Power management method, power management device, and information processing system

Abstract

To guarantee a use situation of power that is generated without emitting carbon dioxide regarding a specific area in a facility.SOLUTION: A power management device manages power amounts supplied to a plurality of areas. The plurality of areas includes one or more areas whose power classifications to be used preferentially are determined. The power classification is determined based on a mode of emission of carbon dioxide during power generation. A control section of the power management device executes processing including: acquiring supplied power amounts supplied from the plurality of power sources; acquiring used power amounts used in the plurality of areas; allocating the supplied power amounts supplied from the power sources to the plurality of areas, based on the power classifications to be preferentially used in one or more areas and the used power amounts used in the plurality of areas; and storing the power classifications and the power amounts allocated to the areas.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a power management method, a power management apparatus, and an information processing system. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there have been many calls to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, a type of greenhouse gas, as a measure against global warming, which is believed to be the cause of climate change. In the manufacturing industry, there are many situations in which consumers request that electricity be generated without emitting carbon dioxide during production. Representative examples of electricity that does not emit carbon dioxide include electricity derived from natural energy sources such as wind, solar, and biomass (biological resources).

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for proving that a storage battery has been charged with electricity generated using renewable energy. Patent Document 2 discloses a technology for outputting information on the actual amount of carbon dioxide emitted in the manufacturing process of a product or part. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2017 / 013982 [Patent Document 2] JP 2021-189566 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the conventional technology, there was room for improvement in allocating electricity to each area in a facility that uses both electricity generated without emitting carbon dioxide and electricity generated by emitting carbon dioxide. In other words, in the conventional technology, it was difficult to allocate electricity generated without emitting carbon dioxide to electricity in a specific area of ​​the facility and to prove it. Therefore, when businesses are required to manufacture products and parts using only electricity that does not emit carbon dioxide, they are unable to meet the request and may miss business opportunities.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to make it possible to prove the usage of electricity generated without emitting carbon dioxide for a specific area within a facility. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, (1) a power management method is a power management method executed by a control unit of a power management device that manages an amount of power supplied to a plurality of areas, wherein a power classification for preferential use is defined for each of the plurality of areas, the power classification being defined based on the state of carbon dioxide emissions during power generation, and the method executes a process including: classifying power supplied from a plurality of power sources into one of the plurality of power classifications; acquiring an amount of power supply supplied from each of the plurality of power sources; acquiring an amount of power usage used in each of the plurality of areas; allocating the amount of power supply supplied from each of the power sources to each of the plurality of areas based on the power classification and the amount of power usage defined for use in each of the plurality of areas; and storing the power classification and the amount of power allocated to each of the areas.

[0008] (2) In the electricity management method of (1), the electricity classification may include Class 1 electricity, which is electricity derived from natural energy sources that do not emit carbon dioxide, Class 2 electricity, which is electricity generated by using fossil fuels and recovering the carbon dioxide that is generated during production, and Class 3 electricity, which is electricity generated by using fossil fuels and emitting carbon dioxide.

[0009] (3) In the power management method of (2), the control unit may calculate an expected amount of power usage expected to be used in the multiple areas, acquire the power classification and amount of power stored in a storage battery connected to an electrical circuit, and instruct the storage battery to discharge when the expected amount of power usage exceeds the amount of power supplied for at least one of the first classification of power and the second classification of power.

[0010] (4) In the power management method of (3), the control unit may instruct the storage battery to charge when the amount of supplied power exceeds the expected amount of power usage for both the first category of power and the second category of power.

[0011] (5) In the power management methods of (2) to (4), the control unit may set a priority for allocating at least one of the first class of power and the second class of power to each of the multiple areas, and when the amount of power used for at least one of the first class of power and the second class of power exceeds the amount of power supplied, allocate the power of the power class that is in shortfall to the area with the highest priority.

[0012] (6) In the power management method of (1), the control unit may correspond the power supplied from the multiple power sources to the power allocated to each of the areas, and calculate the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from the power in each of the areas based on the amount of power supplied from the multiple power sources and allocated to each area and a carbon dioxide emission coefficient set for each power generation method or power provider.

[0013] (7) In the power management method of (1), the control unit manages the power supplied to an electric vehicle used in association with one of the plurality of areas together with the amount of power in the area.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, (8) a power management device is a power management device that manages an amount of power supplied to a plurality of areas, the plurality of areas including one or more areas for which a power classification to be preferentially used is determined, the power classification being determined based on the state of carbon dioxide emissions during power generation, and the power management device includes a control unit that executes processes including classifying power supplied from a plurality of power sources into one of the plurality of power classifications, acquiring the amount of supply power supplied from each of the plurality of power sources, acquiring the amount of power usage used in each of the plurality of areas, allocating the amount of supply power supplied from each of the power sources to each of the plurality of areas based on the power classification to be preferentially used in the one or more areas and the amount of power usage used in each of the plurality of areas, and storing the power classification and the amount of power allocated to each of the areas.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, (9) an information processing system is an information processing system including a power management device that manages an amount of power supplied to a plurality of areas, the power management device including a control unit, the plurality of areas including one or more areas for which a power classification to be preferentially used is determined, the power classification being determined based on the state of carbon dioxide emissions during power generation, and the control unit executes processing including classifying power supplied from a plurality of power sources into any of the plurality of power classifications, acquiring the amount of power supply supplied from each of the plurality of power sources, acquiring the amount of power usage used in each of the plurality of areas, allocating the amount of power supply supplied from each of the power sources to each of the plurality of areas based on the power classification to be preferentially used in the one or more areas and the amount of power usage used in each of the plurality of areas, and storing the power classification and the amount of power allocated to each of the areas. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, even if the electricity provided to a manufacturing facility such as a factory includes electricity other than electricity generated without emitting carbon dioxide, it is possible to certify the usage of electricity generated without emitting carbon dioxide for a specific area within the facility. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a facility that uses the power management device of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a power management device shown in FIG. 1; [Figure 4] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of information such as a priority power classification for each area stored in the power management apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. [Diagram 5] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the weighing meter shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the power generation facility of FIG. 2. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation performed by the power management device of FIG. 1 when allocating power classifications to a plurality of areas. [Figure 8] 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the green power allocation process of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] 4 is a diagram showing an example of information such as a priority power classification for each area that is stored in the power management apparatus of FIG. 1 and is used when allocating power classifications to a plurality of areas; FIG. [Figure 10] 4 is a diagram showing an example of information such as a priority power classification for each area that is stored in the power management apparatus of FIG. 1 and is used when allocating power classifications to a plurality of areas; FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation performed by the power management device of FIG. 1 when calculating carbon dioxide emission amounts for each of a plurality of areas. [Figure 12]4 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation performed when the power management device in FIG. 1 issues an instruction to a storage battery. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, parts having the same configuration or function are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, duplicated descriptions of the same parts may be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 1, the information processing system 1 includes a power management device 10, a meter 20, and a storage battery 50. The power management device 10, the meter 20, and the storage battery 50 may be communicably connected to each other via a network. Fig. 2 shows an example configuration of a facility to which the information processing system 1 is applied. The information processing system 1 is a system that uses the power management device 10 to monitor the power supplied to the facility 30 and the power used in each area 33 within the facility 30, and records and outputs the monitoring results.

[0020] The power management device 10 of this embodiment virtually allocates the power supplied to the facility 30 to each area according to the power classification. The amount of power used in each area for each power classification is regarded as the amount of power used for this virtually allocated power for each power classification. Therefore, for example, if the use of only green power is required in area 33, the power management device 10 preferentially allocates green power as the power to be supplied to area 33. The power management device 10 can certify the amount of power used for each power classification in each area by recording the power classification and amount of power used of the power allocated to each area. For example, it becomes possible to certify that only green power has been used in area 33 where the use of only green power is required.

[0021] (Configuration of power management device 10) The power management device 10 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The power management device 10 is a device that manages the amount of power supplied to a plurality of areas 33. As shown in FIG. 1, the power management device 10 collects and processes information from a meter 20, and stores and / or outputs the information. The power management device 10 may also obtain information from a storage battery 50 (see FIG. 6) in a power generation facility 40 in FIG. 2, and instructs to charge or discharge the power. The power management device 10 is, for example, a general-purpose computer such as a WS (Work Station) or a PC (Personal Computer) installed in a facility such as a data center, but may also be realized by a dedicated electronic device. The power management device 10 may be a server belonging to a cloud computing system or the like. The power management device 10 may read a dedicated program and execute the process of the present disclosure. The power management device 10 is not limited to one computer. The functions of the power management device 10 may be distributed and arranged in the same or different locations.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3, the power management device 10 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, an input unit 14, and an output unit 15.

[0023] The control unit 11 executes various processes related to the operation of the power management apparatus 10 and controls each part of the power management apparatus 10. The control unit 11 includes at least one processor, at least one dedicated circuit, or a combination of these. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The control unit 11 realizes a control function by executing a program stored in the storage unit 12.

[0024] The storage unit 12 includes at least one semiconductor memory, at least one magnetic memory, at least one optical memory, or a combination of at least two of these. The storage unit 12 functions as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 12 stores, for example, programs and data used in the operation of the power management device 10, and data obtained by the operation of the power management device 10. The information stored in the storage unit 12 may be updatable, for example, with information input via the input unit 14.

[0025] The storage unit 12 stores power classification information and power allocation results. The power classification information includes information on the power classification supplied from power sources including the power generation facility 40 and the system power source 60 in FIG. 6, and information on the power classification used preferentially in the area 33. The power classification is determined based on the state of carbon dioxide emission during power generation. The power classification includes three types: the first type of power, which is power derived from natural energy that does not emit carbon dioxide, the second type of power, which is power generated by using fossil fuels and recovering carbon dioxide generated during generation, and the third type of power, which is power generated by using fossil fuels and emitting carbon dioxide. The first type of power is called green power, the second type of power is called blue power, and the third type of power is called gray power. The power allocation result includes information linking the amount of power used by each area 33 with the power classification. The power classification used preferentially may be in a form that allows the user to arbitrarily select from, for example, "using green power or blue power" or "using both types of power," or may be selected from three types including "using only green power." The category "use green power or blue power" may be set so that blue power is used preferentially when both green power and blue power are available.

[0026] The storage unit 12 further stores supply priorities of power classes that are suitable for each area 33. The supply priorities may be determined by ranking as shown in FIG. 4, or may be determined by setting multiple levels of priority (e.g., three levels).

[0027] The storage unit 12 may further store a first requested ratio, which is the ratio of green power or blue power that each area 33 requires as a minimum, and a second requested ratio, which is the target ratio of green power or blue power for each area 33. The supply priority of the first requested ratio and the second requested ratio may be different, and the supply priority of the second requested ratio may be higher than the supply priority of the first requested ratios of other areas.

[0028] The memory unit 12 may store a carbon dioxide emission coefficient in association with each power generation facility 40 and system power source 60. The carbon dioxide emission coefficient is an index indicating the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the supply of 1 kWh of electricity. The carbon dioxide emission coefficient may be set for each power generation method or power company.

[0029] The communication unit 13 includes at least one external communication interface that is connected to the meter 20 directly or via a network. The external communication interface may be either a wired communication interface or a wireless communication interface. The communication unit 13 may be connected to the power management device 10 as an external communication device instead of being provided in the power management device 10. The communication unit 13 may be connected to the storage battery 50 directly or via a network.

[0030] The input unit 14 includes an input means for the power management apparatus 10. The input unit 14 includes physical keys such as a keyboard, a capacitance key, a pointing device, and a touch screen that is integral with a display. The input unit 14 is used when an operator of the power management apparatus 10 directly inputs instructions to the power management apparatus 10.

[0031] The output unit 15 includes at least one output device. The output device is, for example, a display or a printer. The display is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro Luminescent) display. The output unit 15 outputs the calculation results in the control unit 11 and information stored in the memory unit 12.

[0032] The functions of power management apparatus 10 are realized by executing a program relating to the method of the present disclosure in a processor corresponding to control unit 11. That is, the functions of power management apparatus 10 are realized by software. The program causes a computer to execute the operations of power management apparatus 10, thereby causing the computer to function as power management apparatus 3. That is, the computer functions as power management apparatus 10 by executing the operations of power management apparatus 10 in accordance with the program.

[0033] In this embodiment, the program can be recorded in a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as a magnetic recording device, an optical disk, a magneto-optical recording medium, or a semiconductor memory.

[0034] 2, the power management apparatus 10 is installed within the facility 30, but is not limited to this. For example, the power management apparatus 10 may be installed in a data center or the like outside the facility premises.

[0035] (Configuration of meter 20) The meter 20 will be described below with reference to Fig. 5. The meter 20 is a watt-hour meter. The meter 20 includes a metering unit 21 and a communication unit 22. The meter 20 is connected to the power management device 10 via the communication unit 22 in a wired or wireless manner. The meter 20 and the power management device 10 may be connected via a network.

[0036] The metering unit 21 is an electronic power meter. The metering unit 21 can be installed in the electric circuit and power receiving board 31, the distribution board 32, each area 33, and the power generation equipment 40. The metering unit 21 measures the amount of power supplied from each power source and power generation equipment to the facility via the meter 20, and the amount of power supplied to each area in the facility.

[0037] The communication unit 22 includes at least one interface for external communication. The interface for external communication may be either an interface for wired communication or wireless communication. The communication unit 22 transmits the amount of power measured by the metering unit 21 to the power management device 10.

[0038] (Facility 30 configuration) An example of the facility 30 will be described below with reference to Fig. 2. The facility 30 includes a factory that consumes power supplied from a power generation facility 40 and a system power supply 60 and produces products and parts. The facility 30 includes a power receiving board 31, a distribution board 32, and a plurality of areas 33. The facility may also include a power generation facility 40.

[0039] The power receiving panel 31 is a facility that converts the power supplied from the power generation facility 40, the storage battery 50, and the system power source 60 outside or inside the facility into a voltage and frequency that can be used within the facility. The power receiving panel 31 is equipped with a meter 20, and measures the amount of power supplied from the power generation facility 40, the storage battery 50, and the system power source 60 outside or inside the facility.

[0040] The distribution board 32 is a facility that distributes the power converted by the power receiving board 31 to each area 33. The distribution board 32 may include a measurement meter 20 to measure the amount of power supplied from the power receiving board 31 and the amount of power distributed to each area 33.

[0041] Area 33 is an area including manufacturing facilities that use the power distributed by distribution board 32. Area 33 is, for example, a manufacturing line for products or parts. Area 33 may include electric vehicles 34 and their charging facilities. Electric vehicles 34 include those used to transport products and parts manufactured in the facility, raw materials required for manufacturing, and for employee commuting. Area 33 may be equipped with a meter 20 to measure the amount of power distributed by distribution board 32.

[0042] (Configuration of power generation facility 40) The power generation facility 40 will be described below with reference to FIG. 6. The power generation facility 40 is a private power generation device owned by a business operator. The power generation facility 40 includes a generator 41 and a weighing meter 20. The power generation facility 40 may also include a storage battery 50. The power generation facility 40 may be installed inside or outside the facility 30.

[0043] The generator 41 may be a stationary generator. The generator 41 may be a generator that uses not only renewable energy such as solar power or wind power, but also a generator that uses fossil fuels and emits carbon dioxide. The generator 41 may be connected to a storage battery 50.

[0044] (Configuration of storage battery 50) The storage battery 50 will be described below with reference to FIG. 6. The storage battery 50 may be a fixed storage battery. The storage battery 50 includes a control unit 51, a storage unit 52, a communication unit 53, and a power storage unit 54. The storage battery 50 may communicate with the power management device 10 constantly or at regular intervals via a wired or wireless connection or a network. The storage battery 50 may be provided separately from the power generation facility 40.

[0045] The control unit 51 includes at least one processor, at least one dedicated circuit, or a combination of these. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or a GPU, or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The control unit 51 performs various controls related to the operation of the storage battery 50, and generates information such as the remaining power amount to be transmitted to the power management device 10. The control unit 51 may control the reception of power from the generator 41 and the transmission of power to the facility 30.

[0046] The storage unit 52 includes at least one semiconductor memory, at least one magnetic memory, at least one optical memory, or a combination of at least two of these. The storage unit 52 functions as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 52 stores, for example, programs and data used in the operation of the storage battery 50, and data obtained by the operation of the storage battery 4. The information stored in the storage unit 52 may be updatable, for example, with information acquired from a network via the communication unit 53.

[0047] The storage unit 52 further stores the remaining power amount of the power storage unit 54. The storage unit 52 may store various information required for the control unit 51 to control the storage battery 50.

[0048] The communication unit 53 includes at least one external communication interface that is connected to the power management device 10 directly or via a network. The external communication interface may be an interface for wired communication or wireless communication. The communication unit 53 may be connected to the storage battery 50 as an external communication device instead of being provided in the storage battery 50. The communication unit 53 transmits the remaining power amount of the storage battery 50 to the power management device 10 under the control of the control unit 51.

[0049] The power storage unit 54 is composed of at least one secondary battery. The power storage unit 54 may include a plurality of storage battery cells. The power storage unit 54 is also referred to as a battery or a battery module. The power storage unit 54 includes, but is not limited to, a lithium-ion battery. The power storage unit 54 may include currently and future available storage batteries, including lead-acid batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, sodium-sulfur batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, magnesium batteries, and all-solid-state batteries.

[0050] (Examples of information processing methods) Hereinafter, with reference to Figs. 7 to 10, an information processing method of the power management device 10 according to the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described. Figs. 7 and 8 show an example of operation when the power management device 10 assigns power classifications to a plurality of areas. Figs. 9 and 10 show an example of storage of information such as a priority power classification for each area 33 used when assigning power classifications to a plurality of areas 33. Note that Figs. 9 and 10 are diagrams created for the purpose of explaining the embodiment, and the numerical values ​​of the amount of power used do not reflect an actual example. The power management device 10 may be configured to read and implement a program recorded in a non-transitory computer-readable medium to perform the process performed by the control unit 11 described below. Non-transitory computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, magneto-optical storage media, and semiconductor storage media. Note that the process described below may be performed at regular intervals, for example, at intervals of seconds or shorter, or may be performed every minute, hour, day, or month.

[0051] First, the control unit 11 acquires the amount of electricity supplied to the facility 30 and the amount of electricity supplied by each power source from the meter 20 installed in the power receiving panel 31, the power generation equipment 40, and the system power source 60 via the communication unit 13 (step S101).

[0052] The control unit 11 calculates the amount of power supply for each power class based on the amount of power supply for each power source acquired in step S101 and the power class associated with each power source stored in advance in the storage unit 12 (step S102).

[0053] Next, the control unit 11 acquires the amount of power used in each area 33 from the measuring meter 20 installed in the area 33 via the communication unit 13 (step S103).

[0054] The control unit 11 calculates the amount of power usage of each power classification (step S104) based on the amount of power usage of each area acquired in step S103 and the preferentially used power classification associated with each area stored in advance in the storage unit 12. In the example of Fig. 9, the amount of power usage of each power classification is 460 kWh for green power, 100 kWh for blue power, and 290 kWh for gray power.

[0055] The control unit 11 calls up information on the power category and supply priority level to be preferentially used from the storage unit 12 (step S105).

[0056] The control unit 11 compares the amount of power supply calculated in step S102 with the amount of power usage calculated in step S104 for green power and blue power (step S106). If the amount of power supply exceeds the amount of power usage (step S106: Yes), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S107, otherwise (step S106: No), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S108. For example, in FIG. 9, if 460 kWh or more of green power and 100 kWh or more of blue power are being supplied, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S107, and if neither of these conditions is met, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S108.

[0057] If the comparison shows that the amount of supplied power exceeds the amount of power used for both green power and blue power, the control unit 11 allocates the power category and amount of power used to the area, assuming that power of the power category that is preferentially used and associated with each area has been supplied based on the information acquired in step S105 (step S107). In the example of Fig. 9, 300 kWh, 150 kWh, and 10 kWh of green power are allocated to No. 1, 2, and 5, respectively, 100 kWh of blue power is allocated to No. 4, and 200 kWh and 90 kWh are allocated to No. 3 and 6, respectively, regardless of power category.

[0058] In step S106, if the amount of energy used of either green power or blue power exceeds the amount of energy supplied, the control unit 11 refers to the supply priority for areas where the preferential power classification is set to green power or blue power from the information acquired in step S105, and allocates green power in order from the area with the highest supply priority (step S108). If there is a shortage of green power supply, blue power is allocated from among the areas for which allocation has not been completed, in order from the area with the highest supply priority (step S109). If there is a shortage of both green power and blue power, gray power is allocated to the areas for which allocation has not been completed (step S110).

[0059] The control unit 11 stores the amount of power and the power classification allocated to each area in steps S107 to S110 in the storage unit 12 (step S111).

[0060] Regarding the preferentially used power classification information acquired in step S107, if the preferentially used power classification set for each area 33 includes a category of "use of green power only," the control unit 11 may execute the processing of step S108 in the following procedure shown in FIG. 8.

[0061] The control unit 11 extracts areas 33 in which "use of only green electricity" is specified from the information acquired in step S105 (step S201).

[0062] The control unit 11 refers to the supply priority of the areas extracted in step S201, and allocates green electricity to areas in the order of supply priority from the area with the highest supply priority (step S202).

[0063] Thereafter, the control unit 11 refers to the supply priority for the areas not extracted in step S201, and allocates green electricity to the areas in the order of supply priority, starting from the area with the highest supply priority (step S203).

[0064] When performing the above procedure, the control unit 11 may proceed to step S109 after completing steps S201 to S203. In step S111, the control unit 11 stores in the storage unit 12 the amount of power and the power classification allocated to each area in steps S107, S109, S110, S202, and S203.

[0065] In the example of FIG. 9, when the amount of supplied power is 400 kWh of green power, 160 kWh of blue power, and 290 kWh of gray power, the control unit 11 first extracts No. 2, which is an area that uses green power with priority and uses only green power (step S201), and allocates 150 kWh of green power (step S202). Next, the control unit 11 determines whether to allocate green power to No. 1, which has the highest priority among the areas (No. 1, 3 to 6) to which no power classification is assigned in step S108. The control unit 11 compares the remaining amount of green power supply of 250 kWh with the amount of power usage of No. 1, 300 kWh. Here, the amount of power usage exceeds the remaining amount of power supply, so the control unit 11 allocates 250 kWh of green power to No. 1 (step S203). As a result, there is a shortage of green power, so the control unit 11 determines whether to allocate blue power to No. 1. The control unit 11 compares the amount of blue electricity supply of 160 kWh with the 50 kWh of electricity usage that has not yet been allocated by No. 1. In this case, since the amount of electricity supply exceeds the amount of electricity usage, the control unit 11 allocates 50 kWh of blue electricity to No. 1 (step S109).

[0066] In step S110, when gray power is supplied to an area where the power classification to be preferentially used is "green power or blue power", or in step S201, when blue power or gray power is supplied to an area where the power classification to be preferentially used is "green power only", the control unit 11 may instruct the output unit 15 to issue a warning.

[0067] Furthermore, the allocation of green power or blue power in steps S108, S109, S202, and S203 may be performed taking into consideration the priority of the first requested ratio and the second requested ratio. For example, when performing step S108 in the example of Fig. 10, green power may be allocated in the following order: 180 kWh to No. 1, 105 kWh to No. 2, and 22.5 kWh to No. 3.

[0068] Through the above procedure, power management device 10 can allocate power generated without emitting carbon dioxide to a specific area within the facility, even if the power supplied to the facility includes power other than power generated without emitting carbon dioxide. Furthermore, through steps S108-110 and S201-203, power management device 10 can supply the minimum amount of green power or blue power required to a specific area within the facility, even if sufficient green power or blue power is not being supplied.

[0069] The present invention is also effective in calculating supply chain emissions, which is one criterion for a company's environmental efforts. Supply chain emissions refer to "greenhouse gas emissions generated not only from a company's business but also from the entire flow of the business, including raw material procurement, manufacturing, logistics, sales, and disposal," and are divided into three categories, scopes 1 to 3, depending on the method of emission. Scope 1 refers to "direct emissions of greenhouse gases by the business itself (for example, greenhouse gases generated by combustion in manufacturing facilities, etc.)," ​​scope 2 refers to "indirect emissions associated with the use of electricity, heat, and steam supplied from outside the company," and scope 3 refers to "emissions other than scopes 1 and 2," with scopes 1 and 2 being positioned as emissions within the company and scope 3 being emissions outside the company. For example, when green electricity is less than the amount of electricity used, the present invention can supply gray electricity to equipment such as electric vehicles that correspond to an area requiring green electricity (scope 3), and allocate green electricity to the area itself (scope 1 or 2). This makes it possible to shift supply chain emissions to scope 3 and reduce or eliminate emissions in scopes 1 and 2.

[0070] Next, a method for calculating the carbon dioxide emission amount for each area 33 will be described with reference to Fig. 11. When the control unit 11 assigns the power classification to each area in steps S106, S108, S109, and S201, the control unit 11 may also assign the source power source and the amount of power supply (step S301). In this case, the control unit 11 may calculate the amount of carbon dioxide emission from power generation emitted in the area from the source power source, the amount of power supply, and the carbon dioxide emission coefficient corresponding to the power source stored in advance in the storage unit 12 (step S302). The control unit 11 may store the amount of carbon dioxide emission for each area calculated in step S302 in the storage unit 12 (step S303).

[0071] By using the above procedure, the power management device 10 can calculate the amount of carbon dioxide emitted from the electricity used in a specific area. Note that the above process may be performed at regular intervals, for example, every second or shorter, or may be performed every minute, hour, day, or month.

[0072] Next, a method of instructing the storage battery 50 to charge and discharge will be described with reference to Fig. 12. The following process may be performed at regular intervals, for example, every second or shorter, or may be performed every minute, hour, day, or month.

[0073] The control unit 11 calculates the expected amount of power usage that is expected to be used in each area from data on past product production amounts and power usage amounts input from the input unit 14 or stored in advance in the storage unit 12 (step S401). Note that the data on which the calculation of the expected amount of power usage is based is not limited to the above. For example, the expected amount of power usage may be calculated using machine learning data.

[0074] The control unit 11 acquires the power category and the amount of power stored in the storage battery 50 connected to the electric circuit (step S402).

[0075] The control unit 11 compares the estimated power usage amount calculated in step S401 with the supply power amount calculated in step S102 for each of the green power and blue power (step S403).

[0076] If the comparison shows that the supply amount of green electricity and blue electricity exceeds the expected electricity usage amount (step S403: Yes), the control unit 11 instructs the storage battery 50 to charge the green electricity or blue electricity supplied from the generator 41 connected to the storage battery in a range that does not exceed the surplus electricity amount expressed by formula (a) (step S404). Note that the supply amount and expected electricity usage amount in the following formula (a) are limited to green electricity and blue electricity.

[0077] Amount of power supply (kWh) – Expected amount of power usage (kWh) = Amount of surplus power (kWh) Formula (a)

[0078] In step S403, if the expected amount of green power and blue power usage exceeds the amount of power supply (step S403: No), the control unit 11 instructs the storage battery 50 to discharge the power stored in the power storage unit 54 within a range that does not exceed the dischargeable amount of power (step S405). Specifically, the dischargeable amount of power is the amount of power that is discharged while leaving a certain amount of power from the remaining amount of power, for example, the minimum amount of power that does not cause over-discharge.

[0079] As described above, the power management device 10 instructs the storage battery 50 to discharge or charge based on the expected amount of power usage and the amount of power supply in each area, thereby expanding the supply of power in response to an increase in demand for power classified as green power or blue power, which is preferentially used in each area. This makes it possible to satisfy the requirements for the power classification that is preferentially used in each area.

[0080] As described above, according to this embodiment, the power management device 10 can record the power classification assigned to each area of ​​the facility and the amount of carbon dioxide emission derived from power generation emitted by each area at regular intervals. This allows the power management device 10 to certify the usage status of power generated without emitting carbon dioxide and the amount of carbon dioxide emission derived from power for a specific area in the facility based on the recorded information. Furthermore, the power management device 10 manages the power supplied to the electric vehicle by monitoring the amount of power used in each area as well as the charging equipment that supplies power to the electric vehicle used in association with each area. This allows the amount of carbon dioxide emission derived from power emitted from the transportation of products and raw materials and the commuting of employees to be certified.

[0081] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and many modifications or variations are possible. For example, the functions included in each component or each step can be rearranged so as not to cause logical inconsistencies, and multiple components or steps can be combined into one or divided. For example, the configuration and operation of the power management device 10 may be distributed among multiple computers and network storage devices that can communicate with each other. Also, for example, a part of the configuration and operation of the power management device 10 may be provided in a storage battery 50 or the like. It should be understood that these are also included in the scope of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1. Information Processing Systems 10 Power management device 11 Control section 12 Storage section 13. Communications Department 14 Input section 15 Output section 20. Weighing Meter 21 Measuring section 22 Communications Department 30 Facilities 31 Power receiving board 32 Distribution Board 33 Area 34 Electric Vehicles 40 Power generation facilities 41 Generator 50 Battery 51 Control section 52 Storage section 53 Communications Department 54 Power storage unit 60 Grid power supply

Claims

1. A power management method executed by a control unit of a power management device that manages an amount of power supplied to a plurality of areas, comprising: The plurality of areas includes one or more areas in which a power classification for preferential use is defined, the power classification being defined based on a state of carbon dioxide emission during power generation; Classifying power supplied from a plurality of power sources into any one of a plurality of power classifications; acquiring an amount of power supplied from each of the plurality of power sources; Obtaining an amount of power used in each of the plurality of areas; Allocating the amount of power supplied from each of the power sources to each of the plurality of areas based on the power classification preferentially used in the one or more areas and the amount of power used in each of the plurality of areas; storing the power classification and the amount of power assigned to each of the areas; 23. A power management method comprising:

2. 2. The power management method according to claim 1, wherein the power classification includes a first class of power that is derived from natural energy sources that do not emit carbon dioxide, a second class of power that is generated by using fossil fuels and recovering carbon dioxide that is generated during production, and a third class of power that is generated by using fossil fuels and emitting carbon dioxide.

3. The control unit calculates an estimated amount of power usage that is expected to be used in the plurality of areas; Acquiring the power classification and the power amount of the power stored in the storage battery connected to the electric circuit; When the expected amount of power usage exceeds the amount of power supply for at least one of the first class power and the second class power, an instruction is given to the storage battery to discharge. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:

4. The control unit instructs the storage battery to charge when the amount of supplied power exceeds the expected amount of power usage for both the first classification power and the second classification power. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:

5. The control unit sets a priority of allocation of at least one of the first classification power and the second classification power to each of the plurality of areas; When the amount of power usage exceeds the amount of power supply for at least one of the first class power and the second class power, the power classification that is insufficient is allocated in order from the area with the highest priority. The power management method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, further comprising the steps of:

6. The control unit associates power supplied from the plurality of power sources with power allocated to each of the areas; Calculating the amount of carbon dioxide emissions derived from electricity in each area from the amount of electricity supplied from the plurality of power sources and allocated to each area and a carbon dioxide emission coefficient set for each power generation method or power company; The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

7. The power management method according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit manages power supplied to an electric vehicle used in association with one of the plurality of areas together with an amount of power in the area.

8. A power management device that manages an amount of power supplied to a plurality of areas, The plurality of areas includes one or more areas in which a power classification for preferential use is defined, the power classification being defined based on a state of carbon dioxide emission during power generation; Classifying power supplied from a plurality of power sources into any one of a plurality of power classifications; acquiring an amount of power supplied from each of the plurality of power sources; Obtaining an amount of power used in each of the plurality of areas; Allocating the amount of power supplied from each of the power sources to each of the plurality of areas based on the power classification preferentially used in the one or more areas and the amount of power used in each of the plurality of areas; storing the power classification and the amount of power assigned to each of the areas; A control unit that executes a process including Power management device.

9. An information processing system including a power management device that manages an amount of power supplied to a plurality of areas, The power management device includes a control unit. The plurality of areas includes one or more areas in which a power classification for preferential use is defined, the power classification being defined based on a state of carbon dioxide emission during power generation; The control unit is Classifying power supplied from a plurality of power sources into any one of a plurality of power classifications; acquiring an amount of power supplied from each of the plurality of power sources; Obtaining an amount of power used in each of the plurality of areas; Allocating the amount of power supplied from each of the power sources to each of the plurality of areas based on the power classification preferentially used in the one or more areas and the amount of power used in each of the plurality of areas; storing the power classification and the amount of power assigned to each of the areas; Perform a process that includes Information processing system.

Images