Control system, control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a control system, a control method, and a program, which enable suppression of power consumption while avoiding impairment of plant growth.SOLUTION: A control system for controlling a plant factory in which plants are grown includes: an environment management unit, which changes an environment for growing the plants by controlling at least one of light, water, air, and nutrients supplied to the plants; and a control unit, which controls operation of the environment management unit so that power consumption of the environment management unit is suppressed within a range where the yield of the plants does not drop below a predetermined value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, a control system for controlling a plant factory (for example, a plant factory using only artificial light) for growing plants has been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The control system includes, for example, an environment management unit that changes the environment in which the plants grow by controlling the light supplied to the plants, and a control unit that controls the environment management unit. In such a control system, the management unit is generally controlled to realize an optimal environment for plant growth. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-159002 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] For example, in the control system described above, the power consumption of the environmental control unit may increase in order to maintain an optimal environment for plant growth. While it may be possible to simply limit the operation of the environmental control unit to reduce its power consumption, this may hinder plant growth. Therefore, it may be difficult to reduce the power consumption of the environmental control unit.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a control system, a control method, and a program that can reduce power consumption while not impairing plant growth. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, a control system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is a control system for controlling a plant factory in which plants are grown, and changes the environment in which the plants grow by controlling at least one of light, water, air, and nutrients supplied to the plants. It includes an environmental management unit and a control unit that controls the operation of the environmental management unit so as to suppress the power consumption of the environmental management unit within a range where the yield of the plants does not fall below a predetermined value.

[0007] Further, Embodiment 2 of the present invention is the control system according to Embodiment 1, further including a power storage unit that stores power, and the control unit controls the operation of the environmental management unit based on the amount of power stored in the power storage unit.

[0008] Further, Embodiment 3 of the present invention is the control system according to Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, further including a power generation unit that generates power, and the control unit controls the operation of the environmental management unit based on the amount of power generated by the power generation unit.

[0009] Further, Embodiment 4 of the present invention is the control system according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 3, further including a power receiving unit that receives power supplied from outside the control system, and the control unit controls the operation of the environmental management unit based on the amount of power received by the power receiving unit.

[0010] Further, Embodiment 5 of the present invention is the control system according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 4, further including a DR command acquisition unit that acquires a DR command related to the magnitude of power consumption required by the environmental management unit, and the control unit is based on the DR command acquired by the DR command acquisition unit. Controls the operation of the environmental management unit.

[0011] Further, Embodiment 6 of the present invention is the control system according to Embodiment 5. When the DR command acquisition unit acquires the DR command related to the up DR that requests an increase in the power consumption of the environmental management unit, the control unit is based on the DR command related to the up DR. Controls the operation of the environmental management unit so as to increase the power consumption of the environmental management unit.

[0012] Further, in the control system according to any one of Aspects 1 to 6 of the present invention, the control unit controls the operation of the environment management unit based on the past control contents performed by the control unit on the environment management unit.

[0013] Further, in the control system according to Aspect 7 of the present invention, when the control unit has performed control to suppress the power consumption of the environment management unit in the past, the control unit controls the operation of the environment management unit so as to increase the power consumption of the environment management unit.

[0014] In order to solve the above problems, a control method according to Aspect 9 of the present invention is a control system for controlling a plant factory in which plants grow, the control system including an environment management unit that changes the environment in which the plants grow by controlling at least one of light, water, air, and nutrients supplied to the plants, and controls the operation of the environment management unit so as to suppress the power consumption of the environment management unit within a range where the yield of the plants does not fall below a predetermined value.

[0015] In order to solve the above problems, a program according to Aspect 10 of the present invention is a control system for controlling a plant factory in which plants grow, the control system including an environment management unit that changes the environment in which the plants grow by controlling at least one of light, water, air, and nutrients supplied to the plants, and causes a computer to control the operation of the environment management unit so as to suppress the power consumption of the environment management unit within a range where the yield of the plants does not fall below a predetermined value.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] According to the above aspects of the present invention, it is possible to provide a control system, a control method, and a program capable of suppressing power consumption while not impairing the growth of plants.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

Figure 1

Figure 2A

Figure 2B

Figure 2C

Figure 2D

Figure 2E

Figure 2F

Figure 2G

Figure 3

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, a control system, a control method, and a program according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0019] <Control System> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of a control system 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the control system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a communication unit 11, a power reception unit 12, a power generation unit 13, a power storage unit 14, a sensor unit 15, a control unit 20, a storage unit 30, and an environmental management unit 40.

[0020] The control system 1 controls a plant factory 2 that grows plants 3. The plant factory 2 has, for example, a plurality of plants 3. The plant factory 2 may have, for example, a container for accommodating the plants 3. The plant factory 2 may be, for example, a completely artificial light type plant factory.

[0021] The communication unit 11 is a communication device. The communication unit 11 may be configured as, for example, a network interface. The communication unit 11 performs data communication with another device (for example, the second control unit 50) via a network according to the control of the control unit 20. The communication unit 11 may be a device that performs wireless communication or a device that performs wired communication.

[0022] Note that the term "network" in this specification may be a network using wireless communication or a network using wired communication. The "network" may be configured using, for example, the Internet, or may be configured using a local area network (LAN). The "network" may be configured by combining a plurality of networks.

[0023] The communication unit 11 also functions as a DR command acquisition unit that acquires a DR command (details will be described later). The communication unit 11 outputs the DR command acquired from the second control unit 50 to the control unit 20. Further, the communication unit 11 also functions as a reporting unit that reports the DR available amount of the control system 1 to the second control unit 50. The communication unit 11 reports the DR available amount to the second control unit 50 according to the control of the control unit 20.

[0024] The power receiving unit 12 receives power supplied from outside the control system 1. The power receiving unit 12 supplies the received power to the power storage unit 14.

[0025] The power generation unit 13 generates power. The power generation unit 13 is, for example, a power generation facility provided in the plant factory 2. The power generation unit 13 may be a power generation facility that generates power from renewable energy such as sunlight or wind power. The power generation unit 13 may be a solar panel provided in a container owned by the plant factory 2. The power generation unit 13 supplies the generated power to the power storage unit 14.

[0026] The power storage unit 14 stores (accumulates) power. Specifically, the power storage unit 14 receives and stores the power supplied from the power receiving unit 12 and the power generation unit 13. The power stored in the power storage unit 14 is consumed, for example, by the environment management unit 40 or the like. The power storage unit 14 outputs information indicating the current power storage amount to the control unit 20.

[0027] The sensor unit 15 acquires information on the environment (plant factory 2) in which the plant 3 grows. The sensor unit 15 may include, for example, a gas sensor and a water quality sensor. The gas sensor may acquire information such as the temperature, carbon dioxide concentration, and humidity in the environment. The water quality sensor may acquire information such as the water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration of the nutrient solution supplied to the plant 3. The sensor unit 15 outputs the acquired information to the control unit 20.

[0028] The environment management unit 40 changes the environment in which the plant 3 grows by controlling at least one of the light, water, air, and nutrients supplied to the plant 3. The environment management unit 40 according to the present embodiment includes at least one of a light 41, an air conditioner 42, and a pump 43. The environment management unit 40 may include a plurality of at least one of the light 41, the air conditioner 42, and the pump 43. The environment management unit 40 may include ventilation means such as a ventilation fan. Note that the configuration of the environment management unit 40 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the environment management unit 40 may not include one or two of the light 41, the air conditioner 42, and the pump 43.

[0029] The light 41 controls the light supplied to the plant 3 by consuming the power stored in the power storage unit 14. Examples of the light 41 include LEDs. The air conditioner 42 controls the air (temperature) supplied to the plant 3 by consuming the power stored in the power storage unit 14. The pump 43 controls at least one of the water and nutrients shared by the plant 3 by consuming the power stored in the power storage unit 14. Examples of the pump 43 include a nutrient solution circulation pump for circulating the nutrient solution supplied to the plant 3, an aeration pump for supplying oxygen to the nutrient solution, and combinations thereof.

[0030] The storage unit 30 is configured using a storage device such as a magnetic hard disk drive or a semiconductor memory device. The storage unit 30 stores data used by the control unit 20. The storage unit 30 stores data necessary when the control unit 20 performs processing.

[0031] For example, the storage unit 30 stores the past control contents performed by the control unit 20 on the environment management unit 40. The storage unit 30 according to the present embodiment stores, as parameters related to the past control contents performed on the environment management unit 40, the stop integrated time T of the LED lighting L停 , the up DR integrated time T 上 , and the down DR integrated time T 下Hi , T 下Low , T 下Min (details will be described later).

[0032] Each of the control unit 20 and the second control unit 50 is configured using a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory (main storage device). Each of the control unit 20 and the second control unit 50 functions when the processor executes a program. Note that all or part of each function of the control unit 20 and the second control unit 50 may be realized using hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0033] The above program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium is, for example, a portable medium such as a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD-ROM, a semiconductor memory device (e.g., SSD: Solid State Drive), or a storage device such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory device built into a computer system. The above program may be transmitted via a telecommunication line.

[0034] Each of the control unit 20 and the second control unit 50 is, for example, an EMS (Energy Management System). The second control unit 50 is, for example, outside the control system 1. The second control unit 50 may be, for example, a VEMS (Village Energy Management System). The second control unit 50 is communicably connected via a network to a plurality of EMSs including the control unit 20. The EMS as the control unit 20 included in the control system 1 is also referred to as a PEMS (Plant-Factory Energy Management System).

[0035] The second control unit 50 generates a DR command for the control unit 20 based on, for example, predicted values of power demand and power supply in the area where the control system 1 (plant factory 2) is located, information such as the DR-capable amount reported from the control unit 20, etc. The second control unit 50 outputs the generated DR command to the control unit 20 via the network and the communication unit 11. The second control unit 50 may output to the control unit 20 a DR command such that DR is activated (control of power consumption according to the DR command) in the light period described later.

[0036] Here, the "DR command" in this specification is a command related to the magnitude of power consumption required of the control system 1 (for example, the environment management unit 40). Examples of the types of DR include a down-DR that requests suppression of power consumption and an up-DR that requests an increase in power consumption.

[0037] Also, the DR command related to the up-DR may be divided into a plurality of levels according to the degree of increase in power consumption. For example, the DR command related to the up-DR may be divided into two levels of "up-DR-Hi" and "up-DR-Low". "Up-DR-Hi" corresponds to the case where the power consumption by the control system 1 should be greatly increased. "Up-DR-Low" corresponds to the case where the power consumption by the control system 1 should be increased to a lesser degree than "up-DR-Hi".

[0038] Similarly, DR commands related to downward DR may be classified into multiple levels according to the degree of suppression of power consumption. For example, DR commands related to downward DR may be classified into three levels: "Downward DR-Hi", "Downward DR-Low", and "Downward DR-Min". "Downward DR-Hi" corresponds to the case where the power consumption by the control system 1 should be greatly suppressed. "Downward DR-Low" corresponds to the case where the power consumption by the control system 1 should be suppressed to a lesser degree than "Downward DR-Hi". "Downward DR-Min" corresponds to the case where the power consumption by the control system 1 should be suppressed to an even lesser degree than "Downward DR-Low".

[0039] The control unit 20 controls the operation of the environmental management unit 40 based on, for example, the DR command sent from the second control unit 50, the power reception amount of the power reception unit 12 (e.g., the presence or absence of a power outage), the power generation amount of the power generation unit 13, the power storage amount of the power storage unit 14, and the like. The control unit 20 may control the operation of the environmental management unit 40 based on the past control content performed on the environmental management unit 40 by the control unit 20 (details will be described later).

[0040] The control unit 20 controls the operation of the environmental management unit 40 so as to suppress the power consumption of the environmental management unit 40, for example, within a range where the yield of the plant 3 does not fall below a predetermined value (in other words, within a range that does not inhibit the growth of the plant 3). Specifically, the operating conditions of the environmental management unit 40 for the yield of the plant 3 not to fall below a predetermined value are calculated in advance, and the control unit 20 controls the environmental management unit 40 based on the calculation result. In the present embodiment, the "operating conditions of the environmental management unit 40 for the type of the plant 3 not to fall below a predetermined value" correspond to the processes of the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 2A to 2G and each operation mode shown in FIG. 3 (details will be described later).

[0041] <Control Method> Figures 2A to 2G are flowcharts showing an example of the control method according to the present embodiment. The processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 2A is automatically started, for example, based on a predetermined time interval. In the present embodiment, the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 2A is started every minute. However, the execution period of the flowchart does not have to be one minute and can be changed as appropriate. Further, the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 2A may also be started when the control unit 20 (communication unit 11) receives a DR command indicating the end of DR. The raise DR integration time T stored in the storage unit 30 上 , the lower DR integration time T 下Hi , T 下Low , T 下Min The values of may be updated (reset) to zero, for example, at 0:00 every day.

[0042] The control system 1 (control unit 20) operates (drives) the environment management unit 40 based on any one of the plurality of operation modes shown in FIG. 3 by performing the processing of the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 2A to 2G. Details of each operation mode will be described later.

[0043] "LED (main)", "LED (sub) main power supply", and "LED (sub) controller" in FIG. 3 correspond to the above-described light 41. That is, the environmental management unit 40 according to the present embodiment has two lights including LED (main) (also referred to as "first light") and LED (sub) (also referred to as "second light"). In the present embodiment, LED (main) emits white light, and LED (sub) emits blue, green, and red light. LED (sub) is configured to be able to change power consumption and light amount by a combination of turning on / off the main power supply and turning on / off the controller. That is, in the state where the main power supply is on and the controller is off (first state), LED (sub) consumes a predetermined power (for example, about the same power consumption as LED (main)) and emits light with a predetermined light amount (for example, about the same light amount as LED (main)). In the state where the main power supply is on and the controller is on (second state), LED (sub) consumes less power than in the first state and emits light with a light amount less than that in the first state (for example, about half of the light amount in the first state). In the state where the main power supply is off (third state), regardless of the state of the controller, the power consumption and light amount of LED (sub) are zero. However, the specific configuration (emission color, type, control method, etc.) of the light 41 is not limited to this example and can be changed as appropriate. "Air conditioner" in FIG. 3 corresponds to the above-described air conditioner 42, and "pump" corresponds to the above-described pump 43 (specifically, nutrient solution circulation pump).

[0044] ≪Branch Processing≫ The flowchart shown in FIG. 2A includes the processes of steps S101 to S104. The processes of steps S101 to S104 correspond to a mode selection process for branching the process of the control system 1 according to the presence or absence of a power outage, the presence or absence of a DR command by the second control unit, the presence or absence of an abnormality detection, and the like. As shown below, the process of the control system 1 branches to one of the five flowcharts shown in FIGS. 2B to 2F by the processes of steps S101 to S104.

[0045] (Step S101) When the process of the flowchart shown in FIG. 2A starts, first, the process of step S101 is performed. In the process of step S101, the control unit 20 determines whether the control system 1 is in normal operation. For example, the control unit 20 may determine that the control system 1 is in normal operation when there is no power outage (a state where the power reception amount by the power reception unit 12 is zero), and no DR command to activate DR has been received, and no abnormality has been detected in the control system 1. When the control unit 20 determines that the control system 1 is in normal operation (step S101; YES), the process of step S201 shown in FIG. 2B is performed. When the control unit 20 determines that the control system 1 is not in normal operation (step S101; NO), the process of step S102 is performed.

[0046] (Step S102) In the process of step S102, the control unit 20 determines whether the plant factory 2 is in a power outage. In other words, the control unit 20 determines whether the power reception amount by the power reception unit 12 is zero. When the control unit 20 determines that the plant factory 2 is in a power outage (the power reception amount is zero) (step S102; YES), the process of step S301 shown in FIG. 2C is performed. When the control unit 20 determines that the plant factory 2 is not in a power outage (the power reception amount is not zero) (step S102; NO), the process of step S103 is performed.

[0047] (Step S103) In the process of step S103, the control unit 20 determines whether DR is being activated. In other words, the control unit 20 determines whether there is a DR command from the second control unit to activate DR. When the control unit 20 determines that DR is being activated (step S103; YES), the process of step S104 is performed. When the control unit 20 determines that DR is not being activated (step S103; NO), the process of step S601 shown in FIG. 2F is performed. In step S104, when the control unit 20 determines that DR is not being activated, it corresponds to the case where some abnormality has been detected in the control system 1.

[0048] (Step S104) In the process of Step S104, the control unit 20 determines whether the content of the DR command is a lowering DR. When the control unit 20 determines that the content of the DR command is a lowering DR (Step S104; YES), the process of Step S401 shown in FIG. 2D is performed. When the control unit 20 determines that the content of the DR command is not a lowering DR (that is, it is a raising DR) (Step S104; NO), the process of Step S501 shown in FIG. 2E is performed.

[0049] ≪Processing during normal times≫ The flowchart shown in FIG. 2B includes the processes of Step S201 to Step S206. The processes of Step S201 to Step S206 correspond to the processes performed by the control system 1 during normal times (that is, when there is no power outage, DR activation, or abnormality detection).

[0050] (Step S201) In Step S201, the control unit 20 sets the operation mode (operation mode) of the environment management unit 40 to the normal operation mode. After the process of Step S201 is performed, the process of Step S202 is performed.

[0051] (Step S202) In Step S202, the control unit 20 selects a light period mode or a dark period mode as the operation mode of the environment management unit 40 based on the current time. As shown in FIG. 3, the normal operation mode of the environment management unit 40 is divided into two types: a light period mode and a dark period mode. When the current time corresponds to the light period, the control unit 20 selects the light period mode as the operation mode of the environment management unit 40. When the current time corresponds to the dark period, the control unit 20 selects the dark period mode as the operation mode of the environment management unit 40. The light period may be, for example, a period from 4 o'clock to 20 o'clock. The dark period may be, for example, a period from 20 o'clock to 4 o'clock. After the process of Step S202 is performed, the process of Step S203 is performed.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 3, in the light period mode of the normal operation mode, the LED (main), the air conditioner, and the pump are set to on, and the LED (sub) is set to off. On the other hand, in the dark period mode of the normal operation mode, the air conditioner and the pump are set to on, and the LED (main) and the LED (sub) are set to off.

[0053] (Step S203) In step S203, the control unit 20 determines whether the power storage amount of the power storage unit 14 is greater than a predetermined lower limit value (see FIG. 2B). When the control unit 20 determines that the power storage amount of the power storage unit 14 is greater than the predetermined lower limit value (step S203; YES), the process of step S205 is performed. When the control unit 20 determines that the power storage amount of the power storage unit 14 is not greater than the predetermined lower limit value (that is, less than or equal to the predetermined lower limit value) (step S203; NO), the process of step S204 is performed. The "predetermined lower limit value" may be set, for example, to a value of 0 to 10% of the power storage capacity of the power storage unit 14.

[0054] (Step S204) In step S204, the control unit 20 reports to the second control unit 50 through the communication unit 11 and the network that the DR available amount of the control system 1 is zero. After the process of step S204 is performed, the process of the flowchart ends.

[0055] (Step S205) In step S205, the control unit 20 determines whether the power storage amount of the power storage unit 14 is less than a predetermined upper limit value. When the control unit 20 determines that the power storage amount of the power storage unit 14 is less than the predetermined upper limit value (step S205; YES), the process of step S206 is performed. When the control unit 20 determines that the power storage amount of the power storage unit 14 is not less than the predetermined upper limit value (that is, greater than or equal to the predetermined upper limit value) (step S205; NO), the process of step S701 shown in FIG. 2G is performed. The "predetermined upper limit value" may be set, for example, to a value of 100% of the power storage capacity of the power storage unit 14.

[0056] (Step S206) In step S206, the control unit 20 reports the DR available amount of the control system 1 to the second control unit 50 through the communication unit 11 and the network. The reported DR available amount may be calculated by the control unit 20. After the process of step S206 is performed, the process of the flowchart ends.

[0057] ≪Processing during power outage≫ The flowchart shown in FIG. 2C includes the processes of steps S301 to S305. The processes of steps S301 to S305 correspond to the processes performed by the control system 1 during a power outage.

[0058] (Step S301) In step S301, the control unit 20 sets the operation mode (operating mode) of the environment management unit 40 to the power outage mode. After the process of step S301 is performed, the process of step S302 is performed.

[0059] (Step S302) In step S302, the control unit 20 selects the light period mode or the dark period mode as the operation mode of the environment management unit 40 based on the current time. As shown in FIG. 3, the power outage mode of the environment management unit 40 is divided into two types: the light period mode and the dark period mode. When the current time corresponds to the light period, the control unit 20 selects the light period mode as the operation mode of the environment management unit 40. When the current time corresponds to the dark period, the control unit 20 selects the dark period mode as the operation mode of the environment management unit 40. After the process of step S302 is performed, the process of step S303 is performed.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 3, in the light period mode of the power outage mode, the main power supply of the LED (sub), the controller, and the pump are set to on, the air conditioner is set to on (weak), and the LED (main) is set to off. On the other hand, in the dark period mode of the power outage mode, the pump is set to on, the air conditioner is set to on (weak), and the LED (main) and the LED (sub) are set to off. Here, the “(weak)” attached to the on of the air conditioner means changing the set temperature by 1° C. to suppress power consumption. For example, when the outside air temperature is higher than the temperature inside the plant factory 2 (for example, in summer or when the plant factory 2 is in a warm area), the control unit 20 raises the set temperature by 1° C., and when the outside air temperature is lower than the temperature inside the plant factory 2 (for example, in winter or when the plant factory 2 is in a cold area), the control unit 20 lowers the set temperature by 1° C.

[0061] The light period mode of the power outage mode is different from the light period mode of the normal operation mode in the type of light to be emitted. As a result, the power consumption of the environmental management unit 40 is reduced, and the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 is reduced. Also, the light period mode of the power outage mode has a lower power consumption of the air conditioner compared to the light period mode of the normal operation mode. Similarly, the dark period mode of the power outage mode has a lower power consumption of the air conditioner compared to the dark period mode of the normal operation mode.

[0062] (Step S303) In the process of step S303, the control unit 20 reports to the second control unit 50 through the communication unit 11 and the network that the DR available amount of the control system 1 is zero (see FIG. 2C). After the process of step S303 is performed, the process of step S304 is performed.

[0063] (Step S304) In the process of step S304, the control unit 20 determines whether the current time corresponds to the light period. When the control unit 20 determines that the current time corresponds to the light period (step S304; YES), the process of step S305 is performed. When the control unit 20 determines that the current time does not correspond to the light period (that is, corresponds to the dark period), the process of the flowchart ends.

[0064] (Step S305) In the process of Step S305, the control unit 20 obtains the stop integration time T of the LED lighting stored in the storage unit 30 L停 and updates it to a value obtained by adding 0.8 minutes to the stop integration time T L停 . The control unit 20 stores the updated value in the storage unit 30. After the process of Step S305 is performed, the flowchart process ends.

[0065] As described above, in the light period mode of the power failure mode, the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 is less than that in the light period mode of the normal operation mode. If the plant 3 is left unattended with a small amount of light supplied to it, the growth of the plant 3 may be inhibited, and the yield of the plant 3 may fall below a predetermined value. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the time during which the light amount was reduced during the time when light should originally be irradiated (light period) is stored as the stop integration time T L停 , and a recovery operation (see FIG. 2G) described later is performed based on this information. Note that in the light period mode of the power failure mode, the light 41 is not completely turned off, and the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 does not become zero. Therefore, in the process of Step S305, a value of 0.8 minutes, which is shorter than the execution period of the flowchart, i.e., 1 minute, is added to the stop integration time T L停 . The value added to the stop integration time T L停 in the process of Step S305 can be appropriately changed according to the amount of light irradiated to the plant 3 (in other words, the power consumption of the light 41) in the light period mode of the power failure mode.

[0066] ≪Processing when the lowering DR is activated≫ The flowchart shown in FIG. 2D includes the processes of Step S401 to Step S413. The processes of Step S401 to Step S413 correspond to the processes performed by the control system 1 when the lowering DR is activated (that is, when the lowering DR is executed based on the DR command).

[0067] (Step S401) In the process of Step S401, the control unit 20 determines whether the content of the DR command is "Lower DR-Hi". When the control unit 20 determines that the content of the DR command is "Lower DR-Hi" (Step S401; YES), the process of Step S402 is performed. When the control unit 20 determines that the content of the DR command is not "Lower DR-Hi" (Step S401; NO), the process of Step S405 is performed.

[0068] (Step S402) In the process of Step S402, the control unit 20 determines whether the accumulated lowering DR time T 下Hi stored in the storage unit 30 is less than 60 minutes. When the control unit 20 determines that the accumulated lowering DR time T 下Hi is less than 60 minutes (Step S402; YES), the process of Step S403 is performed. When the control unit 20 determines that the accumulated lowering DR time T 下Hi is not less than 60 minutes (i.e., 60 minutes or more) (Step S402; NO), the process of Step S413 is performed. The accumulated lowering DR time T 下Hi is the integrated value of the time when the environmental management unit 40 operates (operates) in the lowering DR-Hi mode described later.

[0069] (Step S403) In the process of Step S403, the control unit 20 sets the operation mode (operation mode) of the environmental management unit 40 to the lowering DR-Hi mode shown in FIG. 3. After the process of Step S403 is performed, the process of Step S404 is performed.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 3, in the lowering DR-Hi mode, all of the LED (main), LED (sub), air conditioner, and pump are set to off. Thereby, the power consumption of the environmental management unit 40 is suppressed to the maximum extent. For example, the power consumption of the environmental management unit 40 in the lowering DR-Hi mode becomes smaller compared to the power consumption of the environmental management unit 40 in the light period mode of the normal operation mode. Also, in the lowering DR-Hi mode, the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 becomes zero.

[0071] (Step S404) In the process of Step S404, the control unit 20 adds 1 minute to the lowering DR integration time T stored in the storage unit 30, and updates it to the value obtained by adding 1 minute to the lowering DR integration time T (see Fig. 2D). The control unit 20 stores the updated value in the storage unit 30. After the process of Step S404 is performed, the process of Step S412 is performed. 下Hi to the lowering DR integration time T 下Hi and updates it to the value obtained by adding 1 minute to the lowering DR integration time T (see Fig. 2D). The control unit 20 stores the updated value in the storage unit 30. After the process of Step S404 is performed, the process of Step S412 is performed.

[0072] (Step S405) In the process of Step S405, the control unit 20 determines whether the content of the DR command is "lowering DR-Low". If the control unit 20 determines that the content of the DR command is "lowering DR-Low" (Step S405; YES), the process of Step S406 is performed. If the control unit 20 determines that the content of the DR command is not "lowering DR-Low" (i.e., "lowering DR-Min") (Step S405; NO), the process of Step S409 is performed.

[0073] (Step S406) In the process of Step S406, the control unit 20 determines whether the lowering DR integration time T stored in the storage unit 30 is less than 180 minutes. If the control unit 20 determines that the lowering DR integration time T is less than 180 minutes (Step S406; YES), the process of Step S407 is performed. If the control unit 20 determines that the lowering DR integration time T is not less than 180 minutes (i.e., 180 minutes or more) (Step S406; NO), the process of Step S413 is performed. The lowering DR integration time T is the integrated value of the time when the environmental management unit 40 operates (operates) in the lowering DR-Low mode described later. 下Low is less than 180 minutes. If the control unit 20 determines that the lowering DR integration time T 下Low is less than 180 minutes (Step S406; YES), the process of Step S407 is performed. If the control unit 20 determines that the lowering DR integration time T 下Low is not less than 180 minutes (i.e., 180 minutes or more) (Step S406; NO), the process of Step S413 is performed. The lowering DR integration time T 下Low is the integrated value of the time when the environmental management unit 40 operates (operates) in the lowering DR-Low mode described later.

[0074] (Step S407) In the process of Step S407, the control unit 20 sets the operation mode (operation mode) of the environmental management unit 40 to the lowering DR-Low mode shown in Fig. 3. After the process of Step S407 is performed, the process of Step S408 is performed.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 3, in the lowering DR-Low mode, the pump is set to on, and the LED (main), LED (sub), and air conditioner are set to off. As a result, the power consumption of the environmental management unit 40 in the lowering DR-Low mode is greater than that in the lowering DR-Hi mode, but smaller than that in the light period mode of the normal operation mode. Also, even in the lowering DR-Low mode, the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 becomes zero.

[0076] (Step S408) In the process of step S408, the control unit 20 adds 1 minute to the lowering DR integration time T stored in the storage unit 30 下Low and updates it to the value obtained by adding 1 minute to the lowering DR integration time T 下Low (see FIG. 2D). The control unit 20 stores the updated value in the storage unit 30. After the process of step S408 is performed, the process of step S412 is performed.

[0077] (Step S409) In the process of step S409, the control unit 20 determines whether the lowering DR integration time T stored in the storage unit 30 下Min is less than 180 minutes. If the control unit 20 determines that the lowering DR integration time T 下Min is less than 180 minutes (step S409; YES), the process of step S410 is performed. If the control unit 20 determines that the lowering DR integration time T 下Min is not less than 180 minutes (i.e., 180 minutes or more) (step S409; NO), the process of step S413 is performed. The lowering DR integration time T 下Min is the integrated value of the time during which the environmental management unit 40 operates (operates) in the lowering DR-Min mode described later.

[0078] (Step S410) In the process of step S410, the control unit 20 sets the operation mode (operation mode) of the environmental management unit 40 to the lowering DR-Min mode shown in FIG. 3. After the process of step S410 is performed, the process of step S411 is performed.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 3, in the lowering DR-Min mode, the air conditioner is set to on (weak), the pump is set to on, and the LED (main) and LED (sub) are set to off. As a result, the power consumption of the environmental management unit 40 in the lowering DR-Min mode is larger than that in the lowering DR-Low mode, but smaller than that in the light period mode of the normal operation mode. Also, even in the lowering DR-Min mode, the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 becomes zero.

[0080] (Step S411) In the process of Step S411, the control unit 20 adds 1 minute to the lowering DR integration time T 下Min stored in the storage unit 30 and updates it to the value obtained by adding 1 minute to the lowering DR integration time T 下Min (see FIG. 2D). The control unit 20 stores the updated value in the storage unit 30. After the process of Step S411 is performed, the process of Step S412 is performed.

[0081] (Step S412) In Step S412, the control unit 20 adds 1 minute to the stop integration time T L停 of the LED lighting stored in the storage unit 30 and updates it to the value obtained by adding 1 minute to the stop integration time T L停 (see FIG. 2D). The control unit 20 stores the updated value in the storage unit 30. After the process of Step S412 is performed, the flowchart process ends.

[0082] As described above, in any of the lowering DR-Hi mode, the lowering DR-Low mode, and the lowering DR-Min mode, the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 becomes zero. If the plant 3 is left with the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 being zero, the growth of the plant 3 is inhibited, and the yield of the plant 3 may fall below a predetermined value. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the time during which the operation of the environmental management unit 40 based on the lowering DR-Hi mode, the lowering DR-Low mode, and the lowering DR-Min mode is performed is also stored as the stop integration time T L停 and a recovery operation (see FIG. 2G) described later is performed based on this information. The value of "1 minute" in the process of Step S412 is based on the fact that the execution period of the flowchart is 1 minute.

[0083] (Step S413) In the process of Step S413, the control unit 20 sets the operation mode (operation mode) of the environment management unit 40 to the normal operation mode (for example, the light period mode). After the process of Step S413 is performed, the process of the flowchart ends.

[0084] The value of "1 minute" in the processes of Step S404, Step S408, and Step S411 described above is based on the fact that the execution period of the flowchart is 1 minute. The lowering DR integration time T 下Hi , T 下Low , T 下Min in Steps

[0085] By combining the integration (update) process of

[0086] and the branching processes in Step S402, Step S406, and Step S409 described above, the operation of the environment management unit 40 based on each lowering DR mode is configured not to continue for a period longer than the predetermined DR duration described in FIG. 3.

[0087] ≪Processing when raising DR is activated≫ The flowchart shown in FIG. 2E includes the processes of steps S501 to S507. The processes of steps S501 to S507 correspond to the processes performed by the control system 1 when the raise DR is activated (i.e., when the raise DR is executed based on a DR command).

[0088] (Step S501) In the process of step S501, the control unit 20 determines whether the raise DR integration time T 上 stored in the storage unit 30 is less than 240 minutes. If the control unit 20 determines that the raise DR integration time T 上 is less than 240 minutes (step S501; YES), the process of step S503 is performed. If the control unit 20 determines that the raise DR integration time T 上 is not less than 240 minutes (i.e., 240 minutes or more) (step S501; NO), the process of step S502 is performed. The raise DR integration time T 上 is the integrated value of the time during which the environmental management unit 40 operates (operates) in the raise DR-Hi mode or the raise DR-Low mode described later.

[0089] (Step S502) In the process of step S502, the control unit 20 sets the operation mode (operation mode) of the environmental management unit 40 to the normal operation mode (for example, the light period mode). After the process of step S502 is performed, the process of the flowchart ends.

[0090] (Step S503) In the process of step S503, the control unit 20 determines whether the content of the DR command is "raise DR-Hi". If the control unit 20 determines that the content of the DR command is "raise DR-Hi" (step S5031; YES), the process of step S504 is performed. If the control unit 20 determines that the content of the DR command is not "raise DR-Hi" (i.e., "raise DR-Low") (step S503; NO), the process of step S505 is performed.

[0091] (Step S504) In the process of Step S504, the control unit 20 sets the operation mode (operation mode) of the environment management unit 40 to the raise DR-Hi mode shown in FIG. 3. After the process of Step S504 is performed, the process of Step S506 is performed.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 3, in the raise DR-Hi mode, the main power supplies of the LED (main), LED (sub), and the pump are set to on, the air conditioner is set to on (strong), and the controller of the LED (sub) is set to off. Here, the “(strong)” attached to the on of the air conditioner means changing the set temperature by 1° C. to increase the power consumption. For example, when the outside air temperature is higher than the temperature inside the plant factory 2 (for example, in summer or when the plant factory 2 is in a warm region), the control unit 20 lowers the set temperature by 1° C., and when the outside air temperature is lower than the temperature inside the plant factory 2 (for example, in winter or when the plant factory 2 is in a cold region), the control unit 20 raises the set temperature by 1° C.

[0093] In the raise DR-Hi mode, by performing the above settings, the power consumption of the environment management unit 40 is maximally increased. For example, the power consumption of the environment management unit 40 in the raise DR-Hi mode becomes larger compared to the power consumption of the environment management unit 40 in the light period mode of the normal operation mode. Also, in the raise DR-Hi mode, the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 becomes more than that in the light period mode of the normal operation mode.

[0094] (Step S505) In the process of Step S505, the control unit 20 sets the operation mode (operation mode) of the environment management unit 40 to the raise DR-Low mode shown in FIG. 3 (see FIG. 2E). After the process of Step S505 is performed, the process of Step S506 is performed.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 3, in the raise DR-Low mode, the main power supplies of LED (main) and LED (sub), the air conditioner, and the pump are set to on, and the controller of LED (sub) is set to off. As a result, the power consumption of the environment management unit 40 in the raise DR-Low mode is smaller than that in the raise DR-Hi mode, but larger than that in the light period mode of the normal operation mode. Also, even in the raise DR-Low mode, the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 is larger than that in the light period mode of the normal operation mode.

[0096] (Step S506) In the process of Step S506, the control unit 20 adds 1 minute to the raise DR integration time T 上 stored in the storage unit 30, and updates it to the value obtained by adding 1 minute to the raise DR integration time T 上 (see FIG. 2E). The control unit 20 stores the updated value in the storage unit 30. After the process of Step S506 is performed, the process of Step S507 is performed.

[0097] The value of "1 minute" in the process of Step S506 is based on the fact that the execution cycle of the flowchart is 1 minute. By combining the integration (update) process of the raise DR integration time T 上 in Step S506 and the branching process in Step S501 described above, the operation of the environment management unit 40 based on either of the two raise DR modes is configured not to continue for a period longer than the predetermined DR duration described in FIG. 3.

[0098] That is, the environment management unit 40 according to the present embodiment is configured not to continue the operation based on the raise DR-Hi mode or the raise DR-Low mode for a period longer than 240 minutes. When the operation of the environment management unit 40 based on either of the two raise DR modes exceeds the predetermined DR duration, the process proceeds to Step S502, and the environment management unit 40 shifts to the operation based on the normal operation mode.

[0099] (Step S507) In the process of Step S507, the control unit 20 adds 1 minute to the stop integration time T of the LED lighting L停is updated to a value obtained by subtracting 1 minute from the stop integration time T L停 The control unit 20 stores the updated value in the storage unit 30. After the process of step S507 is performed, the flowchart process ends.

[0100] As described above, in both the raising DR-Hi mode and the raising DR-Low mode, the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 is larger than that in the light period mode of the normal operation mode. Here, in the recovery operation (see FIG. 2G) described later, the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 is made larger than that in the light period mode of the normal operation mode. Thereby, the plant 3 is recovered from the adverse effects that the stop integration time T L停 has on the growth of the plant 3. Therefore, the raising DR-Hi mode and the raising DR-Low mode that increase the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 are considered to have the same effect as the recovery operation. Therefore, in the process of step S507, similar to the process of step S704 described later, a value of 1 minute, which is the execution period of the flowchart, is subtracted from the stop integration time T L停 .

[0101] ≪Processing at the time of abnormality detection≫ The flowchart shown in FIG. 2F includes the process of step S601. The process of step S601 corresponds to the process performed by the control system 1 when any abnormality is detected in the control system 1.

[0102] (Step S601) In the process of step S601, the control unit 20 reports to the second control unit 50 through the communication unit 11 and the network that an abnormality has been detected in the control system 1. The control unit 20 may report the details of the abnormality of the control system 1 to the second control unit 50. After the process of step S601 is performed, the flowchart process ends.

[0103] ≪Processing at the time of recovery operation≫ The flowchart shown in FIG. 2G includes the processes of steps S701 to S704. The processes of steps S701 to S704 correspond to the process in which the control system 1 performs a recovery operation under a predetermined condition. Here, the recovery operation means an operation of operating the environmental management unit 40 (control system 1) so as to recover the plant 3 from the adverse effects given by the above-described stop integration time T L停 on the growth of the plant 3.

[0104] (Step S701) In the process of step S701, the control unit 20 determines whether there is an excess in the power generation amount of the power generation unit 13. When the control unit 20 determines that there is an excess in the power generation amount of the power generation unit 13 (step S701; YES), the process of step S702 is performed. When the control unit 20 determines that there is no excess in the power generation amount of the power generation unit 13 (step S701; NO), the process of step S703 is performed. Whether there is an excess in the power generation amount of the power generation unit 13 may be determined based on the magnitude relationship between the power generation amount of the power generation unit 13 and a predetermined threshold value (for example, the power consumption of the environmental management unit 40 in the normal operation mode).

[0105] (Step S702) In the process of step S702, the control unit 20 determines whether the stop integration time T L停 is greater than 0. When the control unit 20 determines that the stop integration time T L停 is greater than 0 (step S702; YES), the process of step S704 is performed. When the control unit 20 determines that the stop integration time T L停 is not greater than 0 (that is, 0 or less) (step S702; NO), the process of the flowchart ends.

[0106] (Step S703) In the process of step S703, the control unit 20 sets the operation mode (operation mode) of the environmental management unit 40 to the recovery operation mode. In the present embodiment, the recovery operation mode coincides with the above-described raise DR-Low mode. After the process of step S703 is performed, the process of step S704 is performed.

[0107] The recovery operation mode according to this embodiment is a mode in which the amount of light given to the plants 3 is increased compared to that in the normal operation mode by increasing the power consumption of the light 41 (environment control unit 40). As long as the amount of light given to the plants 3 can be increased compared to that in the normal operation mode, the recovery operation mode does not have to coincide with the increased DR-Low mode. For example, the recovery operation mode may coincide with the increased DR-Hi mode, or may be a dedicated mode different from both the increased DR-Hi mode and the increased DR-Low mode.

[0108] As a result of extensive research by the present inventors, it has been found that the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 is kept constant for a certain period (the cumulative stop time T L停 ), the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 can be increased thereafter to extend the accumulated stop time T L停 It has been found that the plant 3 can recover from the adverse effects that the light intensity had on the growth of the plant 3. Therefore, the plant 3 can be recovered by causing the environment management unit 40 to operate in the recovery operation mode that increases the amount of light as described above. Furthermore, recovering the plant 3 in the recovery operation mode contributes to ensuring the yield of the plant 3.

[0109] In the recovery operation mode, the power consumption of the environment management unit 40 (light 41) is greater than in the normal operation mode. Therefore, in this embodiment, the branching process of step S701 described above is performed. The branching process of step S701 prevents recovery operation with high power consumption from being performed when there is no surplus power generation in the power generation unit 13 (i.e., when there is a concern about a power shortage).

[0110] (Step S704) In the process of step S704, the control unit 20 calculates the LED illumination stop accumulated time T L停 The accumulated stop time T L停 The control unit 20 updates the time to a value obtained by subtracting one minute from the time. The control unit 20 stores the updated value in the storage unit 30. After the process of step S704 is performed, the process of the flowchart ends.

[0111] The cumulative stop time T L停 By combining the subtraction (update) process in step S702 with the branching process in step S702 described above, it is possible to suppress long-term fluctuations in the amount of light supplied to the plant 3. In other words, by repeating the subtraction and branching processes multiple times, the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 matches or approaches the amount of light that would have been supplied to the plant 3 if the environment management unit 40 had continued to operate in the normal operation mode. This makes it possible to suppress long-term fluctuations in the amount of light supplied to the plant 3 and to suppress adverse effects on the growth of the plant 3 caused by fluctuations in the amount of light.

[0112] <Summary> As described above, the control system 1 according to this embodiment is a control system for controlling the plant factory 2 in which the plants 3 are grown, and includes an environment management unit 40 that changes the environment in which the plants 3 grow by controlling at least one of light, water, air, and nutrients supplied to the plants 3, and a control unit 20 that controls the operation of the environment management unit 40 so as to suppress the power consumption of the environment management unit 40 within a range in which the yield of the plants 3 does not fall below a predetermined value. Furthermore, the control method according to this embodiment controls the operation of the environment management unit 40 in the control system 1 that includes the above-mentioned environment management unit 40 so as to suppress the power consumption of the environment management unit 40 within a range in which the yield of the plants 3 does not fall below a predetermined value.

[0113] This configuration makes it possible to reduce the power consumption of the control system 1 while not impairing the growth of the plant 3. More specifically, by performing control based on the flowcharts shown in Figures 2A to 2G and the operation modes shown in Figure 3, it becomes possible to reduce the power consumption in response to a downward DR, a power outage, or the like while not impairing the growth of the plant 3.

[0114] In addition, the control system 1 according to the present embodiment further includes a power storage unit 14 that stores power, and the control unit 20 controls the operation of the environment management unit 40 based on the power storage amount of the power storage unit 14. Thereby, the power consumption of the environment management unit 40 can be controlled according to the power storage amount of the power storage unit 14. In the above-described example, the environment management unit 40 is set to the recovery operation mode (boost DR-Low mode) according to the power storage amount of the power storage unit 14 by the combination of the branch process in step S205 and the setting process in step S704.

[0115] In addition, the control system 1 according to the present embodiment further includes a power generation unit 13 that generates power, and the control unit 20 controls the operation of the environment management unit 40 based on the power generation amount of the power generation unit 13. Thereby, the power consumption of the environment management unit 40 can be controlled according to the power generation amount of the power generation unit 13. In the above-described example, the environment management unit 40 is set to the recovery operation mode (boost DR-Low mode) according to the power generation amount of the power generation unit 13 by the combination of the branch process in step S701 and the setting process in step S704.

[0116] In addition, the control system 1 according to the present embodiment further includes a power receiving unit 12 that receives power supplied from outside the control system 1, and the control unit 20 controls the operation of the environment management unit 40 based on the power reception amount of the power receiving unit 12. Thereby, the power consumption of the environment management unit 40 can be controlled according to the power reception amount of the power receiving unit 12. In the above-described example, the operation mode of the environment management unit 40 is set based on the power reception amount (presence or absence of a power outage) of the power receiving unit 12 by the branch process in step S102 or the like.

[0117] In addition, the control system 1 according to the present embodiment further includes a communication unit 11 (DR command acquisition unit) that acquires a DR command related to the magnitude of power consumption required by the environment management unit 40, and the control unit 20 controls the operation of the environment management unit 40 based on the DR command acquired by the communication unit 11. Thereby, the power consumption of the environment management unit 40 can be controlled according to the DR command. In the above-described example, the operation mode of the environment management unit 40 is set based on the DR command acquired by the communication unit 11 by combining branch processes such as step S103 and step S104 and subsequent setting processes.

[0118] Also, when the communication unit 11 acquires a DR command related to raising DR that requests an increase in the power consumption of the environment management unit 40, the control unit 20 controls the operation of the environment management unit 40 so as to increase the power consumption of the environment management unit 40 based on the DR command related to raising DR. With this configuration, it becomes possible to increase the power consumption according to raising DR.

[0119] In addition, the control unit 20 according to the present embodiment controls the operation of the environment management unit 40 based on the past control content performed on the environment management unit 40 by the control unit 20. Thereby, based on the past control content for the environment management unit 40, for example, the growth conditions of the plant 3 can be controlled. In the above-described example, the control unit 20 uses the stop integration time T L停 , the raising DR integration time T 上 , and the lowering DR integration time T 下Hi , T 下Low , T 下Min to control the operation of the environment management unit 40.

[0120] In addition, when control for suppressing the power consumption of the environment management unit 40 has been performed in the past by the control unit 20, the control unit 20 according to the present embodiment controls the operation of the environment management unit 40 so as to increase the power consumption of the environment management unit 40. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the adverse effect on the growth of the plant 3 caused by the suppression of the power consumption of the environment management unit 40. In the above-described example, when an operation in which the light quantity of the light 41 is small (or zero) is performed, this is the stop integration time T L停is stored as. Then, based on the stored stop integration time T L停 a recovery operation is performed to increase the light amount (power consumption of the light 41) of the light 41.

[0121] <Modification Example> Note that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0122] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the control unit 20 controls the light amount and the light emission time of the light 41 (see also FIG. 3), but the control unit 20 may control the color of the light 41. The control unit 20 may control at least one of the light amount, the light emission time, and the color of the light 41.

[0123] Further, the environment management unit 40 may control the environment management unit 40 based on the information acquired by the sensor unit 15. That is, the environment management unit 40 may perform feedback control based on the information acquired by the sensor unit 15.

[0124] Further, although the second control unit 50 has been described as being outside the control system 1 in the above-described embodiment, the second control unit 50 may be a part of the control system 1. In other words, a configuration in which the second control unit 50 is added to the above-described control system 1 may be referred to as "control system 1".

[0125] Further, the control unit 20 may control the environment management unit 40 not based on the power reception amount of the power reception unit 12. In this case, the control system 1 may not include the power reception unit 12. For example, in the process of step S102 described above, instead of determining whether there is a power outage, it may be determined whether the power generation amount of the power generation unit 13 is less than a predetermined threshold (see FIG. 2A). When the control unit 20 determines that the power generation amount of the power generation unit 13 is less than a predetermined threshold, the process of step S301 shown in FIG. 2C may be performed. When the control unit 20 determines that the power generation amount of the power generation unit 13 is not less than (equal to or greater than) the predetermined threshold, the process of step S103 may be performed.

[0126] Furthermore, the control unit 20 may control the environment management unit 40 not based on a DR command. In this case, the control system 1 does not need to include a DR command acquisition unit (communication unit 11).

[0127] Furthermore, the communication unit 11 may receive external information from sources other than the second control unit 50, and the control unit 20 may perform control using the external information. For example, the amount of power generation may be calculated based on predicted solar radiation information (external information), and a control logic may be constructed.

[0128] In addition, it is possible to replace the components in the above-described embodiments with well-known components as appropriate, and the above-described embodiments and variations may be combined as appropriate, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0129] 1...Control system 2...Plant factory 3...Plants 11...Communication unit (DR command acquisition unit) 12...Power receiving unit 13...Power generation unit 14...Power storage unit 20...Control unit 40...Environment management unit

Claims

1. A control system for controlling a plant factory in which plants are grown, comprising: an environmental management unit that changes the environment in which the plants grow by controlling at least one of light, water, air, and nutrients supplied to the plants; a control unit that controls the operation of the environmental management unit so as to suppress the power consumption of the environmental management unit within a range in which the yield of the plants does not fall below a predetermined value. The control system.

2. Further comprising a power storage unit that stores power, wherein the control unit controls the operation of the environmental management unit based on the amount of power stored in the power storage unit. The control system according to claim 1.

3. Further comprising a power generation unit that generates power, wherein the control unit controls the operation of the environmental management unit based on the amount of power generated by the power generation unit. The control system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Further comprising a power receiving unit that receives power supplied from outside the control system, wherein the control unit controls the operation of the environmental management unit based on the amount of power received by the power receiving unit. The control system according to claim 1 or 2.

5. Further comprising a DR command acquisition unit that acquires a DR command related to the magnitude of power consumption required by the environmental management unit, wherein the control unit controls the operation of the environmental management unit based on the DR command acquired by the DR command acquisition unit. The control system according to claim 1 or 2.

6. When the DR command acquisition unit acquires the DR command related to raising DR that requests an increase in the power consumption of the environmental management unit, the control unit controls the operation of the environmental management unit so as to increase the power consumption of the environmental management unit based on the DR command related to raising DR. The control system according to claim 5.

7. The control unit controls the operation of the environmental management unit based on the past control content performed on the environmental management unit by the control unit. The control system according to claim 1 or 2.

8. When control for suppressing the power consumption of the environmental management unit has been performed in the past by the control unit, the control unit controls the operation of the environmental management unit so as to increase the power consumption of the environmental management unit. The control system according to claim 7.

9. A control system for controlling a plant factory in which plants are grown, the control system comprising an environmental management unit that changes the environment in which the plants grow by controlling at least one of light, water, air, and nutrients supplied to the plants. Controlling the operation of the environmental management unit so as to suppress the power consumption of the environmental management unit within a range where the yield of the plant does not fall below a predetermined value. Control method.

10. A control system for controlling a plant factory in which plants are grown, the control system including an environmental management unit that changes the environment in which the plants grow by controlling at least one of light, water, air, and nutrients supplied to the plants. In a computer, A program for controlling the operation of the environmental management unit so as to suppress the power consumption of the environmental management unit within a range where the yield of the plant does not fall below a predetermined value. Program.

Images