Demand system and demand control method

Abstract

To provide a demand system and a demand control method in which demand control to restrain an increase of a power consumption amount can be properly performed.SOLUTION: A demand system 100 includes a control unit 11 that performs demand control to restrain an increase of a power consumption amount. The control unit 11 obtains a power consumption amount of a prescribed determination period that is shorter than a demand control period which is a prescribed period. The control unit 11 obtains an increase of a power consumption amount within a current determination period by comparing the power consumption amount within the current determination period and a power consumption amount within a past determination period within the current demand control period. If the increase of the power consumption amount within the current determination period is greater than a prescribed determination threshold, the control unit 11 performs the demand control.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a demand system and a demand control method. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a control system that performs demand control is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The control system described in the above Patent Document 1 performs demand control to control the power consumption of each device in a store so that the power consumption during each predetermined demand time period does not exceed an upper limit. The control system described in the above Patent Document 1 performs demand control to prevent the power consumption from exceeding an upper limit by predicting future power consumption based on the rate of increase in the power consumption during a predetermined period. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-155945 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When predicting power consumption from the rate of increase in power consumption as in the control system described in the above Patent Document 1, if the power consumption increases sharply without exceeding the upper limit, demand control is not performed. Therefore, if the power consumption changes later, it is possible that the power consumption will exceed the upper limit due to a delay in the timing of performing demand control. Therefore, it is desired to appropriately perform demand control that suppresses the increase in power consumption.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one object of the present invention is to provide a demand system and a demand control method that are capable of appropriately performing demand control that suppresses an increase in power consumption. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a demand system according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a power measurement unit that measures the amount of power consumed by electricity supplied from a grid, and a control unit that performs demand control to suppress an increase in the amount of power consumed so that the total amount of power consumed for each predetermined period does not exceed a predetermined target amount of power, and the control unit obtains the amount of power consumed in a predetermined judgment period that is shorter than a demand control period, which is the predetermined period, and obtains the amount of increase in the amount of power consumed in the current judgment period by comparing the amount of power consumed in the current judgment period with the amount of power consumed in a past judgment period within the current demand control period, and performs demand control if the amount of increase in the amount of power consumed in the current judgment period is greater than a predetermined judgment threshold.

[0008] As described above, the demand system according to the first aspect of the present invention executes demand control when the increase in power consumption during the current judgment period is greater than a predetermined judgment threshold. This allows the demand system to execute demand control appropriately when the increase in power consumption is greater than a predetermined judgment threshold, making it possible to execute demand control appropriately at the timing when the power consumption increases suddenly. As a result, the demand system can appropriately execute demand control that suppresses the increase in power consumption.

[0009] In the demand system according to the first aspect, the control unit preferably repeatedly acquires the power consumption for each judgment period, and acquires the increase in the power consumption in the current judgment period by comparing the power consumption in the current judgment period with the power consumption in a judgment period two periods back from the current time point in the current demand control period. Here, if the power consumption increases at a point in the middle of the judgment period one period back from the current time point, when comparing the power consumption in the judgment period one period back with the power consumption in the current judgment period, the acquired increase in the power consumption becomes smaller. In contrast, in the present invention, the increase in the power consumption in the current judgment period can be appropriately acquired because it is compared with the power consumption in the judgment period two periods back. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately determine whether or not to perform demand control based on the appropriately acquired increase in the power consumption, and therefore it is possible to more appropriately perform demand control.

[0010] In the demand system according to the first aspect, the control unit preferably acquires a predicted total power amount that predicts the total power amount in the case where the power consumption in the judgment period continues, and executes demand control based on the acquired predicted total power amount when the increase in the power consumption in the current judgment period is greater than the judgment threshold value. In this way, by executing demand control based on the predicted total power amount, it is possible to prevent the power consumption from being reduced more than necessary in the demand control. In addition, since the demand control is executed based on the predicted total power amount when the increase in the power consumption is greater than the judgment threshold value, it is possible to prevent the demand control from being executed even if the difference between the accumulated value of the power consumption and the target power amount is large, compared to the case where the demand control is always executed based on the predicted total power amount.

[0011] In this case, the control unit preferably sets a reduced power amount, which is the amount of power consumption to be reduced in the demand control, based on the predicted total power amount and the target power amount. This makes it possible to more appropriately control the degree of suppression of the operation of the device or the output amount of the power storage device in the demand control, depending on the set reduced power amount.

[0012] In the demand system that sets the reduced power amount, the control unit preferably sets the amount of discharge from the power storage device based on the set reduced power amount and the remaining time in the current demand control period in the demand control. This allows the amount of discharge from the power storage device to be appropriately set, thereby preventing the total amount of power consumption from exceeding the target power amount due to the amount of discharge being too small, or preventing the amount of charge in the power storage device from being insufficient due to the amount of discharge being too large.

[0013] In the demand system that sets the reduced power amount, preferably, after the demand control is started during the demand control period, the control unit reacquires a predicted total power amount that predicts the total power amount in the case where the power consumption amount during the determination period during the demand control continues, and updates the set reduced power amount based on the reacquired predicted total power amount and the target power amount. This makes it possible to appropriately execute the demand control even if the power consumption amount changes due to a change in the usage status of the load device after the demand control is started.

[0014] In the demand system that executes demand control based on the predicted total power amount, preferably, after the demand control is started in the demand control period, the control unit again acquires a predicted total power amount that predicts the total power amount in the case where the power consumption amount in the judgment period during the demand control continues, and releases the demand control when the acquired predicted total power amount is smaller than the release judgment power amount set based on the target power amount. This makes it possible to release the demand control based on the reacquired predicted total power amount, thereby preventing the demand control from being executed for a period longer than necessary. As a result, the demand control can be executed more appropriately.

[0015] In the demand system according to the first aspect, preferably, the system further comprises a display unit that displays warning information indicating that the power consumption has increased, and the control unit displays the warning information on the display unit when the acquired increase in the power consumption is greater than the judgment threshold. This allows the user to visually recognize that the power consumption has increased by visually checking the display unit. Therefore, the user can easily and effectively recognize the increase in the power consumption.

[0016] In the demand system according to the first aspect, preferably, in a demand control period, when the cumulative value of the power consumption at the current time point is greater than an upper limit power threshold value that increases over time, the control unit executes demand control regardless of the value of the increase in the power consumption during the judgment period. This makes it possible to execute demand control based on the upper limit power threshold value even when the increase in the power consumption during the current judgment period does not exceed a predetermined judgment threshold value. Therefore, when the cumulative value of the power consumption becomes large, it is possible to determine whether or not to execute demand control based on the upper limit power threshold value, and in response to a sudden increase in the power consumption, it is possible to determine whether or not to execute demand control based on the increase and the judgment threshold value, so that the demand control can be executed more appropriately.

[0017] In the demand system according to the first aspect, preferably, when an ON signal indicating that an operation of a load device consuming power has started is acquired, the control unit acquires an increase in power consumption during a current judgment period based on the power amount of the load device during a preset judgment period. As a result, when an ON signal is acquired, an increase in power consumption is acquired based on the power amount of the load device, so that even if the power consumption increases midway through the judgment period, an appropriate value of the increase in power consumption can be acquired based on the power amount of the load device. Therefore, demand control can be appropriately executed.

[0018] In the demand system that performs demand control based on the predicted total power amount, preferably, the control unit obtains the maximum value of the power consumption amount acquired for each judgment period during the demand control period, and obtains a predicted total power amount that predicts the total power amount in the case where the maximum value of the power consumption amount acquired for each judgment period continues. As a result, the demand control is performed based on the predicted total power amount in the case where the maximum value of the power consumption amount acquired during the current demand control period continues, so that the demand control can be performed based on the predicted total power amount that is considered to be the largest total amount of power consumption during the current demand control period. Therefore, an increase in the power consumption amount can be further suppressed by the demand control.

[0019] A demand control method according to a second aspect of the present invention includes the steps of: acquiring an amount of power consumption of power supplied from a grid during a predetermined judgment period; acquiring an increase in power consumption during a current judgment period during a demand control period longer than the judgment period by comparing the amount of power consumption during the current judgment period with the amount of power consumption during a past judgment period within the current demand control period; and, if the increase in power consumption during the current judgment period is greater than a predetermined judgment threshold, executing demand control to suppress the increase in power consumption so that the total amount of power consumption, which is the total amount of power consumption for each demand control period, does not exceed a predetermined target amount of power.

[0020] As described above, the demand control method according to the second aspect of the present invention includes a step of executing demand control to suppress an increase in power consumption when the increase in power consumption during the current judgment period is greater than a predetermined judgment threshold, so that the total amount of power consumption, which is the total amount of power consumption for each demand control period, does not exceed a preset target amount of power. As a result, since demand control is executed when the increase in power consumption is greater than the predetermined judgment threshold, demand control can be executed appropriately at the timing when the power consumption increases suddenly. As a result, a demand control method capable of appropriately executing demand control to suppress an increase in power consumption can be provided. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, as described above, it is possible to provide a demand system and a demand control method capable of appropriately executing demand control that suppresses an increase in power consumption. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a demand system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of power consumption amount when demand control is executed. [Diagram 3] 11 is a diagram for explaining an increase in power consumption during a determination period. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a control process of the demand control method in the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a demand system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining acquisition of an ON signal. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a demand system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a maximum value of power consumption. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] [First embodiment] The configuration of a demand system 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0025] (Demand system configuration) 1, the demand system 100 is configured as a power control system installed in, for example, a store (convenience store, supermarket, etc.) etc. The demand system 100 includes a demand control device 10, a load device 20, a power storage unit 30, a switchboard 40, and a power measurement unit 50.

[0026] The demand system 100 is a system configured to monitor the power consumption (power consumption) of an electricity consumer such as a store so that the maximum demand power amount consumed does not exceed the contract power value with the power company, and to perform so-called demand control (energy saving control) by restricting the power consumption when it is predicted that the maximum demand power amount will exceed the contract power value with the power company. Specifically, the demand system 100 is configured to restrict the power usage so that the total power amount Pa (see FIG. 2) of the power consumption amount for each demand control period (for example, 30 minutes) which is a predetermined period does not exceed the target power amount S set corresponding to the contract power value with the power company. In addition, the total power amount Pa, which is the total amount of the power consumption amount for each demand control period, is initialized for each demand control period (30 minutes), and a new cumulative value P of the power consumption is measured from the start of the demand control period. The maximum value of the total power amount Pa measured for each demand control period is the maximum demand power amount (demand value).

[0027] The demand control device 10 performs demand control to suppress an increase in power consumption. The demand control device 10 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a display unit 13. The configuration of the demand control device 10 will be described in detail later.

[0028] The load devices 20 are configured to use (consume) power, and include, for example, a showcase, an air conditioner, a lighting device, and a cooking device such as a fryer. Each of the load devices 20 is configured to be able to communicate with the demand control device 10, or is directly connected to the demand control device 10. The load devices 20 are configured to be individually controlled by the demand control device 10. Note that in this specification, the operation control is described as including not only control to switch between an operating state and a stopped state when controlling the operation of an air conditioner, but also operation control such as control to change a set temperature. Also, the load devices 20 output an ON signal indicating that an operation has started to the control unit 11 of the demand control device 10.

[0029] The power storage unit 30 includes a PCS 31 (Power Conditioning System) and a power storage device 32. The PCS 31 converts DC power output from the power storage device 32 into AC power and outputs the converted AC power to the switchboard 40. The PCS 31 includes a power conversion circuit having a plurality of switching elements, and performs conversion between AC power and DC power. The power storage device 32 includes a secondary battery that charges DC power. For example, the power storage device 32 includes a lithium-ion secondary battery. The PCS 31 charges the power storage device 32 with AC power from the grid 101 or power such as DC power supplied from a power source device such as a solar power generation device (not shown). The PCS 31 also controls the amount of discharge per hour of power output from the power storage device 32. The PCS 31 is also configured to be able to communicate with the demand control device 10, and controls the charging and discharging operations of the power storage device 32 based on a signal from a control unit 11 of the demand control device 10.

[0030] The switchboard 40 is configured to receive power from an electric power company via an external system 101. The switchboard 40 is also configured to receive power from the power storage unit 30. The power supplied to the switchboard 40 is then supplied to each of the load devices 20 from the switchboard 40.

[0031] The power measuring unit 50 measures the power consumption of the power supplied from the grid 101. Then, a signal indicating the measured power consumption is transmitted to the demand control device 10 at predetermined determination periods (for example, 1 minute) shorter than a demand control period (30 minutes). The power measuring unit 50 is disposed in, for example, the switchboard 40. The power measuring unit 50 includes, for example, a current transformer (CT).

[0032] <Configuration of Demand Control Device> In the demand control device 10, the control unit 11 includes a calculation device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage unit 12 includes a storage device such as a hard disk. The control unit 11 is configured to perform predetermined control by executing control processing by the calculation device based on programs and parameters stored in the storage unit 12. The control processing by the control unit 11 will be described in detail later.

[0033] The memory unit 12 stores information on a target power amount S that is equal to or less than the maximum power demand amount and does not exceed the contracted power value, either by being input in advance by a user or by being acquired from the outside (for example, an external network (not shown)). The memory unit 12 also stores information on the power consumption amount received from the power measurement unit 50. The memory unit 12 also stores the power amounts when each of the load devices 20 is operated. The memory unit 12 also stores a cumulative value P of the power consumption. The memory unit 12 stores various parameters acquired by the control unit 11 in demand control. The memory unit 12 also stores various parameters used in the demand control by the control unit 11.

[0034] The display unit 13 includes a display and the like. The display unit 13 displays an image including text information and the like by the control unit 11. The display unit 13 displays information indicating a state of demand control. The display unit 13 also displays warning information indicating that the amount of power consumption has increased. The warning information includes, for example, text information indicating that the amount of power consumption has increased.

[0035] (Demand control by the control unit) As shown in FIG. 2, in the first embodiment, the control unit 11 performs demand control to suppress an increase in the amount of power consumption so that the total power amount Pa, which is the total amount of power consumption per demand control period (30 minutes), does not exceed a preset target power amount S. For example, the control unit 11 performs demand control so that the total power amount Pa does not exceed a value (target power amount S-target margin M) obtained by subtracting a predetermined target margin M from the preset target power amount S at the time when the demand control period is completed. In the demand control, at least one of the control processes of discharging from the power storage device 32 of the power storage unit 30 and reducing the amount of power consumption in the load device 20 is executed in order to suppress an increase in the amount of power consumption of the power supplied from the grid 101. For example, the solid line in FIG. 2 shows an example of a transition of the cumulative value P of the amount of power consumption over time when the demand control is started at the 15-minute point.

[0036] In the first embodiment, the control unit 11 starts demand control based on either an accumulated value P of the power consumption from the start of the current demand control period to the present time, or an increase ΔQ of the power consumption during a predetermined judgment period of one minute, which is described later (see FIG. 3). The control unit 11 repeatedly acquires the power consumption during the judgment period (one minute) based on a signal from the power measurement unit 50 every time the judgment period (one minute) elapses. The power consumption during the judgment period referred to here is the total value of the power supplied from the grid 101 and consumed during the period from the start of the judgment period to the end of the judgment period. The control unit 11 stores the acquired value of the power consumption in the storage unit 12. The control unit 11 judges whether or not to perform demand control based on the acquired power consumption every time the judgment period elapses.

[0037] <Start of demand control based on accumulated value> The control unit 11 calculates an accumulated value P of the power consumption amount acquired for each judgment period. The control unit 11 acquires an accumulated value P for the current judgment period by adding the power consumption amount acquired in the current judgment period to the accumulated value P acquired up to the judgment period immediately before the current judgment period and stored in the storage unit 12. The control unit 11 also stores the acquired accumulated value P in the storage unit 12. The control unit 11 executes demand control when the accumulated value P of the power consumption amount at the current time point during the demand control period is greater than the upper limit power threshold. As shown by the dashed line in FIG. 2, the upper limit power threshold is a value that increases with the passage of time during the demand control period. For example, the upper limit power threshold is a predetermined value (initial value k) at the start of the demand control period and increases in proportion to the passage of time. The upper limit power threshold has a different rate of change (proportional constant) before and after the 25-minute point during the demand control period. For example, after 25 minutes, the upper limit power threshold is 0 at the start of the demand control period, and increases at a constant rate to become target power amount S-target margin M at the end of the demand control period. Therefore, the upper limit power threshold becomes 25 / 30 of the target power amount S at the 25th minute. And, the upper limit power threshold is set to have an initial value k at the start of the demand control period before 25 minutes, and to increase at a constant rate to become 25 / 30 of the target power amount S-target margin M at the 25th minute.

[0038] The initial value k is preset and stored in the storage unit 12. That is, the upper limit determination threshold has a margin for an increase in the amount of power consumption at the start point of the demand control period, the amount being the preset initial value k.

[0039] <Start of demand control based on the increase in power consumption> In the determination of the start of demand control using the cumulative value P and the upper limit power threshold value, when the cumulative value P is small, it is considered that the start of demand control may be delayed if the power consumption increases suddenly. For example, the power consumption increases suddenly between 13 minutes and 14 minutes in FIG. 2 (point X1 in FIG. 2). If the demand control is not started after 14 minutes, it is considered that the cumulative value P exceeds the upper limit power threshold value around 22 minutes in FIG. 2 (point X2 in FIG. 2). In this case, even if the demand control is started at 22 minutes, the cumulative value P of the power consumption may exceed the target power amount S-target margin M or the target power amount S at 30 minutes when the demand control period is completed. For example, when an increase in the power consumption of the power supplied from the grid 101 by discharging from the power storage device 32 is suppressed, the power output from the power storage device 32 depends on the rated capacity of the power storage device 32 (storage battery), so it is considered that the suppression of the power consumption may be insufficient.

[0040] Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, in the first embodiment, the control unit 11 executes demand control based on the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption in the judgment period, separately from the accumulated value P. The control unit 11 executes demand control when the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption in the current judgment period is greater than a predetermined judgment threshold. Specifically, the control unit 11 obtains the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption in the current judgment period by comparing the power consumption in the current judgment period with the power consumption in a past judgment period within the current demand control period. The past judgment period is, for example, a judgment period two periods ago from the current time. The judgment threshold is a fixed value that is set in advance and stored in the storage unit 12. For example, the judgment threshold is 2 kWh.

[0041] As an example, a case will be described in which the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption is obtained 15 minutes after the start of the demand control period. 15As shown in Fig. 3, Q is the total value of the power consumption measured from the 14th minute to the 15th minute. The control unit 11 obtains the increase in power consumption ΔQ by comparing the power consumption in the current determination period with the power consumption two minutes before the current time and obtaining the difference between the two power consumption amounts. That is, when 15 minutes have passed since the start of the demand control period, the control unit 11 obtains the power consumption increase amount Q at the 15th minute 15 And the power consumption at 13 minutes Q 13 The increase in power consumption at the 15-minute point, ΔQ, is calculated by obtaining the difference between the calculated value and the calculated value. Therefore, the increase in power consumption at the 15-minute point, ΔQ, is calculated by the following formula (1). ΔQ=Q 15 -Q 13 (1) The control unit 11 acquires the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption every time the judgment period elapses, and judges whether or not to perform demand control by comparing the acquired increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption with the judgment threshold value. If the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption is larger than the judgment threshold value, the control unit 11 determines that the power consumption has increased significantly and displays warning information on the display unit 13.

[0042] <Demand control details> As shown in FIG. 2, in the first embodiment, the control unit 11 executes demand control based on the predicted total power amount Ps. When the demand control is performed, the control unit 11 sets a reduced power amount D, which is the amount of power consumption to be reduced in the demand control, based on the predicted total power amount Ps, the target power amount S, and the target margin M. Then, the control unit 11 executes the demand control by controlling the operation of at least one of the load device 20 and the power storage device 32 so that the set reduced power amount D is achieved. The predicted total power amount Ps is a value that predicts the total power amount Pa when the power consumption in the judgment period continues. Note that, when the predicted total power amount Ps is smaller than the target power amount S-target margin M, the demand control is not started even when the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption is larger than the judgment threshold value.

[0043] In the first embodiment, the control unit 11 calculates the total amount of power Pa in the case where the power consumption at the current time point continues until the end of the demand control period as the predicted total amount of power Ps. That is, the control unit 11 calculates the predicted total amount of power Ps based on the power consumption at the current time point and the remaining time in the current demand control period. Specifically, the control unit 11 calculates the predicted total amount of power Ps by adding a value obtained by subtracting the elapsed time from the demand control period (30 minutes) to the current time point and multiplying the value by the power consumption for one minute at the current time point and the cumulative value P of the power consumption up to the current time point. As an example, when 15 minutes have passed since the start of the demand control period, the cumulative value P up to the 15-minute point is multiplied by the power consumption Q at the 15-minute point. 15 The predicted total energy Ps is calculated by multiplying this by the remaining time, 15, and adding the result. Therefore, the predicted total energy Ps at the 15-minute point is calculated by the following formula (2). Ps=P+Q 15 ×(30-15) ···(2) That is, the control unit 11 acquires, as the predicted total power amount Ps, the accumulated value P in the case where the power consumption amount equal to that at the current time point continues for all the determination periods from the current time point onwards during the demand control period.

[0044] The control unit 11 sets the difference between the predicted total power amount Ps and a value obtained by subtracting the value of the target margin M from the target power amount S as the reduced power amount D. The value of the target margin M is set in advance and stored in the storage unit 12. That is, the reduced power amount D is calculated by the following formula (3). D = Ps - (SM) (3) For example, in the demand control, the control unit 11 suppresses an increase in the amount of power consumption by discharging the power storage device 32. In the demand control, the control unit 11 sets the amount of discharge from the power storage device 32 based on the reduced power amount D set by the above formula (3) and the remaining time in the current demand control period. That is, the control unit 11 sets the amount of discharge from the power storage device 32 per judgment period (1 minute) by dividing the set reduced power amount D by a value obtained by subtracting the elapsed time from the demand control period (30 minutes) to the present time. The control unit 11 transmits the set amount of discharge to the PCS 31, thereby causing the PCS 31 to control the operation of the power storage device 32. Note that, when the rated output per minute of the power storage device 32 does not reach the set amount of discharge per minute, or when the total amount of charge of the power storage device 32 does not reach the target reduced power amount D, the control unit 11 controls the operation of the load device 20 in addition to controlling the operation of the power storage device 32, thereby reducing the amount of power consumed by the load device 20.

[0045] <Control after demand control starts> In the first embodiment, the control unit 11 again acquires the predicted total power amount Ps, which is a prediction of the total power amount Pa in the case where the power consumption in the determination period during the demand control continues after the demand control is started during the demand control period. Even after the demand control is started, the control unit 11 calculates the total power amount Pa in the case where the power consumption during the demand control at the current time continues until the completion of the demand control period, and acquires it again as the predicted total power amount Ps, every time the determination period elapses. Then, the control unit 11 updates the reduced power amount D, which is set based on the reacquired predicted total power amount Ps, the target power amount S, and the target margin M. For example, even after the demand control is started, the control unit 11 newly acquires the reduced power amount D by performing the calculation of the formula (3) using the predicted total power amount Ps acquired during the demand control for each determination period in the same manner as before the demand control is started, and updates the reduced power amount D. For example, the control unit 11 updates the setting of the discharge amount from the power storage device 32 using the updated reduced power amount D. The reduced power amount D may be updated for each determination period, or may be updated every time a number of determination periods elapse.

[0046] Further, the control unit 11 acquires the extent to which the increase in the power consumption is suppressed by the demand control from the reduced power amount D. When the amount of power consumed by the load device 20 is reduced due to a change in the operating state of the load device 20 during the demand control, even when the demand control is released (stopped), the cumulative value P of the power consumption at the completion point of the demand control period may fall below the target power amount S - the target margin M. The control unit 11 releases the demand control when the predicted total power amount Ps acquired again during the demand control is smaller than the release determination power amount set based on the target power amount S. In the first embodiment, the release determination power amount is, for example, a value obtained by subtracting the target margin M from the target power amount S. That is, the control unit 11 releases the demand control when the set reduced power amount D becomes smaller than 0. Note that even after releasing the demand control, the control unit 11 again judges whether or not to perform the demand control for each judgment period during the demand control period based on either the cumulative value P or the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption.

[0047] (Demand control method) Next, a control processing flow of a demand control method by the control unit 11 in the demand system 100 (demand control device 10) according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The control processing of the demand control method is executed by the control unit 11.

[0048] First, in step S1, the amount of power consumption is obtained. For example, the amount of power consumption is obtained every minute, which is a predetermined determination period.

[0049] Next, in step S2, a cumulative value P of the power consumption during the current demand control period is acquired. The cumulative value P is acquired by accumulating the power consumption acquired repeatedly for each determination period from the start of the current demand control period.

[0050] Next, in step S3, it is determined whether the accumulated value P of the power consumption is greater than the upper power threshold. If it is determined that the accumulated value P is greater than the upper power threshold, the process proceeds to step S6. If it is determined that the accumulated value P is equal to or less than the upper power threshold, the process proceeds to step S4.

[0051] In step S4, it is determined that the cumulative value P is equal to or less than the upper limit power threshold, and it is determined whether or not the increase ΔQ in the amount of power consumption in the current judgment period is greater than a preset judgment threshold. If it is determined that the increase ΔQ in the amount of power consumption is greater than the judgment threshold, the process proceeds to step S5. If it is determined that the increase ΔQ in the amount of power consumption is equal to or less than the judgment threshold, demand control is not performed and the process returns to step S1. After returning to step S1, the process waits again until the judgment period has elapsed, and the amount of power consumption in the next judgment period is obtained.

[0052] In step S5, it is determined that the increase ΔQ in the power consumption is greater than the determination threshold, and warning information is displayed on the display unit 13. Then, the process proceeds to step S6.

[0053] In step S6, a predicted total power amount Ps is acquired to perform demand control. In the first embodiment, the total power amount Pa in the case where the power consumption amount in the current determination period is continued until the completion point of the demand control period is calculated as the predicted total power amount Ps.

[0054] Next, in step S7, it is determined whether the predicted total power amount Ps is equal to or greater than a value (target power amount S - target margin M) obtained by subtracting a target margin M from a target power amount S that is preset and stored in the storage unit 12. If it is determined that the predicted total power amount Ps is equal to or greater than the target power amount S - target margin M, the process proceeds to step S8. If it is determined that the predicted total power amount Ps is smaller than the target power amount S - target margin M, the process returns to step S1. As in step S4, after returning to step S1, the process waits again until the determination period has elapsed, and the power consumption in the next determination period is obtained.

[0055] In step S8, demand control is executed. That is, when the cumulative value P of the power consumption is greater than the upper limit power threshold, the control unit 11 executes demand control regardless of the value of the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption in the judgment period. Also, when the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption in the judgment period is greater than the judgment threshold, the control unit 11 executes demand control regardless of the value of the cumulative value P. In the demand control, the reduction amount D is set based on the predicted total power amount Ps, the target power amount S, and the target margin M acquired in step S6. Then, the operation of at least one of the load device 20 and the power storage device 32 is controlled based on the set reduction amount D.

[0056] In the first embodiment, even after the demand control is started, the power consumption amount is acquired for each judgment period during the demand control, and the predicted total power amount Ps is calculated and acquired again in the same manner as in step S6 before the demand control is started. Then, the reduced power amount D is updated based on the reacquired predicted total power amount Ps, and the operation of at least one of the load device 20 and the power storage device 32 is controlled based on the updated reduced power amount D. Furthermore, if the reacquired predicted total power amount Ps is smaller than the value obtained by subtracting the target margin M from the target power amount S, the demand control is released.

[0057] (Effects of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0058] In the first embodiment, as described above, demand control is executed when the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption in the current judgment period is greater than a predetermined judgment threshold. As a result, since demand control is executed when the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption is greater than a predetermined judgment threshold, it is possible to execute demand control appropriately when the power consumption increases suddenly. As a result, it is possible to execute demand control that suppresses the increase in the power consumption.

[0059] In the first embodiment, as described above, the control unit 11 repeatedly acquires the power consumption for each judgment period. The control unit 11 acquires the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption in the current judgment period by comparing the power consumption in the current judgment period with the power consumption in a judgment period two periods back from the current time point in the current demand control period. Here, when the power consumption increases at a point in the middle of the judgment period one period back from the current time point, when comparing the power consumption in the judgment period one period back with the power consumption in the current judgment period, the acquired increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption becomes small. In contrast, in the first embodiment, the power consumption is compared with the power consumption in the judgment period two periods back, so that the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption in the current judgment period can be appropriately acquired. Therefore, the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption acquired appropriately can be used to appropriately determine whether or not to perform demand control, and therefore the demand control can be more appropriately executed.

[0060] In the first embodiment, as described above, the control unit 11 acquires the predicted total power amount Ps that predicts the total power amount Pa in the case where the power consumption in the judgment period is continued. When the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption in the current judgment period is larger than the judgment threshold, the control unit 11 executes demand control based on the acquired predicted total power amount Ps. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress the power consumption being reduced more than necessary in the demand control by executing the demand control based on the predicted total power amount Ps. Furthermore, when the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption is larger than the judgment threshold, the demand control is executed based on the predicted total power amount Ps, so that it is possible to suppress the demand control from being executed even if the difference between the cumulative value P of the power consumption and the target power amount S is large, compared to the case where the demand control is always executed based on the predicted total power amount Ps.

[0061] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, the control unit 11 sets the reduced power amount D, which is the amount of power consumption to be reduced in the demand control, based on the predicted total power amount Ps and the target power amount S. With this configuration, the set reduced power amount D can more appropriately control the setting of the degree of suppression of the operation of the device or the output amount of the power storage device 32 in the demand control.

[0062] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, in demand control, the control unit 11 sets the amount of discharge from the power storage device 32 based on the set amount of reduced power D and the remaining time in the current demand control period. With this configuration, the amount of discharge from the power storage device 32 can be appropriately set, and therefore it is possible to prevent the total amount of power consumption from exceeding the target amount of power S due to the amount of discharge being too small, or the amount of charge in the power storage device 32 from being insufficient due to the amount of discharge being too large.

[0063] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, after demand control is started during a demand control period, the control unit 11 reacquires the predicted total power amount Ps that predicts the total power amount Pa in the case where the power consumption during the determination period during the demand control continues, and updates the set reduced power amount D based on the reacquired predicted total power amount Ps and the target power amount S. With this configuration, even if the power consumption changes due to a change in the usage status of the load device 20 after demand control is started, it is possible to appropriately execute demand control.

[0064] In the first embodiment, as described above, after the demand control is started in the demand control period, the control unit 11 again acquires the predicted total power amount Ps that predicts the total power amount Pa in the case where the power consumption amount in the determination period during the demand control is continued. The control unit 11 releases the demand control when the acquired predicted total power amount Ps is smaller than the release determination power amount set based on the target power amount S. With this configuration, the demand control can be released based on the reacquired predicted total power amount Ps, so that it is possible to prevent the demand control from being executed for a period longer than necessary. As a result, the demand control can be executed more appropriately.

[0065] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, the demand system 100 includes the display unit 13 that displays warning information indicating that the amount of power consumption has increased. When the acquired increase amount ΔQ in the amount of power consumption is greater than the judgment threshold value, the control unit 11 displays the warning information on the display unit 13. With this configuration, the increase in the amount of power consumption can be visually recognized by visually checking the display unit 13. Therefore, the user can easily and effectively recognize the increase in the amount of power consumption.

[0066] In the first embodiment, as described above, the control unit 11 executes demand control during a demand control period, regardless of the value of the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption during the judgment period, when the cumulative value P of the power consumption at the current time point is greater than the upper limit power threshold value that increases over time. With this configuration, demand control can be executed based on the upper limit power threshold value even when the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption during the judgment period at the current time point does not exceed a predetermined judgment threshold value. Therefore, when the cumulative value P of the power consumption becomes large, it is possible to determine whether or not to execute demand control based on the upper limit power threshold value, and in response to a sudden increase in the power consumption, it is possible to determine whether or not to execute demand control based on the increase amount ΔQ and the judgment threshold value, so that demand control can be executed more appropriately.

[0067] [Second embodiment] Next, the configuration of a demand system 200 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. In the second embodiment, demand control is performed based on an on-signal from a load device 20. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described.

[0068] (Configuration of a demand system according to the second embodiment) As shown in Fig. 5, a demand system 200 according to the second embodiment includes a demand control device 210. The demand control device 210 includes a control unit 211. Other configurations of the demand system 200 are similar to those of the demand system 100 of the first embodiment. Furthermore, the hardware configurations of the demand control device 210 and the control unit 211 are similar to those of the demand control device 10 and the control unit 11 of the first embodiment, respectively.

[0069] In the second embodiment, when an ON signal indicating that the operation of the load device 20 consuming power has started is acquired, the control unit 211 acquires an increase amount ΔQ in the power consumption in the current judgment period based on the amount of power in the judgment period of the preset load device 20. When an ON signal is acquired, the control unit 211 acquires an increase amount ΔQ in the power consumption in the current judgment period based on the amount of power in the judgment period of the load device 20 corresponding to the ON signal, the power consumption in the current judgment period, and the power consumption in a past judgment period within the current demand control period.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 6, when calculating the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption in the current judgment period, the control unit 211 judges whether or not an ON signal has been acquired during the judgment period one period back from the current time point. When an ON signal has been acquired during the judgment period one period back, the control unit 211 calculates the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption based on the power consumption in the current judgment period, the power consumption in the judgment period one period back, and the power consumption in the judgment period of the load device 20 set in advance. When an ON signal has been acquired during the judgment period one period back, it means that the increase in the power consumption started during the judgment period one period back. Therefore, the difference between the power consumption in the current judgment period and the power consumption in the judgment period one period back is smaller than the difference between the power consumption in the current judgment period and the power consumption in the judgment period two periods back in which the ON signal was not acquired. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the control unit 211 calculates the increase ΔQ in the power consumption in the current judgment period by adding a value corresponding to the power consumption of the load device 20 from which the on signal was acquired to the difference between the power consumption in the current judgment period and the power consumption in the previous judgment period.

[0071] For example, a case will be described where an ON signal is acquired from the load device 20 when 13 minutes and 20 seconds have elapsed since the start of the demand control period. When an ON signal is acquired at 13 minutes and 20 seconds, the control unit 211 calculates the amount of power consumed by the load device 20 from 13 minutes and 20 seconds to 14 minutes based on the amount of power consumed in the judgment period of the load device 20 corresponding to the acquired ON signal. The amount of power consumed in the judgment period of the load device 20 is set in advance for each load device 20 and stored in the storage unit 12. Then, in calculating the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption at the 15 minute point, the control unit 211 uses the amount of power consumed Q in the judgment period at the 15 minute point as the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption at the 15 minute point. 15 And the power consumption at 14 minutes Q 14The increase in the power consumption at the 15-minute point is calculated by adding the amount of power consumed by the load device 20 between 13 minutes 20 seconds and 14 minutes to the difference between the power consumption and ... L Then, the increase in power consumption at the 15-minute point, ΔQ, is calculated using the following equation (4). ΔQ=Q 15 -Q 14 +Q L (4) In other words, in the second embodiment, the control unit 211 obtains the increase ΔQ in the power consumption during the judgment period by obtaining the difference between the power consumption during the current judgment period and the power consumption during the previous judgment period minus the amount of power consumed by the load device 20 corresponding to the on signal.

[0072] In the second embodiment, the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption is calculated based on the on signal from the load device 20, and the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption is acquired in consideration of the case where the power consumption increases in the middle of the judgment period. Therefore, in the demand system 200 of the second embodiment, when the on signal is not acquired, the control unit 211 acquires the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption in the current judgment period by comparing the power consumption in the current judgment period with the power consumption in the judgment period one period before the current time. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption is acquired at an earlier timing so as to correspond to a sudden increase in the power consumption, compared to the first embodiment in which the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption is acquired by acquiring the difference with the judgment period two periods before. In addition, the on signal acquired from the load device 20 may include not only a signal indicating that the load device 20 has started operating from a stopped state, but also a signal indicating a change in the operating status of the load device 20. In other words, the on signal includes a signal indicating that the amount of power consumed in the load device 20 has changed.

[0073] The control unit 211 executes the demand control by executing the same control process as in the first embodiment based on the acquired increase amount ΔQ in the power consumption. Other configurations according to the second embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0074] [Effects of the second embodiment] In the second embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0075] In the second embodiment, as described above, when an ON signal indicating that the load device 20 consuming power has started to operate is acquired, the control unit 211 acquires the increase amount ΔQ in the power consumption in the current judgment period based on the preset power amount of the load device 20 in the judgment period. With this configuration, when an ON signal is acquired, the increase amount ΔQ in the power consumption is acquired based on the power amount of the load device 20. Therefore, even if the power consumption increases at a point in the middle of the judgment period, an appropriate value of the increase amount ΔQ in the power consumption can be acquired based on the power amount of the load device 20. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately execute demand control. Other effects of the second embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0076] [Third embodiment] Next, the configuration of the demand system 300 according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Unlike the first embodiment in which the predicted total power amount Ps is acquired assuming that the power consumption amount in the current judgment period is continued, in the third embodiment, the predicted total power amount Ps is acquired assuming that the maximum value of the power consumption amount acquired for each judgment period is continued. Note that the same reference numerals are used for the same configuration as the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0077] (Configuration of a demand system according to the third embodiment) As shown in Fig. 7, a demand system 300 according to the third embodiment includes a demand control device 310. The demand control device 310 includes a control unit 311. Other configurations of the demand system 300 are similar to those of the demand system 100 of the first embodiment. Moreover, the hardware configurations of the demand control device 310 and the control unit 311 are similar to those of the demand control device 10 and the control unit 11 of the first embodiment, respectively.

[0078] In the third embodiment, the control unit 311 acquires the maximum value of the power consumption acquired for each determination period during the demand control period. The control unit 311 also acquires a predicted total power amount Ps that predicts the total power amount Pa in the case where the maximum value of the power consumption acquired for each determination period continues.

[0079] 8, the control unit 311 acquires the power consumption for each judgment period in the current demand control period and stores it in the storage unit 12. Then, the control unit 311 acquires the maximum value from the power consumption for each judgment period stored. Then, in performing demand control, the control unit 311 calculates a predicted total power amount Ps, which is a predicted value of the total power amount Pa in the case where the power consumption in the judgment period is continued, as in the first embodiment.

[0080] In the third embodiment, the control unit 311 calculates the total power amount Pa in the case where the maximum value of the power consumption amount acquired for each judgment period in the current demand control period continues until the completion of the demand control period as the predicted total power amount Ps. The control unit 311 calculates the predicted total power amount Ps based on the acquired maximum value of the power consumption amount and the remaining time in the current demand control period. Specifically, the control unit 311 calculates the predicted total power amount Ps by adding a value obtained by subtracting the elapsed time from the demand control period (30 minutes) to the current time by multiplying the value by the maximum value of the power consumption amount in the judgment period up to the current time, and the cumulative value P of the power consumption up to the current time. For example, as shown in the example of FIG. 8, if the power consumption amount acquired at the 5th minute is the maximum value in the current demand control period until the 12th minute has elapsed from the start of the demand control period, the predicted total power amount Ps at the 12th minute is expressed by the following formula (5). Ps = P + Q5 × (30 - 12) (5) Q5 represents the maximum power consumption amount acquired at the 5 minute point. That is, in the third embodiment, the control unit 311 acquires, as the predicted total power amount Ps, the accumulated value P in the case where the maximum power consumption amount so far continues for the entire determination period from the current point in time during the demand control period.

[0081] The control unit 311 executes demand control based on the predicted total power amount Ps, similar to the first embodiment. That is, when demand control is performed, the control unit 311 sets a reduced power amount D, which is the amount of power consumption to be reduced in the demand control, based on the predicted total power amount Ps acquired from the maximum value, a preset target power amount S, and a target margin M. Then, similar to the first embodiment, the control unit 311 executes demand control by controlling the operation of at least one of the load device 20 and the power storage device 32 so that the set reduced power amount D is achieved. Other configurations according to the third embodiment are similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0082] [Effects of the third embodiment] In the third embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0083] In the third embodiment, as described above, the control unit 311 acquires the maximum value of the power consumption acquired for each judgment period during the demand control period. In addition, the control unit 311 acquires a predicted total power amount Ps that predicts the total power amount Pa in the case where the maximum value of the power consumption acquired for each judgment period continues. With this configuration, the demand control is executed based on the predicted total power amount Ps in the case where the maximum value of the power consumption acquired in the current demand control period continues, so that the demand control can be executed based on the predicted total power amount Ps that is considered to be the largest total amount of the power consumption in the current demand control period. Therefore, the increase in the power consumption can be further suppressed by the demand control. In addition, other effects of the third embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0084] [Variations] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than the description of the above embodiments, and further includes all modifications (variations) within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0085] For example, in the above first to third embodiments, an example was shown in which the demand control period is 30 minutes and the judgment period is 1 minute, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the demand control period may be a length other than 30 minutes, such as 1 hour. Furthermore, the judgment period may be a time longer than 1 minute, such as 5 minutes or 10 minutes, or may be a time shorter than 1 minute.

[0086] In the above first and third embodiments, the increase in power consumption ΔQ is obtained by comparing the power consumption in the current determination period with the power consumption in a determination period two periods back from the current time point, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the increase in power consumption may be obtained by comparing the power consumption in the current determination period with the power consumption in a determination period three or more periods back from the current time point.

[0087] In the first to third embodiments, the power consumption is repeatedly and continuously acquired for each judgment period during the demand control period, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the judgment period may be set discretely during the demand control period. For example, the judgment period may be set at one-minute intervals.

[0088] In the above first to third embodiments, an example has been shown in which the demand control is executed by setting the reduced power amount D based on the predicted total power amount Ps, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the demand control may be executed based on a preset reduced power amount without calculating the predicted total power amount in the demand control. Also, the target margin may not be used in calculating the reduced power amount. For example, the difference between the target power amount and the predicted total power amount may be set as the reduced power amount.

[0089] In the above first to third embodiments, an example has been shown in which the amount of discharge from the power storage device 32 is set in the demand control, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the demand system does not need to include a power storage device. For example, in the demand control, the amount of power to be reduced by the load device may be set, and the operation of the load device may be controlled based on the set amount of power. Furthermore, the control operation in the demand control may be performed taking into consideration the amount of power supplied from an external source such as a photovoltaic power generation device, in addition to the amount of power consumed by the power storage device and the amount of power discharged by the power storage device.

[0090] In the above first to third embodiments, even after the demand control is started, the predicted total power amount Ps is acquired based on the power consumption amount during the judgment period during the demand control, thereby updating the set reduced power amount D or canceling the demand control. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the predicted total power amount may not be acquired after the demand control is started. That is, after the demand control is started, the demand control may be continued until the demand control period is completed. Also, only one of updating the reduced power amount and canceling the demand control may be performed. Also, the cancellation judgment power amount for canceling the demand control may be calculated using a value different from the target margin for calculating the reduced power amount. For example, the cancellation judgment power amount may be set to the same value as the target power amount. Also, when updating the reduced power amount after the demand control is started, the reduced power amount may be updated by subtracting a value different from the target margin used in setting the reduced power amount before the demand control is started from the target power amount.

[0091] In the above first to third embodiments, an example is shown in which the warning information is displayed on the display unit 13 when the increase in the power consumption during the determination period is greater than ΔQ, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, a display unit may not be provided. The warning information may be notified by arranging a notification unit such as a sound output unit different from the display unit. Even when a display unit is arranged, a lighting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) may be arranged as the display unit, and the lighting device may be turned on or blinked as the warning information. Even when the display unit is a display, not only character information but also figures may be displayed as the warning information. The warning information may be displayed or notified when demand control is started.

[0092] In the second embodiment, when an on signal is acquired, the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption in the current judgment period is acquired based on the power amount in the judgment period of the load device 20 corresponding to the preset on signal, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, when an on signal is acquired, a predicted total power amount may be calculated based on the power amount in the judgment period of the load device corresponding to the preset on signal. For example, when an on signal indicating that the power amount consumed by the load device in the current judgment period has increased is acquired, the predicted total power amount may be calculated assuming that the corresponding load device has increased the power amount consumed throughout the entire current judgment period.

[0093] In the above first to third embodiments, an example is shown in which demand control is started based on either the cumulative value P of the power consumption from the start of the current demand control period to the present time or the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption in the judgment period, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, a predicted total power amount may be calculated for each judgment period, and demand control may be started when the calculated predicted total power amount is greater than a predetermined upper limit value. That is, in the present invention, in addition to being configured to execute demand control when the increase amount of power consumption is greater than a predetermined judgment threshold value, demand control may be started based on at least one of the cumulative value of the power consumption and the predicted total power amount. In addition, the demand control based on the increase amount of power consumption and the demand control based on the cumulative value or the predicted total power amount may have different contents of control processing executed. For example, in one demand control, demand control may be executed based on the predicted total power amount, and in the other demand control, control processing with preset contents may be executed without predicting the total power amount.

[0094] In the above first to third embodiments, the demand systems 100, 200, and 300 perform demand control in a store, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, demand control may be performed in a factory or an ordinary home, other than a store.

[0095] In the above first to third embodiments, the control units 11, 211, and 311 perform control processing related to demand control, including obtaining the power consumption amount, calculating the cumulative value P of the power consumption amount, calculating the increase amount ΔQ of the power consumption amount, calculating the predicted total power amount Ps, setting the reduced power amount D, setting the discharge amount of the power storage device 32, and starting, updating, and canceling the demand control. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, different control devices may communicate with each other to perform control processing related to demand control. In this case, the control device may perform the control processing by executing a program by a calculation device such as a CPU, or may perform the control processing by a circuit configuration configured by hardware. The control unit may include, for example, a personal computer, a processor, or a circuit. The control unit may include a non-volatile memory, a hard disk drive (HDD: Hard Disk Drive), or an SSD (Solid State Drive). [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 11, 211, 311 Control section 13 Display section 20 Load device 32 Energy storage device 50 Power measurement section 100, 200, 300 Demand System 101 strains

Claims

1. a power measurement unit that measures the amount of power consumed by the power grid; a control unit that performs demand control to suppress an increase in the amount of power consumption so that a total amount of power consumption, which is a total amount of the amount of power consumption for each predetermined period, does not exceed a preset target amount of power, The control unit is The power consumption amount during a predetermined determination period that is shorter than a demand control period is acquired; The power consumption amount in the current determination period is compared with the power consumption amount in the past determination period within the current demand control period to obtain an increase in the power consumption amount in the current determination period; and The demand system executes the demand control when an increase in the amount of power consumption during the current judgment period is greater than a predetermined judgment threshold.

2. The control unit is repeatedly acquiring the power consumption amount for each of the determination periods; The demand system of claim 1, wherein the increase in the amount of power consumption in the current judgment period is obtained by comparing the amount of power consumption in the current judgment period with the amount of power consumption in the judgment period two periods prior to the current time within the current demand control period.

3. The control unit is acquiring a predicted total amount of power that is a prediction of the total amount of power that will be consumed if the amount of power consumption during the determination period is continued; The demand system according to claim 1 , wherein, when an increase in the amount of power consumption in the current judgment period is greater than the judgment threshold, the demand control is executed based on the acquired predicted total amount of power.

4. The demand system according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit sets a reduced power amount, which is the power consumption amount to be reduced in the demand control, based on the predicted total power amount and the target power amount.

5. The demand system according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit, in the demand control, sets an amount of discharge from the power storage device based on the set amount of reduced power and a remaining time in a current demand control period.

6. 5. The demand system of claim 4, wherein the control unit, after the demand control is started during the demand control period, re-acquires the predicted total power amount that predicts the total power amount in the case where the power consumption amount during the judgment period during the demand control is continued, and updates the set reduced power amount based on the re-acquired predicted total power amount and the target power amount.

7. The control unit, after the demand control is started during the demand control period, again acquires the predicted total power amount obtained by predicting the total power amount in a case where the power consumption amount during the determination period during the demand control is continued; The demand system according to claim 3 , wherein the demand control is released when the acquired predicted total power amount is smaller than a release determination power amount set based on the target power amount.

8. a display unit that displays warning information indicating that the amount of power consumption has increased, The demand system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to display the warning information on the display unit when the acquired increase in the power consumption is greater than the determination threshold value.

9. 3. The demand system of claim 1, wherein the control unit executes the demand control regardless of the value of the increase in the power consumption during the judgment period when the cumulative value of the power consumption at the current point in time during the demand control period is greater than an upper limit power threshold that increases over time.

10. The demand system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit, when an on signal indicating that operation of a load device consuming power has started, obtains an increase in the amount of power consumption in the current judgment period based on a predetermined amount of power of the load device in the judgment period.

11. The control unit is During the demand control period, a maximum value of the power consumption amount acquired for each determination period is acquired, and The demand system according to claim 3 , further comprising: acquiring the predicted total power amount that is calculated by predicting the total power amount in a case where the maximum value of the power consumption amount acquired for each of the determination periods continues.

12. Obtaining a power consumption amount of power supplied from a grid during a predetermined determination period; acquiring an increase in the amount of power consumption in the current determination period by comparing the amount of power consumption in the current determination period with the amount of power consumption in a past determination period within the current demand control period during a demand control period that is longer than the determination period; a step of executing demand control to suppress the increase in the power consumption amount when the increase in the power consumption amount in the current judgment period is greater than a predetermined judgment threshold value, so that the total amount of power consumption, which is the sum of the power consumption amounts for each demand control period, does not exceed a predetermined target amount of power.

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