. On-site hydrogen refueling stations use their own hydrogen production equipment to produce hydrogen and then supply it to fuel cell vehicles. On the other hand, external hydrogen supply hydrogen refueling stations use hydrogen produced at other bases to supply fuel cell vehicles. Hydrogen transport trailers, hydrogen transport ships, etc. are used in the transportation of hydrogen.

[0005] In recent years, the amount of electricity generated by renewable energy sources such as sunlight and wind power has been increasing. The amount of electricity generated by renewable energy varies greatly over time, so an adjustment force is needed to adjust the balance between electricity supply and demand. For example, the following supply and demand adjustment system has been proposed: hydrogen is produced and stored using surplus electricity from renewable energy, and the stored hydrogen is transported to a hydrogen refueling station for use at the hydrogen refueling station or for power generation.

[0006] Prior art literature

[0007] Patent Literature

[0008] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-111984

[0009] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-144897 Summary of the invention

[0010] Problem that the invention aims to solve

[0011] In order to efficiently transport hydrogen, it is necessary to compress hydrogen to high pressure or cool hydrogen to extremely low temperature, and storing and transporting large amounts of hydrogen is costly. In addition, using hydrogen produced by water electrolysis for power generation is not ideal from the perspective of energy efficiency.

[0012] The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and one of its objects is to provide a technology for improving the energy efficiency of a hydrogen supply system.

[0013] Solutions for solving problems

[0014] A hydrogen supply system of a certain embodiment of the present invention is provided with a plurality of hydrogen refueling stations for supplying hydrogen to fuel cell vehicles and a management device for managing the supply and demand of hydrogen at the plurality of hydrogen refueling stations. The plurality of hydrogen refueling stations include a plurality of on-site hydrogen production-type hydrogen refueling stations. Each on-site hydrogen production-type hydrogen refueling station has: an electrolysis device that produces hydrogen through an electrolysis reaction that consumes electricity supplied from a commercial power grid; a compressor that compresses the hydrogen produced by the electrolysis device; an accumulator that accumulates hydrogen compressed by the compressor; and a distributor that fills the hydrogen accumulated in the accumulator into the fuel cell vehicle. The management device adjusts the amount of power consumed by the plurality of electrolysis devices included in the hydrogen supply system based on instructions for adjusting the supply and demand of electricity from the commercial power grid.

[0015] Another embodiment of the present invention is a hydrogen supply system. The hydrogen supply system includes: a plurality of hydrogen refueling stations for supplying hydrogen to fuel cell vehicles, a plurality of hydrogen production bases for producing hydrogen to be supplied to at least any one of the plurality of hydrogen refueling stations, and a management device for managing the supply and demand of hydrogen at the plurality of hydrogen refueling stations and the plurality of hydrogen production bases. Each hydrogen production base includes: an electrolysis device that produces hydrogen by an electrolysis reaction that consumes electricity supplied from a commercial power grid; and an accumulator that stores the hydrogen produced by the electrolysis device. Each hydrogen refueling station includes: a compressor that compresses hydrogen supplied from at least any one of the plurality of hydrogen production bases; an accumulator that stores hydrogen compressed by the compressor; and a dispenser that fills the hydrogen stored in the accumulator into the fuel cell vehicle. The management device adjusts the amount of power consumed by the plurality of electrolysis devices included in the hydrogen supply system based on instructions for adjusting the supply and demand of electricity from the commercial power grid.

[0016] Another embodiment of the present invention is a hydrogen refueling station. The hydrogen refueling station includes: an electrolysis device that produces hydrogen through an electrolysis reaction that consumes electricity supplied from a commercial power grid; a compressor that compresses the hydrogen produced by the electrolysis device; an accumulator that stores the hydrogen compressed by the compressor; a dispenser that fills the hydrogen stored in the accumulator into a fuel cell vehicle; and a control device that controls the amount of power consumed by the electrolysis device based on an instruction for adjusting the power supply and demand of the commercial power grid.

[0017] Another embodiment of the present invention is a method for managing the supply and demand of hydrogen in a hydrogen supply system. The hydrogen supply system is provided with a plurality of hydrogen refueling stations for supplying hydrogen to fuel cell vehicles. The plurality of hydrogen refueling stations include a plurality of in-station hydrogen production-type hydrogen refueling stations. Each in-station hydrogen production-type hydrogen refueling station has: an electrolysis device, which produces hydrogen by an electrolysis reaction that consumes electricity supplied from a commercial power grid; a compressor, which compresses the hydrogen produced by the electrolysis device; an accumulator, which stores hydrogen compressed by the compressor; and a distributor, which fills the hydrogen stored in the accumulator into a fuel cell vehicle. The method includes the following steps: obtaining an instruction for adjusting the supply and demand of electricity of the commercial power grid, calculating the adjustment margin of the power consumption of the electrolysis device of each in-station hydrogen production-type hydrogen refueling station, determining the adjustment amount of the power consumption of each electrolysis device within the range of the adjustment margin of each electrolysis device in such a way that the sum of the adjustment amounts of the power consumption of the plurality of electrolysis devices included in the hydrogen supply system is close to the adjustment target amount of the power supply and demand contained in the instruction, and adjusting the power consumption of each electrolysis device based on the determined adjustment amount.

[0018] The management center of the present invention is equipped with a management device, which manages a first base for producing hydrogen and a second base to which hydrogen is supplied from the first base, wherein the management device adjusts the amount of power consumed by the hydrogen production device included in the first base based on instructions for adjusting power supply and demand and information related to the second base.

[0019] The management center of the present invention is equipped with a management device, which manages a first base for manufacturing organic hydrides and a second base for manufacturing hydrogen through a dehydrogenation reaction of the organic hydrides, wherein the management device adjusts the power consumption of the organic hydride manufacturing device included in the first base based on instructions for adjusting power supply and demand and information related to the second base.

[0020] Optional combinations of the above-described constituent elements and modes in which the expressions of the present disclosure are converted into methods, apparatuses, systems, and the like are also applicable as additional modes of the present disclosure.

[0021] Effects of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, the energy efficiency of the hydrogen supply system can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 It is a diagram schematically showing the structure of a hydrogen refueling station according to an embodiment.

[0024] Figure 2 (a) to (c) are graphs showing an example of a hydrogen supply and demand plan.

[0025] Figure 3 (a) and (b) are graphs showing examples of updating the hydrogen production plan.

[0026] Figure 4 It is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a hydrogen supply system according to an embodiment.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a flowchart showing the flow of the hydrogen supply and demand management method according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Before describing the invention in detail, an overview is first described. The present embodiment relates to a hydrogen refueling station for supplying hydrogen to a fuel cell vehicle using hydrogen as fuel, and more particularly to a hydrogen refueling station equipped with a water electrolysis device for producing hydrogen. The water electrolysis device electrolyzes water by consuming electricity supplied from a commercial power grid, thereby producing hydrogen on the spot.

[0029] In commercial power grids, in order to supply electricity stably, it is necessary to balance the supply and demand of electricity. Power companies operating commercial power grids respond to changes in electricity demand by combining various power generation methods. In recent years, the amount of electricity generated by renewable energy such as wind power and solar power has tended to increase, but the amount of electricity generated is affected by weather such as wind power and sunshine, so it is difficult to control the amount of electricity generated manually. Therefore, a demand response mechanism is being used to balance the supply and demand of electricity by adjusting not only the amount of electricity supplied but also the amount of electricity demanded.

[0030] In demand response, the power consumption of the power demander is adjusted in response to the gap between power supply and demand. The power demander who adjusted the power consumption is paid a reward corresponding to the adjustment amount. For example, when the power supply obtained through solar power generation increases in good weather and leads to insufficient power demand, the power supply and demand is adjusted by increasing the power consumption. On the contrary, when the power supply obtained through solar power generation decreases in bad weather and leads to excessive power demand, the power supply and demand is adjusted by reducing the power consumption. The adjustment of power supply and demand is sometimes managed through an intermediary called an aggregator. The aggregator can divide the adjustment target amount requested from the power supply side and distribute it to a large number of demand parties, so that a large number of demand parties can cooperate to adjust the power consumption. In addition, there is also a bidding system for demand response, which can obtain the right to adjust the power consumption by bidding for the adjustment amount indicated by the power supply side or the aggregator, and receive rewards based on the actual adjustment performance.

[0031] The supply and demand adjustment of the commercial power grid requires real-time performance. For example, the indicated adjustment force needs to be provided in a short time such as within 5 minutes or within 30 minutes. In addition, in the case of providing the adjustment force of power supply and demand, it is necessary to continuously adjust the power consumption within a specified time such as 30 minutes or 1 hour. In this embodiment, the adjustment force for alleviating the power supply and demand gap in the commercial power grid is provided by adjusting the power consumption of the water electrolysis device installed in the hydrogen filling station. At this time, by calculating the adjustment margin of the power consumption of the water electrolysis device based on the supply and demand plan of hydrogen in the hydrogen filling station, the adjustment force can be quickly provided within the range that does not affect the supply of hydrogen. In addition, by coordinating and controlling the power consumption of multiple water electrolysis devices installed in multiple hydrogen filling stations, the minimum adjustment force required for bidding can be ensured.

[0032] Below, the present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings based on a preferred embodiment. The embodiment is not intended to limit the invention but to illustrate, and all the features and combinations thereof described in the embodiment are not necessarily essential features of the invention. The same or equivalent structural elements, components, and processes shown in each of the drawings are marked with the same symbols, and repeated descriptions are appropriately omitted. In addition, the scales or shapes of the various parts shown in the figures are conveniently set for easy description, and are not to be interpreted in a limiting sense unless otherwise specifically mentioned. In addition, when the terms "first", "second", etc. are used in this specification or claims, the terms do not indicate any order or importance, but are used to distinguish a certain structure from other structures. In addition, in each of the drawings, some components that are not important in the description of the embodiment will be omitted.

[0033] Figure 1 1 is a diagram schematically showing the functional structure of a hydrogen refueling station 10 according to an embodiment. The hydrogen refueling station 10 includes a water electrolysis device 12, a compressor 14, a pressure accumulator 16, a precooler 17, a distributor 18, and a control device 20. The hydrogen refueling station 10 is an in-station hydrogen production type hydrogen refueling station that has its own hydrogen production function, and produces hydrogen by operating the water electrolysis device 12.

[0034] The water electrolysis device 12 produces hydrogen through an electrolysis reaction that consumes electricity supplied from the commercial power grid 90. As the type of the water electrolysis device 12, for example, a solid polymer form, an alkaline form, a solid oxide form, etc. can be listed. From the viewpoint that the water electrolysis device 12 is set at the hydrogenation station 10 for application, it is desired that the water electrolysis device 12 is in a solid polymer form. In the case of a solid polymer form, compared with other forms, space can be saved and alkaline waste liquid treatment is not required. In addition, if it is a solid polymer form, the following advantages can also be listed: tolerance to vibration when the water electrolysis device 12 is transported and set to the hydrogenation station 10.

[0035] The water electrolysis device 12 is set to a rated output, and it is recommended to operate the water electrolysis device 12 in a manner that maintains the rated output. An example of the rated output of the water electrolysis device 12 is 1,600 kW, and the hydrogen production capacity at this time is 320 Nm 3 / h. The water electrolysis device 12 can operate even at an output different from the rated output, and can adjust the output within the range from the minimum rating to the maximum rating. When the output of the water electrolysis device 12 is adjusted, the amount of power consumed varies in accordance with the output, and the amount of hydrogen produced also varies in accordance with the output. The minimum rating of the water electrolysis device 12 is 10% to 50% of the rated output, and as an example, it is 20% of the rated output (e.g., 320kW). The maximum rating of the water electrolysis device 12 is 120% to 200% of the rated output, and as an example, it is 150% of the rated output (e.g., 2,400kW).

[0036] The compressor 14 compresses the hydrogen produced by the water electrolysis device 12 to generate hydrogen with a pressure higher than that of the hydrogen before compression (also referred to as boosted hydrogen). As the compressor 14, for example, a reciprocating compressor (Recipro type) using a general metal piston, an ion compressor using a non-volatile ionic liquid instead of a piston, and a diaphragm compressor that boosts the pressure by pressing a stainless steel film against a metal head can be cited. The compressor 14 is preferably a reciprocating compressor with excellent tracking and durability to cope with the frequent load changes that may occur with the adjustment of electricity supply and demand. The boosted hydrogen generated by the compressor 14 is accumulated in the accumulator 16. The compressor 14 can also receive hydrogen produced at other bases. For example, the hydrogen carried to the hydrogen filling station 10 by the hydrogen transport trailer 94 can also be compressed to generate boosted hydrogen.

[0037] The accumulator 16 includes a high-pressure accumulator 22 and an intermediate accumulator 24. The high-pressure accumulator 22 stores high-pressure hydrogen for filling the fuel cell vehicle 92 through the dispenser 18. The pressure of the hydrogen gas stored in the high-pressure accumulator 22 is, for example, 82 MPa. The intermediate accumulator 24 stores hydrogen gas that the hydrogen filling station 10 should ensure as a stock. The pressure of the hydrogen gas stored in the intermediate accumulator 24 is, for example, 45 MPa. An example of the capacity of the intermediate accumulator 24 is 1,500 Nm 3 .

[0038] The hydrogen accumulated in the intermediate accumulator 24 can be accumulated in the high-pressure accumulator 22 by being compressed by the compressor 14. In addition, the hydrogen accumulated in the intermediate accumulator 24 can also be filled into the fuel cell vehicle 92 without passing through the high-pressure accumulator 22 after being compressed by the compressor 14. For example, in the event that a hydrogen demand exceeds the manufacturing capacity of the water electrolysis device 12, the hydrogen demand can be met by using the hydrogen stored in the intermediate accumulator 24. The intermediate accumulator 24 can also store hydrogen for supply to other hydrogen filling stations. For example, hydrogen can also be supplied to other hydrogen filling stations by filling the hydrogen stored in the intermediate accumulator 24 into a hydrogen transport trailer 96, etc. In addition, the intermediate accumulator 24 is not a necessary structure, and the intermediate accumulator 24 may not be provided in the hydrogen filling station 10.

[0039] The precooler 17 cools the high-pressure hydrogen supplied to the fuel cell vehicle 92 via the distributor 18 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., -40°C). The precooler 17 includes, for example, a refrigerator (not shown) for cooling the high-pressure hydrogen. By filling the cooled high-pressure hydrogen into the hydrogen tank of the fuel cell vehicle 92, the temperature rise of the hydrogen tank of the fuel cell vehicle 92 when filling the high-pressure hydrogen can be reduced.

[0040] The dispenser 18 supplies high-pressure hydrogen to the fuel cell vehicle 92 that arrives at the hydrogen filling station 10. The pressure of hydrogen gas filled into the fuel cell vehicle 92 is determined by the regulations or laws of each country, and is 70 MPa in Japan, for example. The amount of hydrogen gas supplied to the fuel cell vehicle 92 in one filling is, for example, 30 Nm 3 .

[0041] The control device 20 controls the operation of various devices installed in the hydrogen filling station 10. The hardware structure of the control device 20 is realized by components or circuits represented by a CPU and a memory of a computer, and the software structure of the control device 20 is realized by a computer program, etc. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that various functions of the control device 20 can be realized in various forms by a combination of hardware and software.

[0042] The control device 20 operates based on the supply and demand plan of hydrogen in the hydrogen refueling station 10. In the supply and demand plan of hydrogen, a plan of the demand amount, supply amount, and storage amount of hydrogen gas in the hydrogen refueling station 10 at different times is determined.

[0043] The demand for hydrogen corresponds to the predicted value of the filling amount of hydrogen to be filled from the dispenser 18 to the fuel cell vehicle 92. For example, the predicted number of fuel cell vehicles 92 that may come to the hydrogen filling station 10 per unit time can be multiplied by the average filling amount per time (for example, 30 Nm 3) to calculate the predicted value of the filling amount at different times. The demand for hydrogen can be predicted on a daily basis, or the demand for hydrogen at different times can be calculated based on the average daily demand for hydrogen. The demand for hydrogen can also include the amount of hydrogen shipped to other bases through the hydrogen transport trailer 96 and the like.

[0044] The supply amount of hydrogen corresponds to the production amount of hydrogen produced by the water electrolysis device 12. The production amount of hydrogen can be calculated based on the operation output of the water electrolysis device 12 at different times. The supply amount of hydrogen may also include the delivery amount of hydrogen supplied from other bases by the hydrogen transport trailer 94 or the like.

[0045] The inventory of hydrogen is the remaining pressure of hydrogen stored in the accumulator 16. The inventory of hydrogen may include only the remaining pressure of the high-pressure accumulator 22, or the sum of the pressures of the high-pressure accumulator 22 and the intermediate accumulator 24. The inventory of hydrogen may also include the pressure of a hydrogen tank different from the high-pressure accumulator 22 and the intermediate accumulator 24. For example, it may include the pressure of a hydrogen tank that is different from the high-pressure accumulator 22 and the intermediate accumulator 24 and is permanently installed at the hydrogen filling station 10, and it may also include the pressure of a hydrogen cylinder container and a hydrogen cylinder that are temporarily stored in the hydrogen filling station 10.

[0046] Figure 2 (a) to (c) are graphs showing an example of a hydrogen supply and demand plan. Figure 2 (a) shows the hydrogen demand at different times, and shows the amount of hydrogen filled from the dispenser 18 to the fuel cell vehicle 92 at different times. The hydrogen demand varies greatly depending on the time period. The hydrogen demand is low from 0:00 to 5:00 in the middle of the night, but the demand increases from around 5:00 to 6:00 in the morning, and the first peak of demand occurs around 10:00 to 11:00. After that, the demand decreases from around 12:00 to 15:00 in the daytime, and then the demand increases from around 15:00, and the second peak of demand occurs around 17:00 to 19:00 in the evening. After that, the demand gradually decreases during the period from 19:00 to 12:00 a.m. In addition, Figure 2 The hydrogen demand amount shown in (a) is an example, and the hydrogen demand amount may vary in various ways depending on factors such as the location of the hydrogen filling station 10, weather, season, and day of the week.

[0047] Figure 2 (b) shows the amount of hydrogen supplied at different times, and shows the amount of hydrogen produced by the water electrolysis device 12 at different times. The amount of hydrogen supplied is in contrast to the amount of demand, and is generally fixed regardless of the time period. Compared with a hydrogen production device utilizing steam reforming, the water electrolysis device 12 has the characteristics of fast load changes and start-up and shutdown. However, from the perspective of durability such as preventing electrode degradation, the water electrolysis device 12 preferably operates with the output maintained as fixed as possible. Figure 2In the graph (b), the dotted line shows the hydrogen production amount of 320 Nm when the water electrolysis device 12 is operated at the rated output (e.g., 1,600 kW). 3 / h. In the example shown in the figure, the water electrolysis device 12 operates at 80% to 100% of the rated output, and its operating output is set in stages according to the time period. Specifically, the operating output is set in a manner such that the operating output is 80%, 90% or 100% of the rated output. In addition, the operating output of the water electrolysis device 12 can also be set more finely, for example, it can be set in units of 1% or in units of 1kW.

[0048] Figure 2 (c) shows the hydrogen storage amount at different times, and shows the remaining pressure of hydrogen stored in the accumulator 16. Figure 2 The hydrogen demand of (a) is reduced accordingly, Figure 2 The amount of hydrogen supply of (b) increases accordingly. The change in the pressure storage margin of the accumulator 16 corresponds to the difference between the amount of hydrogen produced by the water electrolysis device 12 and the amount of hydrogen required by the distributor 18. Therefore, during the period when the amount of hydrogen produced is greater than the amount of hydrogen required (e.g., 22:00 to 8:00), the pressure storage margin increases, and during the period when the amount of hydrogen produced is less than the amount of hydrogen required (e.g., 8:00 to 22:00), the pressure storage margin decreases.

[0049] The operation plan of the water electrolysis device 12 is determined based on the demand and inventory of hydrogen. When the inventory of hydrogen changes over time in accordance with the supply and demand of hydrogen, the inventory of hydrogen converges to a predetermined lower limit (e.g., 100 Nm 3 ) to the upper limit (e.g. 1,500Nm 3 ) range, the operation plan of the water electrolysis device 12 is determined. For example, the operation plan of the water electrolysis device 12 can be determined in such a way that the hydrogen demand per day corresponds to the hydrogen supply, so that the hydrogen inventory can be brought within a specified range. For example, by using the hydrogen demand per day (e.g., 6,300 Nm 3 ) divided by 24 hours, the average hydrogen production per hour can be determined (e.g. 263 Nm 3 / h), so as to determine the operating output corresponding to the hydrogen production amount (for example, 82% of the rated output). At this time, the hydrogen production amount at different times is adjusted in a manner to avoid the pressure reserve of the accumulator 16 falling below the lower limit and exceeding the upper limit. Figure 2In the example (c) of FIG. 1 , the operation plan of the water electrolysis device 12 is prepared so that the inventory amount does not reach the upper limit value around 7:00 to 8:00 when the inventory is the largest, and the inventory amount does not reach the lower limit value around 21:00 to 22:00 when the inventory is the smallest. The operation plan of the water electrolysis device 12 can also be adjusted based on the electricity rates at different times in the commercial power grid 90. For example, the operation output can be relatively high during the time period with low electricity rates (such as late at night), and the operation output can be relatively low during the time period with high electricity rates (such as daytime).

[0050] The control device 20 calculates the margin of adjustment of the power consumption of the water electrolysis device 12 when it is necessary to provide the commercial power grid 90 with the power supply and demand adjustment force. Here, the margin of adjustment of the water electrolysis device 12 refers to the increase or decrease range of the power consumption of the water electrolysis device 12 that can be increased or decreased within the range that does not hinder the operation of the hydrogen filling station 10. The control device 20 calculates the margin of adjustment of the water electrolysis device 12 based on the hydrogen supply and demand plan, the current value of the operating output of the water electrolysis device 12, the current value of the storage pressure margin of the accumulator 16, etc.

[0051] First, the case where the power consumption of the water electrolysis device 12 is increased will be described. The operating output of the water electrolysis device 12 can be increased to the maximum rating of the water electrolysis device 12. In this case, the adjustment margin is restricted by the difference between the current value of the operating output of the water electrolysis device 12 and the maximum rating. For example, when the water electrolysis device 12 is operated at the rated output and the maximum rating is 150% of the rated output, the adjustment margin is 50% of the rated output. In addition, the difference between the current value of the operating output of the water electrolysis device 12 and the maximum rating is also referred to as "operation margin".

[0052] There is a concern that if the power consumption of the water electrolysis device 12 is increased, the amount of hydrogen produced will increase compared to the original supply and demand plan, and the remaining pressure of the accumulator 16 will reach the upper limit. Since hydrogen cannot be stored in excess of the maximum pressure of the accumulator 16, the adjustment margin of the water electrolysis device 12 is also restricted by the remaining pressure of the accumulator 16. The remaining pressure of the accumulator 16 is the difference between the current value of the remaining pressure of the accumulator 16 and the maximum pressure. For example, when the current value of the remaining pressure is 1,300 Nm 3 、Maximum pressure storage capacity is 1,500Nm 3 In the case of 3 .

[0053] The adjustment of power supply and demand requires maintaining the state of increasing power consumption within a specified time (e.g. 30 minutes or 1 hour), and it is necessary to avoid the hydrogen production during this period exceeding the storage pressure reserve (e.g. 200Nm 3 Therefore, the remaining pressure (e.g. 200 Nm 3) divided by the power supply and demand adjustment time (e.g. 0.5 hours) (e.g. 400 Nm 3 / h) becomes the upper limit of the average hourly production volume. At this time, the upper limit of the output of the water electrolysis device 12 is equal to the upper limit of the production volume (for example, 400Nm 3 / h) corresponding to the operating output (e.g., 125% of the rated output). At this time, the adjustment margin is the difference between the current value of the operating output and the output upper limit. For example, if the water electrolysis device 12 is operated at the rated output and the output upper limit is 125% of the rated output, the adjustment margin is 25% of the rated output.

[0054] In addition, the remaining pressure capacity of the accumulator 16 may be calculated by taking into account the demand for hydrogen. For example, if hydrogen is filled from the dispenser 18 to the fuel cell vehicle 92 during the power supply and demand adjustment period, the remaining pressure capacity of the accumulator 16 increases by a corresponding amount. Therefore, the demand for hydrogen during the power supply and demand adjustment period may also be added as the remaining pressure capacity of the accumulator 16. For example, when the current value of the remaining pressure capacity is 1,300 Nm 3 、Maximum pressure storage capacity is 1,500Nm 3 、The hydrogen demand during the electricity supply and demand adjustment period is 300Nm 3 In this case, the pressure reserve can be 1,500-1,300+300=500Nm. 3 In addition, the remaining storage capacity may be a value obtained by multiplying the hydrogen demand during the power supply and demand adjustment period by a predetermined safety factor (e.g., 0.5) (e.g., 150 Nm 3 ) By setting a safety factor, it is possible to reduce the possibility of running out of pressure storage capacity when the actual hydrogen demand is less than predicted.

[0055] The control device 20 calculates the margin of adjustment of the water electrolysis device 12 based on both the operating margin of the water electrolysis device 12 and the margin of pressure storage of the accumulator 16. Specifically, the margin of adjustment based on the operating margin of the water electrolysis device 12 and the margin of adjustment based on the margin of pressure storage of the accumulator 16 are set as the margin of adjustment of the water electrolysis device 12. For example, when the margin of adjustment based on the operating margin of the water electrolysis device 12 is 50% of the rated output and the margin of adjustment based on the margin of pressure storage of the accumulator 16 is 25% of the rated output, the margin of adjustment of the water electrolysis device 12 is set as 25%. The control device 20 may determine the margin of adjustment of the water electrolysis device 12 based on either the margin of adjustment based on the operating margin of the water electrolysis device 12 or the margin of pressure storage of the accumulator 16.

[0056] Next, the case of reducing the power consumption of the water electrolysis device 12 is described. The operating output of the water electrolysis device 12 can be reduced to the minimum rating of the water electrolysis device 12. In this case, the adjustment margin is constrained by the difference between the current value of the operating output of the water electrolysis device 12 and the minimum rating. For example, when the water electrolysis device 12 is operated at the rated output and the minimum rating is 20% of the rated output, the adjustment margin is 80% of the rated output. In addition, the difference between the current value of the operating output of the water electrolysis device 12 and the minimum rating is also referred to as "operation margin".

[0057] There is a concern that when the power consumption of the water electrolysis device 12 is reduced, the amount of hydrogen produced is reduced compared to the original supply and demand plan, and the remaining pressure of the accumulator 16 reaches the lower limit. For example, when the accumulator 16 becomes empty, hydrogen cannot be supplied to the fuel cell vehicle 92 that arrives at the hydrogen filling station 10, which hinders the operation of the hydrogen filling station 10. Therefore, the adjustment margin of the water electrolysis device 12 is also restricted by the hydrogen demand during the electricity supply and demand adjustment period. In order to cope with the hydrogen demand, it is necessary to produce a shortage of hydrogen during the electricity supply and demand adjustment period, which is obtained by subtracting the current value of the remaining pressure from the hydrogen demand. For example, the hydrogen demand during the electricity supply and demand adjustment period is 240Nm 3 The current value of the pressure reserve is 144Nm 3 In the case of hydrogen shortage, the amount is 96Nm 3 At this time, the insufficient amount of hydrogen (for example, 96Nm 3 ) divided by the power supply and demand adjustment time (e.g. 1 hour) to obtain the value (e.g. 96 Nm 3 / h) is the lower limit of the average hourly production volume. The lower limit of the output of the water electrolysis device 12 is equal to the lower limit of the production volume (for example, 96Nm 3 / h) corresponding to the operating output (e.g., 30% of the rated output). At this time, the adjustment margin is the difference between the current value of the operating output and the output lower limit. For example, if the water electrolysis device 12 is operated at the rated output and the output lower limit is 30% of the rated output, the adjustment margin is 70% of the rated output.

[0058] In addition, a lower limit value of the pressure accumulation margin (e.g. 100 Nm 3 ) is used to calculate the hydrogen shortage during the electricity supply and demand adjustment period. The lower limit of the pressure reserve may be consistent with the capacity of the high-pressure accumulator 22, or may be a value obtained by further adding a buffer to the capacity of the high-pressure accumulator 22. By setting the lower limit of the pressure reserve to a value greater than the capacity of the high-pressure accumulator 22, it is possible to maintain the state in which the high-pressure accumulator 22 is filled with high-pressure hydrogen, and hydrogen can always be supplied to the fuel cell vehicle 92 that arrives at the hydrogen filling station 10 in a timely manner. Alternatively, it is possible to use a value (e.g., 192 Nm 3By setting a safety factor, the possibility of running out of hydrogen in the event that actual hydrogen demand exceeds forecasts can be reduced.

[0059] The control device 20 calculates the adjustment margin of the water electrolysis device 12 based on both the operating margin of the water electrolysis device 12 and the hydrogen shortage during the power supply and demand adjustment period. Specifically, the relatively smaller value of the adjustment margin based on the operating margin of the water electrolysis device 12 and the adjustment margin based on the hydrogen shortage during the power supply and demand adjustment period is set as the adjustment margin of the water electrolysis device 12. For example, when the adjustment margin based on the operating margin of the water electrolysis device 12 is 80% of the rated output and the adjustment margin based on the hydrogen shortage during the power supply and demand adjustment period is 70% of the rated output, the adjustment margin of the water electrolysis device 12 is set to 70%. The control device 20 may also determine the adjustment margin of the water electrolysis device 12 based on either the operating margin of the water electrolysis device 12 or the hydrogen shortage during the power supply and demand adjustment period.

[0060] The control device 20 adjusts the power consumption of the water electrolysis device 12 within the calculated adjustment margin when providing the adjustment force of the power supply and demand to the commercial power grid 90. For example, the control device 20 adjusts the power consumption of the water electrolysis device 12 within the adjustment margin so that it approaches the adjustment target amount instructed by the power supply side or the aggregator. The control device 20 may also calculate the performance value of the adjustment amount of power consumption when the power consumption of the water electrolysis device 12 is adjusted. For example, the power consumption of the water electrolysis device 12 in the power supply and demand adjustment period may be measured, and the difference between the power consumption based on the original operation plan or the power consumption at the time of adjustment may be calculated to obtain the performance value of the adjustment amount.

[0061] The control device 20 may also update the operation plan of the water electrolysis device 12 while providing the commercial power grid 90 with the power supply and demand adjustment force, so that the excess and shortage of hydrogen production caused by the adjustment of the power consumption is eliminated or alleviated. For example, it may also be that when the power consumption is increased during the power supply and demand adjustment period, the operation output of the time period different from the power supply and demand adjustment period is reduced compared with the original plan. Conversely, it may also be that when the power consumption is reduced during the power supply and demand adjustment period, the operation output of the time period different from the power supply and demand adjustment period is increased compared with the original plan. When updating the operation plan, it is determined in a manner that the inventory at different times converges within the range of the specified lower limit value to the upper limit value, similarly to the preparation of the above-mentioned operation plan.

[0062] Figure 3 (a) and (b) are graphs showing examples of updating the hydrogen production plan. Figure 3(a) shows the manufacturing plan at different times when an adjustment is made to increase power consumption. Figure 3 In (a), the adjustment to increase the power consumption was performed during the 30 minutes from 9:00 to 9:30, and the hydrogen production amount indicated by the mark 81 was added to the original plan. In order to adjust the additional hydrogen production amount, the hydrogen production amount was adjusted during the 3 hours from 10:00 to 13:00, and the hydrogen production amount indicated by the mark 82 was subtracted from the original plan. Figure 3 (b) shows the manufacturing plan at different times when adjustments are made to reduce power consumption. Figure 3 In (b), the power consumption was adjusted to be reduced in the one hour from 9:00 to 10:00, and the hydrogen production amount indicated by the mark 83 was subtracted from the original plan. In order to adjust the subtracted hydrogen production amount, the hydrogen production amount was adjusted in the five hours from 12:00 to 17:00, and the hydrogen production amount indicated by the mark 84 was added to the original plan.

[0063] exist Figure 3 In the example shown, the manufacturing plan is updated in such a way that the adjustment time of the hydrogen production amount (for example, 3 hours or 5 hours) is longer than the adjustment time of the power supply and demand (for example, 30 minutes or 1 hour). By updating the manufacturing plan in this way, the fluctuation of the operating output of the water electrolysis device 12 can be suppressed, and the output of the water electrolysis device 12 can be made more stable. In addition, the manufacturing plan can also be updated in such a way that the adjustment time of the power supply and demand is the same as the adjustment time of the hydrogen production amount, and the manufacturing plan can also be updated in such a way that the adjustment time of the hydrogen production amount is shorter than the adjustment time of the power supply and demand. In addition, the time period for adjusting the hydrogen production amount can be either immediately after the power supply and demand adjustment period or set to leave time relative to the power supply and demand adjustment period. The time period for adjusting the hydrogen production amount can be either the day when the power supply and demand is adjusted or the next day or later. In addition, in the case where the time from the instruction to adjust the power supply and demand to the adjustment of the power supply and demand is long, the hydrogen production amount can also be adjusted before the power supply and demand adjustment period.

[0064] exist Figure 2 and Figure 3In the example shown, a case where an operation plan of the water electrolysis device 12 is made in units of 1 day is shown. In other embodiments, the operation output of the water electrolysis device 12 may also be determined one by one. For example, it may also be possible to determine only the operation plan of the water electrolysis device 12 in the recent period from the current moment to the specified time (for example, 30 minutes or 1 hour). Specifically, the predetermined value of the hydrogen production amount in the recent period is calculated based on the predicted value of the hydrogen demand in the recent period and the current value of the hydrogen inventory. The operation output may also be determined based on the calculated predetermined value of the hydrogen production amount. In addition, the adjustment margin of the water electrolysis device 12 may also be calculated one by one. For example, it may also be possible to calculate the adjustment margin of the water electrolysis device 12 based on the current value of the operation output of the water electrolysis device 12, the predetermined value of the hydrogen production amount in the recent period, the predicted value of the hydrogen demand in the recent period, and the current value of the hydrogen inventory. The power consumption of the water electrolysis device 12 in the recent period may also be adjusted based on the adjustment margin calculated in this way. Alternatively, the operation plan of the water electrolysis device 12 may be determined and the margin of adjustment may be calculated without using the predicted value of the hydrogen demand. For example, the operation plan of the water electrolysis device 12 may be determined and the margin of adjustment may be calculated based only on the current value of the hydrogen inventory.

[0065] Next, the coordinated control of the amount of power consumed in multiple hydrogenation stations is described. In order to popularize fuel cell vehicles using hydrogen as fuel, it is necessary to prepare hydrogenation stations in various places to improve convenience. Consider the following method: Like gasoline, light oil, etc. gas stations, large hydrogenation stations are set up along trunk roads or small hydrogenation stations are set up on urban streets. In the case of gasoline, light oil, etc., it is necessary to use transport ships, railways, tank trucks, etc. to transport the fuel produced in large-scale petroleum refineries to each gas station. On the other hand, in the case of hydrogen, a small water electrolysis device can be used to produce hydrogen on site, so the transportation cost can be suppressed. In addition, even in the case of a small hydrogenation station such as a water electrolysis device that cannot be set up due to factors such as location, demand, and cost, the transportation cost can be reduced by transporting hydrogen produced at a nearby hydrogenation station or hydrogen production base. In addition, by coordinating and adjusting the power consumption of each water electrolysis device set at multiple hydrogenation stations, a large adjustment force can be provided relative to the power supply and demand of the commercial power grid. This makes it possible to efficiently utilize renewable energy sources with large output fluctuations while suppressing the transportation cost of hydrogen, thereby improving the energy efficiency of society as a whole.

[0066] Figure 4 1 is a diagram schematically showing the structure of a hydrogen supply system 50 according to an embodiment. The hydrogen supply system 50 includes a plurality of hydrogen refueling stations 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f, 10g, 10h, a hydrogen production base 30, and a management center 40. The hydrogen supply system 50 is a hydrogen supply network for supplying hydrogen to the entire area of ​​a specific region.

[0067] The plurality of hydrogen refueling stations 10a-10h include a plurality of on-site hydrogen production type hydrogen refueling stations (also referred to as on-site hydrogen production type ST) 10a, 10b and a plurality of external hydrogen supply type hydrogen refueling stations (also referred to as external hydrogen supply type ST) 10c-10h. Figure 4 In the example, there are two on-site hydrogen production STs and six external hydrogen supply STs, but the number of on-site hydrogen production STs and external hydrogen supply STs is not particularly limited, and there may be fewer or more hydrogen refueling stations than the example shown in the figure.

[0068] The station-based hydrogen production type ST 10a and 10b have equipment for producing hydrogen. For example, the station-based hydrogen production type ST 10a has a water electrolysis device 12a, a compressor 14a, a pressure accumulator 16a, a precooler 17a, a distributor 18a, and a control device 20a, and is configured in the same manner as the hydrogen refueling station 10 involved in the above-mentioned embodiment. In addition, the station-based hydrogen production type ST 10b has a water electrolysis device 12b, a compressor 14b, a pressure accumulator 16b, a precooler 17b, a distributor 18b, and a control device 20b, and is configured in the same manner as the hydrogen refueling station 10 involved in the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0069] The external hydrogen supply type ST 10c~10h does not have equipment for producing hydrogen. For example, the external hydrogen supply type ST 10c has a compressor 14c, an accumulator 16c, a precooler 17c, a distributor 18c and a control device 20c, but does not have a water electrolysis device. Therefore, the external hydrogen supply type ST 10c~10h is constructed in the same manner as the hydrogen filling station 10 involved in the above-mentioned embodiment, except that the water electrolysis device 12 is deleted. The external hydrogen supply type ST 10c~10h supplies hydrogen by deploying hydrogen produced at other bases. Figure 4 In the example, hydrogen transport trailers 98a and 98b are used to transport hydrogen produced in the on-site hydrogen production ST 10a or the hydrogen production base 30 to the external hydrogen supply STs 10c to 10h.

[0070] The hydrogen production base 30 has equipment for producing hydrogen, but does not have equipment for supplying hydrogen to the fuel cell vehicle 92. The hydrogen production base 30 has a water electrolysis device 32, a compressor 34, a pressure accumulator 36, and a control device 38, but does not have a precooler and a distributor. The hydrogen production base 30 may also have a water electrolysis device 32 that is larger than the water electrolysis devices 12a and 12b of the on-site hydrogen production type ST 10a and 10b, and the hydrogen production capacity of the hydrogen production base 30 may also be higher than the hydrogen production capacity of the on-site hydrogen production type ST 10a and 10b.

[0071] The control device 38 of the hydrogen production base 30 prepares a manufacturing plan for the water electrolysis device 32 based on the hydrogen supply and demand of the external hydrogen supply type ST 10e~10h as the hydrogen supply destination. When the power supply and demand of the commercial power grid 90 needs to be adjusted, the control device 38 of the hydrogen production base 30 calculates the adjustment margin of the power consumption of the water electrolysis device 32 based on the hydrogen supply and demand and hydrogen inventory of the external hydrogen supply type ST 10e~10h as the supply destination, the manufacturing plan of the water electrolysis device 32, the storage margin of the accumulator 36, etc. The adjustment margin of the water electrolysis device 32 can be calculated by the same method as the adjustment margin in the hydrogen filling station 10 involved in the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0072] The plurality of on-site hydrogen production STs 10a, 10b and the hydrogen production base 30 included in the hydrogen supply system 50 produce hydrogen by consuming electricity supplied from the common commercial power grid 90. Therefore, the plurality of on-site hydrogen production STs 10a, 10b and the hydrogen production base 30 included in the hydrogen supply system 50 have the ability to adjust the supply and demand of electricity for the common commercial power grid 90.

[0073] The management center 40 is provided with a management device 42 for managing the supply and demand of hydrogen in the entire hydrogen supply system 50. The hardware structure of the management device 42 is implemented by components or circuits represented by a CPU and a memory of a computer, and the software structure of the management device 42 is implemented by a computer program, etc. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the various functions of the management device 42 can be implemented in various forms by a combination of hardware and software.

[0074] The management device 42 is connected to the control devices of the multiple hydrogen refueling stations 10a~10h and the hydrogen production base 30 to assist in the preparation of the hydrogen supply and demand plan of each base. For example, the on-site hydrogen production type ST 10a needs to supply part of the hydrogen produced by the water electrolysis device 12a to two external hydrogen supply type ST 10c and 10d. The management device 42 assists in the following way: the demand and inventory of hydrogen of the external hydrogen supply type ST 10c and 10d as the supply destination are notified to the on-site hydrogen production type ST 10a, so that the on-site hydrogen production type ST 10a can prepare a supply and demand plan that takes into account the hydrogen demand of the supply destination. Similarly, the hydrogen production base 30 needs to supply the hydrogen produced by the water electrolysis device 32 to four external hydrogen supply type ST 10e~10h. The management device 42 assists in the following manner: the demand and inventory of hydrogen of the external hydrogen supply type ST 10e~10h at the supply destination are notified to the hydrogen production base 30, so that the hydrogen production base 30 can make a production plan corresponding to the hydrogen demand of the supply destination. The management device 42 can also make a transportation plan for transporting hydrogen from the on-site hydrogen production type ST 10a or the hydrogen production base 30 to the external hydrogen supply type ST 10c~10h. The management device 42 can also uniformly make hydrogen supply and demand plans for each base.

[0075] The management device 42 obtains an instruction for adjusting the power supply and demand of the commercial power grid 90. The management device 42 receives the adjustment instruction issued by the power company or aggregator of the commercial power grid 90, for example, via the Internet. In addition, the adjustment instruction may be received by telephone, FAX, email, etc., and the person in charge who receives the instruction inputs the content of the adjustment instruction into the management device 42. The adjustment instruction includes the time period when the power supply and demand should be adjusted and the adjustment target amount of the power supply and demand.

[0076] When the management device 42 obtains an instruction to adjust the power supply and demand from the commercial power grid 90, it obtains the adjustment margin of the power consumption of the water electrolysis devices 12a, 12b, and 32 of the multiple on-site hydrogen production STs 10a, 10b and the hydrogen production base 30. The management device 42 requests the control devices 20a, 20b, and 38 of the multiple on-site hydrogen production STs 10a, 10b and the hydrogen production base 30 to calculate the adjustment margin of the water electrolysis devices 12a, 12b, and 32. When requesting the calculation of the adjustment margin, the management device 42 may also specify the time period when the power supply and demand should be adjusted. The control devices 20a, 20b, and 38 of each base calculate the adjustment margin of the water electrolysis devices 12a, 12b, and 32 based on the request from the management device 42, and send the calculated adjustment margin to the management device 42. The control devices 20a, 20b, and 38 of each base may also send the latest information on the hydrogen supply and demand plan of each base to the management device 42. For example, the current value of the hydrogen production amount and the remaining pressure of each base may be sent to the management device 42. In addition, the management device 42 may calculate the adjustment margin of the power consumption of the water electrolysis devices 12a, 12b, and 32 of each base based on the hydrogen supply and demand plan of each base.

[0077] The management device 42 determines the adjustment amount of the power consumption of the hydrogen supply system 50 as a whole within the range of the adjustment margin of each base based on the adjustment margin of the power consumption of the water electrolysis devices 12a, 12b, and 32 of each base. The management device 42, for example, sets the sum of the adjustment margins of each base as the adjustment amount of the entire system. The management device 42 may also make the adjustment amount of the entire system lower than the sum of the adjustment margins of each base. For example, it may also be that when the adjustment target amount of power supply and demand is set in stages in units of 1,000kW or 5,000kW, the adjustment amount of the entire system is determined in a manner that makes the adjustment amount of the entire system consistent with the staged adjustment target amount. The management device 42 may also participate in a bid for obtaining the right to adjust power supply and demand within the range of the sum of the adjustment margins of each base, and determine the adjustment amount of the entire system based on the adjustment amount of the winning bid.

[0078] The management device 42 distributes the adjustment amount of the entire system to each base and determines the adjustment amount of the power consumption of each base. The management device 42 may distribute the adjustment amount of the power consumption of each base equally, or may set the value obtained by multiplying the adjustment margin of each base by the common allocation rate as the adjustment amount of each base. The common allocation rate is equivalent to the ratio of the adjustment amount of the entire system to the sum of the adjustment margins of the power consumption of each base. For example, if the sum of the adjustment margins of the power consumption of each base is 5,800kW and the adjustment amount of the entire system is 5,000kW, the allocation rate is 86.2%.

[0079] The management device 42 may also allocate the adjustment amount of power consumption of each base in a biased manner. The management device 42 may also determine the adjustment amount of each base according to the size of the adjustment margin of each base. For example, the adjustment amount may be relatively small for a base with a relatively small adjustment margin, and the adjustment amount may be relatively large for a base with a relatively large adjustment margin. The management device 42 may also individually determine the allocation rate of each base according to the size of the adjustment margin of each base. The adjustment amount allocated to a base with a relatively small adjustment margin may be a value obtained by multiplying the adjustment margin of the base by an allocation rate (e.g., 80%) that is smaller than the shared allocation rate (e.g., 86.2%). The adjustment amount allocated to a base with a relatively large adjustment margin may be a value obtained by multiplying the adjustment margin of the base by an allocation rate (e.g., 90%) that is larger than the shared allocation rate (e.g., 86.2%). The management device 42 may also allocate the adjustment amount of power consumption of each base in a biased manner based on the current value of the hydrogen production amount and the pressure storage margin of each base. In addition, when the production capacity of the water electrolysis device at each base is different from base to base (for example, 600 Nm 3 / h、300Nm 3 / h and 100Nm 3 / h), the adjustment amount of power consumption is distributed in a tendency according to the manufacturing capacity of each base. It is also possible to make adjustments corresponding to the current value of the manufacturing capacity of the water electrolysis device of each base. For example, it is also possible to make adjustments taking into account the decrease in the output of the water electrolysis device caused by degradation due to years of use. In addition, it is also possible that the power consumption is not adjusted for some bases (for example, the on-site hydrogen production ST 10a), and the power consumption is adjusted only for the remaining bases (for example, the on-site hydrogen production ST 10b and the hydrogen production base 30).

[0080] The management device 42 sends a command specifying the time period for adjusting the power supply and demand and the amount of power consumption adjustment to the base whose power consumption should be adjusted. The management device 42 may also send a command specifying the operating output of the water electrolysis device of each base instead of sending a command specifying the amount of power consumption adjustment. The control device of the base that receives the command adjusts the operating output of the water electrolysis device within the specified time period to achieve the specified amount of power consumption adjustment. By adjusting the power consumption in a coordinated manner at each base, the target amount of power supply and demand adjustment indicated by the power company or aggregator can be achieved through the entire hydrogen supply system 50.

[0081] Figure 5 Flowchart showing the process of the hydrogen supply and demand management method involved in the embodiment. The management device 42 obtains an instruction for adjusting the power supply and demand of the commercial power grid 90 (S10). The control devices 20a, 20b, and 38 of each base individually calculate the adjustment margin of the power consumption of the water electrolysis devices 12a, 12b, and 32 of each base based on the instruction from the management device 42 (S12). The management device 42 determines the adjustment amount of the power consumption of the water electrolysis devices 12a, 12b, and 32 of each base within the range of the adjustment margin of each base (S14). The control devices 20a, 20b, and 38 of each base adjust the power consumption of the water electrolysis devices 12a, 12b, and 32 of each base based on the determined adjustment amount (S16).

[0082] According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide the commercial power grid 90 with a large adjustment force that cannot be achieved by a single electrolysis device. For example, by increasing the operating output of each electrolysis device when the amount of power generated based on renewable energy is large, the ratio of hydrogen produced using renewable energy can be increased. In addition, by reducing the operating output of each electrolysis device when power generation based on renewable energy is unpredictable, the ratio of hydrogen produced using electricity that is not derived from renewable energy can be reduced. Thus, renewable energy sources with large output fluctuations can be efficiently utilized. In addition, a water electrolysis device can be used to produce hydrogen on-site and consume hydrogen on-site, so the transportation cost of hydrogen can also be suppressed. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it helps to improve the overall energy efficiency of society.

[0083] In the above-mentioned embodiment, at least one of the plurality of external hydrogen supply type ST 10c~10h may receive hydrogen supply from a plurality of bases. For example, the external hydrogen supply type ST 10c may also receive hydrogen supply from a plurality of in-station hydrogen production type ST 10a, 10b, and may also receive hydrogen supply from both the in-station hydrogen production type ST 10a and the hydrogen production base 30. In addition, at least one of the plurality of in-station hydrogen production type ST 10a, 10b may receive hydrogen supply from the hydrogen production base 30. That is, the hydrogen production base 30 may supply hydrogen not only to the plurality of external hydrogen supply type ST 10e~10h, but also to at least one of the plurality of in-station hydrogen production type ST 10a, 10b. The hydrogen supply system 50 may also include a hub-type hydrogen refueling station. The hub-type hydrogen refueling station is composed of receiving hydrogen supply from other bases (hydrogen production bases or on-site hydrogen production hydrogen refueling stations) and supplying hydrogen to other bases (external hydrogen supply type or on-site hydrogen production type hydrogen refueling stations). Hub-type hydrogen refueling stations can be either on-site hydrogen production type with water electrolysis devices or external hydrogen supply type without water electrolysis devices.

[0084] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the hydrogen supply system 50 may not have the hydrogen production base 30. The hydrogen supply system 50 may also have a base having an electrolysis device different from the water electrolysis device. For example, it may also have an organic hydride manufacturing base, which has an electrolysis device for manufacturing organic hydrides by consuming an electrolysis reaction of electricity supplied from the commercial power grid 90. Organic hydrides are liquids that easily produce hydrogen gas by dehydrogenation reactions, such as methylcyclohexane, cyclohexane, decalin and its derivatives, 2-propanol, etc. For example, methylcyclohexane can be manufactured by an electrolysis reaction of hydrogen derived from water to toluene, and hydrogen can be manufactured by the dehydrogenation reaction of methylcyclohexane. Since organic hydrides are liquids, the transportation cost is low compared to hydrogen. Therefore, it may also be that in the hydrogen supply system 50, organic hydrides are manufactured, the manufactured organic hydrides are transported to other bases, and hydrogen is manufactured based on organic hydrides at other bases.

[0085] The hydrogen supply system 50 may also include an organic hydride manufacturing base and an on-site hydrogen production type hydrogen refueling station that produces hydrogen through the dehydrogenation reaction of the organic hydride. The hydrogen supply system 50 may also provide the commercial power grid 90 with the power supply and demand adjustment capability by adjusting the power consumption of the electrolysis device possessed by the organic hydride manufacturing base. The adjustment margin of power consumption in the organic hydride manufacturing base may also be determined based on the supply and demand plan of the organic hydride in the organic hydride manufacturing base. The supply and demand plan of the organic hydride may also include different time plans for the demand, manufacturing and inventory of the organic hydride. The demand for organic hydride may also be determined based on the hydrogen supply and demand plan of the on-site hydrogen production type hydrogen refueling station that is the supply destination.

[0086] The supply destination of the organic hydride may not be an on-site hydrogen production type hydrogen refueling station, but a hydrogen production base that does not have a filling device for fuel cell vehicles. The hydrogen production base has a hydrogen production device that produces hydrogen through the dehydrogenation reaction of the organic hydride. The hydrogen production base can also supply hydrogen to an external hydrogen supply type hydrogen refueling station. The supply and demand plan of the hydrogen production base is determined based on the hydrogen supply and demand plan of the external hydrogen supply type hydrogen refueling station as the supply destination. In this way, a hydrogen supply network can also be constructed using a combination of an organic hydride manufacturing base, a hydrogen production base, and an external hydrogen supply type hydrogen refueling station. In this case, the adjustment margin of the power consumption in the organic hydride manufacturing base can also be determined based on the hydrogen supply and demand plan in the external hydrogen supply type hydrogen refueling station as the final hydrogen supply destination.

[0087] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the hydrogen supply system may also be a structure that does not have an on-site hydrogen production type hydrogen refueling station. In this case, the hydrogen supply system may also have multiple hydrogen production bases and multiple external hydrogen supply type hydrogen refueling stations. Each hydrogen production base may also have a water electrolysis device, a compressor, an accumulator, and a control device in the same manner as the above-mentioned hydrogen production base 30. Each external hydrogen supply type hydrogen refueling station may also have a compressor, an accumulator, a precooler, a distributor, and a control device in the same manner as the above-mentioned external hydrogen supply type ST 10c~10h. Each external hydrogen supply type hydrogen refueling station may also receive a supply of hydrogen from at least one of the multiple hydrogen production bases. The supply and demand plan of each hydrogen production base may also be determined based on the hydrogen supply and demand plan of the external hydrogen supply type hydrogen refueling station as the supply destination. At this time, the power consumption of multiple water electrolysis devices set up in multiple hydrogen production bases may also be adjusted to provide the commercial power grid with power supply and demand adjustment power.

[0088] The above describes the embodiments of the present invention in detail. The aforementioned embodiments are merely specific examples of implementing the present invention. The contents of the embodiments do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention, and many design changes such as changes, additions, and deletions of structural elements can be made without departing from the scope of the inventive concept specified in the claims. The new embodiment with the added design changes has both the effect of the combined embodiment and the effect of the deformation. In the aforementioned embodiments, expressions such as "this embodiment" and "in this embodiment" are added to emphasize the content that can be subjected to such design changes, but design changes are also allowed for the content without such expressions. Any combination of the above structural elements is also valid as a mode of the present invention.

[0089] Industrial Applicability

[0090] According to the present invention, the energy efficiency of the hydrogen supply system can be improved.

[0091] Description of Reference Numerals

[0092] 10: Hydrogen refueling station; 12: Water electrolysis device; 14: Compressor; 16: Accumulator; 17: Precooler; 18: Distributor; 20: Control device; 22: High-pressure accumulator; 24: Intermediate accumulator; 30: Hydrogen production base; 32: Water electrolysis device; 34: Compressor; 36: Accumulator; 38: Control device; 42: Management device; 50: Hydrogen supply system; 90: Commercial power grid; 92: Fuel cell vehicle.

Claims

1. A management center comprising a management device for managing a first base for producing hydrogen and a second base to which hydrogen is supplied from the first base, wherein: The management device adjusts the amount of power consumption of the hydrogen production device included in the first base based on the instruction for adjusting power supply and demand and the information related to the second base.

2. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The management device creates a transportation plan for transporting hydrogen from the first base to the second base.

3. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The information related to the second base includes the inventory amount of hydrogen in the second base.

4. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The information related to the second base includes the demand amount of hydrogen in the second base.

5. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The management device manages trailers that transport hydrogen produced by a plurality of hydrogen production devices included in the first base to a plurality of second bases.

6. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The management device adjusts the power consumption of the hydrogen production device based on the supply and demand adjustment capability of the first base.

7. The management center according to claim 6, wherein: The supply-demand adjustment capability is based on the operating margin of the hydrogen production device.

8. The management center according to claim 6, wherein: The supply-demand adjustment capability is based on the remaining pressure storage capacity of the hydrogen tank included in the first base.

9. The management center according to claim 6, wherein: The supply-demand regulating capability is based on a current value of a hydrogen storage amount of a hydrogen tank included in the first base.

10. The management center according to claim 6, wherein: The supply-demand adjustment force is based on the demand for hydrogen.

11. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The management device determines an adjustment amount of power consumption of the hydrogen generator based on electricity rates at different times of a commercial power grid that supplies power to the hydrogen generator.

12. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The management device updates the operation plan of the hydrogen production device when adjusting the power consumption of the hydrogen production device.

13. The management center according to claim 12, wherein: The management device updates the operation plan so that the adjustment time of the hydrogen production amount of the hydrogen production device is longer than the adjustment time of the power supply and demand.

14. The management center according to claim 12, wherein: The management device updates the operation plan so that the hydrogen production amount of the hydrogen production device is adjusted in a time period before a time period for adjusting power supply and demand.

15. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The first base includes a plurality of hydrogen production devices, The management device determines a distribution rate of the adjustment amount of the power consumption of the plurality of hydrogen generation devices based on the supply-demand adjustment capabilities of the plurality of hydrogen generation devices.

16. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The first base is a hydrogen production base that does not have a dispenser for supplying hydrogen to fuel cell vehicles.

17. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The first base is an on-site hydrogen refueling station having a dispenser for supplying hydrogen to fuel cell vehicles.

18. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The second base is a hydrogen-consuming base that consumes hydrogen.

19. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The second base is an external hydrogen supply type hydrogen filling station having a dispenser for supplying hydrogen to fuel cell vehicles.

20. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The second base does not have a hydrogen production device for producing hydrogen.

21. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The hydrogen production capacity of the hydrogen production device included in the first base is higher than the hydrogen production capacity of the hydrogen production device included in the hydrogen refueling station that supplies hydrogen to fuel cell vehicles.

22. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The management device sends the operation output of the hydrogen production device to the first base.

23. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The management device transmits the adjustment amount of the power consumption of the hydrogen production device to the first base.

24. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The management device receives, from the first base, the amount of hydrogen produced by the hydrogen production device of the first base and the amount of hydrogen stored in the hydrogen tank.

25. The management center according to claim 1, wherein: The management device receives the hydrogen storage amount of the hydrogen tank of the first base from the first base, and receives the hydrogen storage amount of the hydrogen tank of the second base from the second base.

26. A management center comprising a management device for managing a first base for producing an organic hydride and a second base for producing hydrogen by a dehydrogenation reaction of the organic hydride, wherein: The management device adjusts the amount of power consumption of the organic hydride manufacturing device included in the first base based on the instruction for adjusting power supply and demand and the information related to the second base.

27. The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The management device creates a transportation plan for transporting the organic hydride from the first base to the second base.

28. The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The information related to the second base includes the inventory amount of hydrogen in the second base.

29. The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The information related to the second base includes the demand amount of hydrogen in the second base.

30. The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The management device manages trailers that transport organic hydride manufactured by a plurality of organic hydride manufacturing apparatuses included in the first base to a plurality of second bases.

31. The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The management device adjusts the power consumption of the organic hydride manufacturing device based on the supply and demand adjustment capability of the first base.

32. The management center according to claim 31, wherein: The supply and demand adjustment force is based on the supply and demand plan of organic hydride.

33. The management center according to claim 31, wherein: The supply-demand adjustment force is based on the production amount of the organic hydride.

34. The management center according to claim 31, wherein: The supply-demand adjustment force is based on the inventory level of organic hydrides.

35. The management center according to claim 31, wherein: The supply-demand adjustment force is based on the demand for organic hydride.

36. The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The management device determines an adjustment amount of power consumption of the organic hydride manufacturing device based on electricity rates at different times of a commercial power grid that supplies power to the organic hydride manufacturing device.

37. The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The management device updates the operation plan of the organic hydride manufacturing apparatus when adjusting the power consumption of the organic hydride manufacturing apparatus.

38. The management center according to claim 37, wherein: The management device updates the operation plan so that the adjustment time of the organic hydride production amount of the organic hydride production apparatus is longer than the adjustment time of the power supply and demand.

39. The management center according to claim 37, wherein: The management device updates the operation plan so that the amount of hydrogen produced by the organic hydride manufacturing apparatus is adjusted in a time period before a time period for adjusting power supply and demand.

40. The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The first base includes a plurality of organic hydride manufacturing devices, The management device determines a distribution rate of the adjustment amount of the power consumption of the plurality of organic hydride manufacturing apparatuses based on the adjustment margins of the plurality of organic hydride manufacturing apparatuses.

41. The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The second base is a hydrogen production base that does not have a dispenser for supplying hydrogen to fuel cell vehicles.

42. The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The second base is an on-site hydrogen refueling station having a dispenser for supplying hydrogen to fuel cell vehicles.

43. The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The second base is a hydrogen-consuming base that consumes hydrogen.

44. The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The management device transmits the operation output of the organic hydride manufacturing device to the first base.

45. The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The management device transmits the adjustment amount of the power consumption of the organic hydride manufacturing apparatus to the first base.

46. ​​The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The management device receives, from the first base, a production amount and a stock amount of the organic hydride in the first base.

47. The management center according to claim 26, wherein: The management device receives the inventory amount of the organic hydride in the first base from the first base, and receives the inventory amount of hydrogen in the second base from the second base.

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