Power supply control device and power supply control method

Abstract

To provide a power supply control device and power supply control method, which may flexibly adjust benefits for a facility and benefits for a specific business operator.SOLUTION: A power supply control device is provided, comprising a control unit for controlling distributed power supplies installed in a facility, and a reception unit for receiving adjustment information for adjusting benefits for a specific business operator and benefits for the facility from a server of the specific businesses operator selling power to the facility, where the control unit formulates a control plan for the distributed power supplies according to the adjustment information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply control device and a power supply control method. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, a technology (e.g., VPP (Virtual Power Plant)) that uses a power storage device as a distributed power source to maintain the power supply and demand balance in a power grid has become known. In a VPP, the power storage device is controlled by a power management device that manages two or more facilities having the power storage device.

[0003] Furthermore, a method has been proposed for formulating a charge / discharge plan for an electricity storage device based on the needs of a facility, such as the economic value of the facility, the environmental value of the facility, and the BCP (Business Continuity Plan) value of the facility (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-17970 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, there may be a case where a specified business entity (for example, a retail electricity business entity) that sells electricity to a facility procures electricity from the electricity market or a power generation business entity, and then the retail electricity business entity sells the electricity to the facility.

[0006] After careful consideration, the inventors discovered that in such a case, if a charging / discharging plan for the energy storage device is developed taking into account only the benefits to the facility, the retail electricity supplier may suffer a disadvantage.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a power supply control device and a power supply control method that can flexibly adjust the interests of a facility and the interests of a specific business operator. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the disclosure is a power supply control device that includes a control unit that controls a distributed power source installed in a facility, and a receiving unit that receives adjustment information from a server of a specific business that sells electricity to the facility, adjusting the profits of the specific business and the profits of the facility, and the control unit formulates a control plan for the distributed power source based on the adjustment information.

[0009] One aspect of the disclosure is a power supply control method comprising: step A of controlling a distributed power supply installed in a facility; step B of receiving, from a server of a specified business operator that sells electricity to the facility, adjustment information for adjusting the profits of the specified business operator and the profits of the facility; and step C of formulating a control plan for the distributed power supply based on the adjustment information. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a power supply control device and a power supply control method that can flexibly adjust the benefits of a facility and the benefits of a specific business operator. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a power supply control system 1 according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a facility 100 according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a VPP server 200 according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a retail server 300 according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a power supply control method according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a power supply control method according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a UI according to the first modification. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a procedure for formulating a charge and discharge plan according to the third modified example. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a procedure for formulating a charge and discharge plan according to the third modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. However, the drawings are schematic.

[0013] [Embodiment] (Power supply control system) A power supply control system according to an embodiment will be described below.

[0014] 1, the power supply control system 1 includes a facility 100. The power supply control system 1 includes a VPP (Virtual Power Plant) server 200 and a retail server 300.

[0015] Here, the facility 100, the VPP server 200, and the retail server 300 are configured to be able to communicate with each other via a network 11. The network 11 may include the Internet, a dedicated line such as a Virtual Private Network (VPN), or a mobile communication network.

[0016] The facility 100 is connected to the power system 12 and may receive power from the power system 12 or may supply power to the power system 12. Power from the power system 12 to the facility 100 may be referred to as forward flow power. Power from the facility 100 to the power system 12 may be referred to as reverse flow power. In FIG. 1, facilities 100A to 100C are illustrated as examples of the facility 100.

[0017] Although not particularly limited, the facility 100 may be a facility such as a residence, a facility such as a store, or a facility such as an office. The facility 100 may be an apartment building including two or more residences. The facility 100 may be a complex including at least two or more of the following facilities: a residence, a store, and an office. Details of the facility 100 will be described later (see FIG. 2).

[0018] The VPP server 200 is a server managed by a business operator (e.g., a VPP business operator) that controls distributed power sources (e.g., a power storage device 120 described later) installed in the facility 100. The VPP server 200 may be read as the VPP business operator. Details of the VPP server 200 will be described later (see FIG. 3).

[0019] In the embodiment, the VPP server 200 constitutes a power supply control device that controls the distributed power supplies installed in the facility 100.

[0020] The retail server 300 is a server managed by a business entity (e.g., a retail electricity business entity) that sells electricity to the facility 100. The retail electricity business entity may procure electricity from the electricity market or a power generation business entity and sell the procured electricity to the facility 100. The retail server 300 may be read as a retail electricity business entity. The retail server 300 is an example of a server of a specific business entity. Details of the retail server 300 will be described later (see FIG. 4).

[0021] In an embodiment, the retail electricity supplier may be an example of a specified supplier that sells electricity to the facility 100.

[0022] Although not particularly limited, the electricity market may be a market in which electricity is traded for a target period (e.g., one day from 0:00 to 24:00). The electricity market may be a market in which electricity rates are determined for each unit period (e.g., 30 minutes) that constitutes the target period. The electricity market may include a spot market in which trading is closed the day before the target period (e.g., 12:00 the day before the target period). The electricity market may include an advance market in which trading is closed just before (e.g., one hour before) a unit period that constitutes the target period. The electricity market may include a forward market or a forward electricity market in which electricity is traded for a specific future period (e.g., one year, one month, one week).

[0023] Although not limited to this, the power generation company may include a company that trades electricity in the electricity market, and may also include a company that trades electricity directly with a retail electricity company.

[0024] (facility) A facility according to an embodiment will be described below. As shown in Fig. 2, the facility 100 includes a solar cell device 110, a power storage device 120, a fuel cell device 130, a load device 140, and an EMS (Energy Management System) 160. The facility 100 may also include a measuring device 190.

[0025] The solar cell device 110 is a distributed power source that generates power in response to light such as sunlight. For example, the solar cell device 110 is configured with a PCS (Power Conditioning System) and a solar panel. Here, installation may mean that the solar cell device 110 and the power grid 12 are connected.

[0026] The power storage device 120 is a distributed power source that charges and discharges power. For example, the power storage device 120 is configured with a PCS and a power storage cell. Here, the term "installed" may mean that the power storage device 120 and the power grid 12 are connected to each other.

[0027] The fuel cell device 130 is a distributed power source that generates power using fuel. For example, the fuel cell device 130 is composed of a PCS and a fuel cell. Here, "installation" may mean that the fuel cell device 130 and the power system 12 are connected.

[0028] For example, the fuel cell device 130 may be a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC; Solid Oxide Fuel Cell), a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC; Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell), a phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC; Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell), or a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC; Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell).

[0029] The load device 140 is a device that consumes electric power. For example, the load device 140 may include an air conditioner, a heat pump water heater, a lighting device, and the like.

[0030] The EMS 160 manages the power related to the facility 100. The EMS 160 may control the solar cell device 110, the power storage device 120, the fuel cell device 130, and the load devices 140. In the embodiment, the EMS 160 is illustrated as an example of a device that receives a control command from the VPP server 200, but such a device may be referred to as a gateway or simply as a control unit. The control command may be an instruction or command to control a distributed power source (e.g., the power storage device 120). To distinguish the EMS 160 from the VPP server 200, the EMS 160 may be referred to as a Local EMS (LEMS), a Home EMS (HEMS), or a VPP controller.

[0031] The measuring device 190 measures forward flow power (hereinafter also referred to as demand power) from the power system 12 to the facility 100. The measuring device 190 may measure reverse flow power from the facility 100 to the power system 12. For example, the measuring device 190 may be a smart meter belonging to a power company. The measuring device 190 may transmit an information element indicating a measurement result (an integrated value of forward flow power or reverse flow power) in a first interval (e.g., 30 minutes) to the EMS 160 at the first interval. The measuring device 190 may transmit an information element indicating a measurement result in a second interval (e.g., 1 minute) shorter than the first interval to the EMS 160.

[0032] (VPP server) The VPP server according to the embodiment will be described below. As shown in FIG.

[0033] The communication unit 210 is configured by a communication module. The communication module may be a wireless communication module conforming to standards such as IEEE802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax, ZigBee, Wi-SUN, LTE, 5G, and 6G, or may be a wired communication module conforming to standards such as IEEE802.3.

[0034] The communication unit 210 may receive, from the retail server 300 (electricity retailer), adjustment information for adjusting the profit of the electricity retailer and the profit of the facility 100. The communication unit 210 may receive, from the retail server 300 (electricity retailer), a rate plan (hereinafter, rate plan) for electricity sold by the electricity retailer to the facility 100. The rate of electricity sold by the electricity retailer to the facility 100 may be read as electricity purchased by the facility 100 from the electricity retailer. The communication unit 210 may receive, from the retail server 300 (electricity retailer), the cost of electricity procured by the electricity retailer from the electricity market or a power generation company (hereinafter, procurement cost). The communication unit 210 may transmit, to the facility 100, a control command for controlling a distributed power source (e.g., the power storage device 120) installed in the facility 100.

[0035] The communication unit 210 may receive facility information of the facility 100. The facility information may include information indicating the configuration of the distributed power source possessed by the facility 100, or may include information indicating the specifications of the distributed power source possessed by the facility 100. The communication unit 210 may receive a planned value of power consumption of the facility 100, or may receive an actual value of power consumption of the facility 100. The communication unit 210 may receive a planned value of power generation of the distributed power source installed in the facility 100, or may receive an actual value of power generation of the distributed power source installed in the facility 100. The communication unit 210 may receive a planned value of power demand of the facility 100, or may receive an actual value of power demand of the facility 100. The power demand is a value obtained by subtracting power consumption from power generation. When the distributed power source is the power storage device 120, the communication unit 210 may receive information indicating the remaining amount of power storage (e.g., SOC; State Of Charge) of the power storage device 120 (hereinafter, referred to as remaining amount of power storage information).

[0036] In the embodiment, the communication unit 210 constitutes a receiving unit that receives adjustment information for adjusting the profit of the specific business and the profit of the facility 100 from a specific business (electricity retailer) that sells electricity to the facility 100.

[0037] The management unit 220 is configured with a storage medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or a non-volatile memory.

[0038] For example, the management unit 220 may manage information about the facility 100 having a distributed power source controlled by the VPP server 200. For example, the information about the facility 100 may include the type of the distributed power source (the solar cell device 110, the power storage device 120, or the fuel cell device 130) provided in the facility 100, the specifications of the distributed power source (the solar cell device 110, the power storage device 120, or the fuel cell device 130) provided in the facility 100, and the like. The specifications may include the rated power generation of the solar cell device 110, the rated charging power of the power storage device 120, the rated discharging power of the power storage device 120, and the rated output power of the fuel cell device 130. The specifications may include the rated capacity of the power storage device 120, the maximum charging and discharging power, and the like.

[0039] The control unit 230 may include at least one processor. The at least one processor may be configured by a single integrated circuit (IC), or may be configured by a plurality of circuits (such as integrated circuits and / or discrete circuits) communicatively connected to each other.

[0040] In the embodiment, the control unit 230 controls a distributed power source (e.g., the power storage device 120) installed in the facility 100. In detail, the control unit 230 formulates a control plan for the distributed power source, and then instructs the communication unit 210 to transmit a control command in accordance with the formulated control plan.

[0041] In the following, a case where the distributed power source controlled by the VPP server 200 is the power storage device 120 will be illustrated.

[0042] The control unit 230 formulates a control plan (hereinafter, a charge / discharge plan) for the power storage device 120 for each planning unit period (e.g., 30 minutes) constituting a planning target period (e.g., one day). The charge / discharge plan includes an operation mode (e.g., a discharge mode, a charge mode, a standby mode) of the power storage device 120. The charge / discharge plan may include the discharge power and the charge power of the power storage device 120.

[0043] Specifically, the control unit 230 formulates a charge / discharge plan for each planning unit period constituting the planning period, based on a predicted value of the power consumption of the facility 100, a predicted value of the power generation of the distributed power sources (for example, the solar cell device 110 and / or the fuel cell device 130), a predicted value of the power demand of the facility 100, a predicted value of the remaining amount of stored power of the power storage device 120, and the like. The predicted value of the power consumption of the facility 100 may be specified based on a planned value or an actual value of the power consumption. The predicted value of the power demand of the facility 100 may be specified based on a planned value or an actual value of the power demand. The predicted value of the power generation of the solar cell device 110 may be specified based on a planned value or an actual value of the power generation, or may be specified based on information (for example, weather information) that affects the power generation of the solar cell device 110. The predicted value of the power generation of the fuel cell device 130 may be specified based on a planned value or an actual value of the power generation, or may be specified on the assumption that the fuel cell device 130 outputs rated power. The predicted value of the remaining amount of stored power of the power storage device 120 may be determined based on remaining amount of stored power information received from the facility 100.

[0044] According to existing technology, the charging and discharging plan is formulated to maximize the profit of the facility 100. However, in the embodiment, the charging and discharging plan is formulated based on adjustment information received from the retail server 300 (electricity retailer).

[0045] As described above, the adjustment information is information that adjusts the profits of the electricity retailer and the profits of the facility 100. The profits of the electricity retailer may include profits obtained by reducing the procurement costs of electricity that the electricity retailer procures from the electricity market or the power generation company. The profits of the electricity retailer may include profits obtained by increasing the price of electricity that the electricity retailer sells to the facility 100. The profits of the electricity retailer may be considered to be profits obtained by deducting the procurement costs of electricity that the electricity retailer procures from the electricity market or the power generation company from the price of electricity that the electricity retailer sells to the facility 100. The profits of the facility 100 may include profits obtained by reducing the price of electricity that the electricity retailer procures from the electricity market or the power generation company.

[0046] Therefore, maximizing the profits of the facility 100 does not necessarily maximize the profits of the electricity retailer; rather, it can be said that the profits of the electricity retailer and the profits of the facility 100 are in a trade-off relationship.

[0047] The profit may be considered to be a profit obtained by charging or discharging the power storage device 120. In other words, the profit of the retail electricity supplier may be a profit that the retail electricity supplier enjoys by charging or discharging the power storage device 120 (for example, a profit obtained by reducing the amount of power procured from the power market or a power generation supplier, or a profit obtained by increasing the price of power sold to the facility 100) compared to a case in which the power storage device 120 is not charged or discharged. The profit of the facility 100 may be a profit that the facility 100 enjoys by charging or discharging the power storage device 120 (for example, a profit obtained by reducing the price of power purchased from the retail electricity supplier) compared to a case in which the power storage device 120 is not charged or discharged.

[0048] The procurement cost of electricity that the electricity retailer procures from the electricity market or the power generation company may be specified by the procurement cost received from the retail server 300. The price of electricity that the electricity retailer sells to the facility 100 (i.e., the price of electricity that the facility 100 purchases from the electricity retailer) may be specified by the rate plan received from the retail server 300.

[0049] In this context, the embodiment is useful in that the electricity retailer can take the initiative in setting adjustment information for adjusting the profit of the electricity seller and the profit of the facility 100. The following options are possible as the adjustment information.

[0050] In option 1, the coordination information may include information indicating whether the interests of facility 100 or the interests of the retail electricity supplier are to be prioritized. Such information may be expressed in the form of a flag and may be referred to as a priority flag.

[0051] For example, when the priority flag is set to "0", the priority flag may mean that the profits of facility 100 are prioritized over the profits of the electricity retailer. The ratio at which the profits of facility 100 are prioritized over the profits of the electricity retailer may be determined in advance. A priority flag set to "0" may mean maximizing the profits of facility 100. In such a case, the profits of the electricity retailer may be maximized under the constraint that the profits of facility 100 are not reduced.

[0052] For example, when the priority flag is set to "1", the priority flag may mean that the profits of the electricity retailer are prioritized over the profits of facility 100. The ratio at which the profits of the electricity retailer are prioritized over the profits of facility 100 may be determined in advance. A priority flag set to "1" may mean maximizing the profits of the electricity retailer. In such a case, the profits of facility 100 may be maximized under the constraint that the profits of the electricity retailer are not reduced.

[0053] In the embodiment, the priority flag that can take two types of values ​​is exemplified, but the priority flag may take three or more types of values. For example, a priority flag set to "00" may mean that the profit of the facility 100 is prioritized over the profit of the retail electricity supplier (facility priority type), a priority flag set to "01" may mean that the profit of the retail electricity supplier is prioritized over the profit of the facility 100 (retail priority type), and a priority flag set to "10" may mean that the profit of the retail electricity supplier and the profit of the facility 100 are treated equally (balanced type).

[0054] In option 2, the adjustment information may include information indicating a ratio between the profit of facility 100 and the profit of the retail electricity supplier. Such information may be referred to as a priority ratio.

[0055] For example, assuming a case where the profit obtained by charging or discharging the power storage device 120 is expressed as the sum of the profit of the facility 100×α and the profit of the electricity retailer×(1-α), the priority ratio may be expressed as α or 1-α. The possible value of α may be a value included in the range of 0≦α≦1. α may be a value smaller than 0, or a value larger than 1.

[0056] For example, when α is 1, α may mean maximizing the profit of the facility 100. In such a case, the profit of the retail electricity supplier may be maximized under the constraint that the profit of the facility 100 is not reduced.

[0057] For example, when α is 0, α may mean maximizing the profit of the electricity retailer. In such a case, the profit of the facility 100 may be maximized under the constraint that the profit of the electricity retailer is not reduced.

[0058] For example, when α is 0.5, α may mean that the profits of the retail electricity supplier and the profits of the facility 100 are treated equally.

[0059] (Retail Server) The retail server according to the embodiment will be described below. As shown in FIG.

[0060] The communication unit 310 is configured by a communication module. The communication module may be a wireless communication module conforming to standards such as IEEE802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax, ZigBee, Wi-SUN, LTE, 5G, and 6G, or may be a wired communication module conforming to standards such as IEEE802.3.

[0061] For example, the communication unit 310 may transmit adjustment information for adjusting the profit of the electricity retailer and the profit of the facility 100 to the VPP server 200. The communication unit 310 may transmit to the VPP server 200 a rate plan (rate plan) for the electricity that the electricity retailer sells to the facility 100. The communication unit 310 may transmit to the VPP server 200 the cost (procurement cost) of electricity that the electricity retailer procures from the electricity market or a power generation company.

[0062] The management unit 320 is configured with a storage medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or a non-volatile memory.

[0063] For example, the management unit 320 may manage information related to the facility 100 to which the electricity retailer sells electricity. For example, the information related to the facility 100 may include the type of distributed power source (the solar cell device 110, the power storage device 120, or the fuel cell device 130) provided in the facility 100, the specifications of the distributed power source (the solar cell device 110, the power storage device 120, or the fuel cell device 130) provided in the facility 100, and the like. The specifications may include the rated power generation of the solar cell device 110, the rated charging power of the power storage device 120, the rated discharging power of the power storage device 120, and the rated output power of the fuel cell device 130. The specifications may include the rated capacity of the power storage device 120, the maximum charging and discharging power, and the like.

[0064] The control unit 330 may include at least one processor. The at least one processor may be configured by a single integrated circuit (IC), or may be configured by a plurality of circuits (such as integrated circuits and / or discrete circuits) communicatively connected to each other.

[0065] For example, the control unit 330 may generate the adjustment information. The control unit 330 may generate the adjustment information based on the procurement cost. For example, the control unit 330 may generate the adjustment information such that, when the procurement cost exceeds a threshold, the profit of the facility 100 is prioritized over the profit of the retail electricity supplier. The control unit 330 may generate the adjustment information such that, when the procurement cost does not exceed a threshold, the profit of the retail electricity supplier is prioritized over the profit of the facility 100. The control unit 330 may generate the adjustment information based on an input from an operator.

[0066] (Power supply control method) A power supply control method according to an embodiment will be described below.

[0067] First, a case where the adjustment information includes a priority flag will be described with reference to FIG.

[0068] In step S11, the retail server 300 transmits to the VPP server 200 a rate plan (rate plan) for the electricity that the retail electricity supplier sells to the facility 100.

[0069] In step S12, the retail server 300 transmits to the VPP server 200 the cost (procurement cost) of the electricity that the retail electricity supplier procures from the electricity market or the power generation supplier.

[0070] In step S21, the retail server 300 transmits a priority flag to the VPP server 200 as adjustment information for adjusting the profit of the electricity retailer and the profit of the facility 100.

[0071] In step S22, the VPP server 200 transmits a response indicating whether or not the priority flag is accepted to the retail server 300. The response may include a positive response that accepts the priority flag, or a negative response that does not accept the priority flag.

[0072] For example, the VPP server 200 may send a positive response to the retail server 300 that accepts the priority flag, meaning that the interests of the facility 100 are prioritized over the interests of the electricity retailer. The VPP server 200 may send a negative response to the retail server 300 that does not accept the priority flag, meaning that the interests of the facility 100 are prioritized over the interests of the electricity retailer.

[0073] In the following, the case where the VPP server 200 receives the priority flag will be explained.

[0074] In step S31, the VPP server 200 formulates a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 for each planning unit period constituting the planning period, based on the predicted value of the power demand of the facility 100, the predicted value of the power generation of the distributed power source (e.g., the solar cell device 110 or the fuel cell device 130), the predicted value of the remaining amount of power stored in the power storage device 120, etc. Furthermore, the VPP server 200 formulates a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 based on a priority flag.

[0075] In step S32, the VPP server 200 transmits the charge / discharge plan formulated in step S31 to the retail server 300.

[0076] In step S33, the VPP server 200 transmits a control command to the facility 100 in accordance with the charge / discharge plan formulated in step S31.

[0077] Here, communication between the VPP server 200 and the retail server 300 may be performed in a manner conforming to Open ADR (Automated Demand Response). For example, in steps S11 to S12, steps S21 to S22, and step S32, messages such as a registration request for various reports (oadrRegisterReport), a registration response corresponding to the registration request (oadrRegistered), various reports (oadrCreatedReport), and a response to the various reports (oadrResponse) may be used.

[0078] Secondly, a case where the adjustment information includes a priority ratio will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is the same as Fig. 5 except that steps S21A and S21B are executed instead of step S21. Therefore, a description of the same steps as Fig. 5 will be omitted.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 6, in step S21A, the retail server 300 transmits a priority flag to the VPP server 200 as adjustment information for adjusting the profit of the electricity retailer and the profit of the facility 100.

[0080] In step S21B, the retail server 300 transmits the priority ratio to the VPP server 200 as adjustment information for adjusting the profit of the electricity retailer and the profit of the facility 100.

[0081] FIG. 6 illustrates a case in which step S21A is executed, but step S21A may be omitted or may be executed simultaneously with step S21B.

[0082] Note that steps S22 and S31 may be interpreted as follows.

[0083] In step S22, the VPP server 200 transmits a response indicating whether or not to accept the priority ratio (and the priority flag) to the retail server 300. The response may include a positive response that accepts the priority ratio (and the priority flag), or may include a negative response that does not accept the priority ratio (and the priority flag).

[0084] The following are some possible cases where a negative response may be sent if the priority ratio is not accepted:

[0085] Case 1 may be the case where the VPP server 200 is not operating with an algorithm that can accommodate the adjustment information (e.g., priority ratio). In case 1, the negative response may include a code (e.g., "00") that indicates an invalid parameter.

[0086] Case 2 may be a case where a priority ratio outside the specification range of the VPP server 200 is requested. In case 2, the negative response may include a code (e.g., "01") that means that the service is not supported.

[0087] Case 3 may be a case where the profit of the electricity retailer decreases as a result of formulating a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 based on the priority ratio. In case 3, the negative response may include a code (e.g., "02") that means the priority ratio is less effective.

[0088] In step S31, the VPP server 200 formulates a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 for each planning unit period constituting the planning period, based on the predicted value of the power demand of the facility 100, the predicted value of the power generation of the distributed power source (e.g., the solar cell device 110 or the fuel cell device 130), the predicted value of the remaining amount of power stored in the power storage device 120, etc. Furthermore, the VPP server 200 formulates a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 based on the priority ratio (and priority flag).

[0089] (Action and Effects) In the embodiment, the VPP server 200 receives adjustment information for adjusting the profit of the electricity seller and the profit of the facility 100 from the retail server 300 (electricity retailer), and then formulates a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 based on the adjustment information. With such a configuration, the profit of the facility 100 and the profit of the electricity retailer can be flexibly adjusted. In other words, since a mechanism is established that can take into account not only the profit of the facility 100 but also the profit of the electricity retailer, the possibility that the profit of the electricity retailer will be harmed can be reduced.

[0090] [Change Example 1] Modification 1 of the embodiment will be described below, focusing mainly on the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0091] In the first modification, a UI (User Interface) for setting adjustment information by the retail server 300 will be described. The UI may be interpreted as a setting screen for a charge / discharge plan. Here, a case will be described in which the priority flag can specify three types of modes, balanced, retail-priority, and facility-priority.

[0092] For example, the retail server 300 may display the UI shown in Figure 7. The UI shown in Figure 7 may be generated by the VPP server 200 and then sent to the retail server 300.

[0093] As shown in Fig. 7, the UI includes check boxes for selecting each mode and expected values ​​corresponding to each mode. In Fig. 7, the profit of the retail electricity supplier is represented by "reduced procurement costs", and the profit of the facility 100 is represented by "reduced electricity bills".

[0094] Here, the expected value corresponding to each mode may be calculated by the VPP server 200 and then transmitted to the retail server 300. The expected value may be calculated based on the fee plan and procurement cost. Since the fee plan and procurement cost vary depending on seasonal factors such as the season, the expected value may be updated in response to the fluctuation of the fee plan and procurement cost.

[0095] In the first modification, a case where the adjustment information is a priority flag has been exemplified. However, the first modification is not limited to this. The first modification may be applied to a case where the adjustment information is a priority ratio.

[0096] In the first modification, a case has been exemplified in which the expected value is calculated by the VPP server 200. However, the first modification is not limited to this. The expected value may be calculated by the retail server 300. In such a case, the charge / discharge plan corresponding to each mode may be transmitted from the VPP server 200 to the retail server 300.

[0097] [Change Example 2] Modification 2 of the embodiment will be described below, focusing mainly on the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0098] In the second modification, a case will be described in which the profit of the electricity retailer is prioritized over the profit of the facility 100. For example, a case may be assumed in which a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 is formulated so as to maximize the profit of the electricity retailer without considering the profit of the facility 100.

[0099] In such a case, the electricity retailer may give back to the facility 100 a part of the profit the electricity retailer obtains by charging and discharging the power storage device 120 .

[0100] [Change Example 3] The third modification of the embodiment will be described below, focusing mainly on the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0101] In the third modification, a procedure for formulating a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 will be described. In the third modification, the VPP server 200 receives a rate plan and procurement costs from the retail server 300. In the third modification, the VPP server 200 may receive adjustment information from the retail server 300, or may not receive adjustment information from the retail server 300. If the VPP server 200 does not receive adjustment information, the VPP server 200 may formulate a charge / discharge plan without using the adjustment information. The following options are possible for the formulating procedure.

[0102] In option 1, the VPP server 200 formulates a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 in accordance with the procedure shown in FIG.

[0103] In the first step, the VPP server 200 formulates a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 so as to minimize the price for the electricity purchased by the facility 100 from the electricity retailer (i.e., the fee for the electricity purchased from the electricity retailer). The price for the electricity purchased by the facility 100 from the electricity retailer is specified by the rate plan received from the retail server 300.

[0104] For example, the VPP server 200 may formulate a charging / discharging plan for the power storage device 120 so as to charge the power storage device 120 during a time period when the fee specified by the pricing plan is lower than a first threshold value, and to discharge the power storage device 120 during a time period when the fee specified by the pricing plan is higher than a second threshold value.

[0105] In the second procedure, the VPP server 200 formulates a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 so as to minimize the price for the electricity procured by the electricity retailer from the electricity market (i.e., the cost (procurement cost) of the electricity procured from the electricity market) while satisfying the condition for maintaining the price minimized in the first procedure. The price for the electricity procured by the electricity retailer from the electricity market is specified by the procurement cost received from the retail server 300.

[0106] For example, the VPP server 200 may formulate a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 so that the power storage device 120 is discharged during a time period when the procurement cost is relatively high in a time period when the fee specified by the fee plan is higher than a second threshold value.

[0107] In option 2, the VPP server 200 formulates a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 in accordance with the procedure shown in FIG.

[0108] The VPP server 200 formulates a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 in a manner that integrates the first and second procedures of option 1. In such a case, the VPP server 200 may formulate a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 so as to minimize the price for the power purchased by the facility 100 from the electricity retailer under the constraint of suppressing the price (procurement cost) for the power procured by the electricity retailer from the power market.

[0109] Option 2 is an option in which the first and second steps of Option 1 are integrated, and the charging and discharging plan formulated in Option 2 can be considered to be similar to the charging and discharging plan formulated in Option 1.

[0110] In the modified example 3, a case has been exemplified in which the procurement cost is the cost of electricity procured from the electricity market. However, the modified example 3 is not limited to this. The procurement cost may include the cost of electricity procured from a power generation company that directly trades electricity with a retail electricity company.

[0111] In the third modification, the above-mentioned option 1 may be modified as follows. Specifically, in the option 1, the first and second procedures may be performed in the reverse order. That is, the VPP server 200 may formulate a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 so as to minimize the price for the power procured by the retail electricity supplier from the power market (i.e., the cost (procurement cost) of the power procured from the power market), and then formulate a charge / discharge plan for the power storage device 120 so as to minimize the price for the power purchased by the facility 100 from the retail electricity supplier (i.e., the fee for the power purchased from the retail electricity supplier) while satisfying the condition for maintaining the minimized procurement cost.

[0112] [Other embodiments] Although the present invention has been described by the above-mentioned embodiment, the description and drawings forming a part of this disclosure should not be understood as limiting the present invention. From this disclosure, various alternative embodiments, examples and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0113] In the above disclosure, the profit of the retail electricity supplier includes the profit obtained by suppressing the procurement cost of electricity that the retail electricity supplier procures from the electricity market or the power generation supplier, and the VPP server 200 identifies the procurement cost of electricity that the retail electricity supplier procures from the electricity market or the power generation supplier based on the procurement cost received from the retail server 300. However, the above disclosure is not limited to this. The VPP server 200 may acquire the market price in the electricity market from the electricity market or the like, and then identify or estimate the procurement cost of electricity that the retail electricity supplier procures from the electricity market or the power generation supplier based on the acquired market price. The VPP server 200 may predict the market price in the electricity market, and then identify or estimate the procurement cost of electricity that the retail electricity supplier procures from the electricity market or the power generation supplier based on the predicted market price.

[0114] In the above disclosure, a case has been exemplified in which the distributed power source controlled by the VPP server 200 is the power storage device 120. However, the above disclosure is not limited to this. The distributed power source controlled by the VPP server 200 may be a fuel cell device 130 or a diesel generator.

[0115] In the above disclosure, a case has been described in which the VPP server 200 and the retail server 300 are separate servers. However, the above disclosure is not limited to this. The VPP server 200 and the retail server 300 may be one server. In such a case, the function corresponding to the VPP server 200 may be referred to as a VPP function, and the function corresponding to the retail server 300 may be referred to as a retail function. It may be considered that the transmission and reception of information shown in Figures 5 and 6 is performed between the VPP function and the retail function.

[0116] Although not specifically mentioned in the above disclosure, a program may be provided that causes a computer to execute each process performed by the VPP server 200. The program may also be recorded in a computer-readable medium. Using the computer-readable medium, it is possible to install the program in the computer. Here, the computer-readable medium on which the program is recorded may be a non-transient recording medium. The non-transient recording medium is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM.

[0117] Alternatively, a chip may be provided that is configured with a memory that stores programs for executing the processes performed by the VPP server 200 and a processor that executes the programs stored in the memory.

[0118] [Note] The above disclosure may be expressed as follows:

[0119] The first feature is that the power supply control device comprises a control unit that controls a distributed power source installed in a facility, and a receiving unit that receives adjustment information from a server of a specified business that sells electricity to the facility, adjusting the profits of the specified business and the profits of the facility, and the control unit formulates a control plan for the distributed power source based on the adjustment information.

[0120] A second feature is the power supply control device according to the first feature, wherein the adjustment information includes information indicating whether a benefit of the facility or a benefit of the specific business operator is to be prioritized.

[0121] A third feature is the power supply control device according to the first or second feature, wherein the adjustment information includes information indicating a ratio between a profit of the facility and a profit of the specific business operator.

[0122] A fourth feature is a power supply control device in at least one of the first to third features, wherein the adjustment information includes information that maximizes the profits of the specific operator without taking into account the profits of the facility.

[0123] A fifth feature is a power supply control device in at least one of the first to fourth features, wherein the benefit to the facility includes a benefit obtained by reducing the price of electricity that the facility purchases from the specified business operator.

[0124] A sixth feature is a power supply control device that, in at least one of the first to fifth features, is such that the benefits of the specified business operator include benefits gained by reducing the procurement costs of electricity when the specified business operator procures electricity from the electricity market or a power generation business operator.

[0125] A seventh feature is a power supply control device that, in at least one of the first to sixth features, the profits of the specified business operator include profits obtained by an increase in the price of electricity that the specified business operator sells to the facility.

[0126] An eighth feature is a power supply control method comprising: a step A of controlling a distributed power supply installed in a facility; a step B of receiving, from a server of a specified business operator that sells electricity to the facility, adjustment information for adjusting the profit of the specified business operator and the profit of the facility; and a step C of formulating a control plan for the distributed power supply based on the adjustment information. [Explanation of symbols]

[0127] 1...power supply control system, 11...network, 12...power system, 100...facility, 110...solar cell device, 120...energy storage device, 130...fuel cell device, 140...load equipment, 160...EMS, 190...measuring device, 200...VPP server, 210...communication unit, 220...management unit, 230...control unit, 300...retail server, 310...communication unit, 320...management unit, 330...control unit

Claims

1. A control unit that controls the distributed power sources installed in the facility; a receiving unit that receives, from a server of a specific business that sells electricity to the facility, adjustment information for adjusting a profit of the specific business and a profit of the facility, The control unit formulates a control plan for the distributed power sources based on the adjustment information.

2. The power supply control device according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment information includes information indicating whether a benefit of the facility or a benefit of the specific business operator is to be prioritized.

3. The power supply control device according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment information includes information indicating a ratio between a profit of the facility and a profit of the specific business operator.

4. The power supply control device according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment information includes information for maximizing a profit for the specific business operator without taking into account a profit for the facility.

5. The power supply control device according to claim 1 , wherein the benefit to the facility includes a benefit obtained by reducing a price for the electricity purchased by the facility from the specified business operator.

6. The power supply control device according to claim 1 , wherein the benefit of the specific business operator includes a benefit obtained by reducing a procurement cost of electricity procured by the specific business operator from an electricity market or a power generation business operator.

7. The power supply control device according to claim 1 , wherein the profit of the specific business includes a profit obtained by an increase in a price of the electricity sold by the specific business to the facility.

8. Step A of controlling a distributed power source installed in a facility; A step B of receiving, from a server of a specific utility that sells electricity to the facility, adjustment information for adjusting the profit of the specific utility and the profit of the facility; and C. a step of formulating a control plan for the distributed power sources based on the adjustment information.

Images