Hydrogen production system

Abstract

To provide a hydrogen production system capable of efficiently operating a hydrogen production device by effectively utilizing renewable energy.SOLUTION: A hydrogen production system 1A includes: a power generation device 10 that generates power using renewable energy; a plurality of hydrogen production devices 14; a hydrogen storage vessel 16 that stores hydrogen produced by the plurality of hydrogen production devices 14; and a control device 12 that controls start and stop of each of the hydrogen production devices 14. The hydrogen production devices 14 include a hydrogen production device that requires a different amount of power during operation. The control device 12 obtains predicted generated power to be generated by the power generation device 10 in the future based on environmental information 18 provided from the outside, and controls start and stop of each of the hydrogen production devices 14 based on the predicted generated power.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hydrogen production system that utilizes renewable energy. [Background technology]

[0002] Towards a carbon-zero society, solar and wind power generation is becoming more popular, replacing thermal power generation using fossil fuels. However, because the amount of power generated by solar and wind power generation fluctuates greatly due to natural phenomena, it becomes necessary to store the electricity using storage batteries or to convert the electricity into hydrogen and store it. Systems that convert electricity into hydrogen and store it have been proposed in Patent Documents 1 to 5.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a system that includes a hydrogen production device that produces hydrogen using electricity generated using renewable energy, and an absorbing alloy tank that stores hydrogen, and that uses the heat generated during hydrogen absorption and production to heat the absorbing alloy tank.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a system that includes a power generation means for converting renewable energy into electrical energy, and multiple hydrogen production devices that produce hydrogen gas using electrical energy, and a hydrogen gas backflow prevention mechanism in the piping that connects the multiple hydrogen production devices to a buffer tank.

[0005] Patent Document 3 discloses an energy management device that manages the supply of electricity generated using renewable energy. In this energy management device, a processor in charge of control predicts fluctuations in renewable energy electricity based on the renewable energy electricity and operation information of renewable energy devices, and inputs the predicted value of surplus electricity, obtained by subtracting the electricity sold from the predicted value, as a command value to a power conversion device provided on the electrolyzer side.

[0006] Patent Document 4 discloses a supply management system that calculates a power generation index that indicates the degree of weather favorable for generating electricity in a specific future period based on weather forecast information obtained from outside. This supply management system predicts the future tank remaining amount, which is the amount of hydrogen remaining in the storage tank after the fuel cell device has been filled in the specific period, based on information including past performance data that indicates the amount of hydrogen filled in the fuel cell device in the past, and controls the operation of the hydrogen generation device based on the power generation index and the future tank remaining amount.

[0007] Patent document 5 discloses a supply management system that controls the operation of a hydrogen generation device based on a power generation index that indicates the degree of weather favorable for generating electricity in a specific future period based on weather forecast information obtained from outside, and a future tank remaining amount, which is the amount of hydrogen remaining in a storage tank. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-023028 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-049600 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-110287 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-085130 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-045497 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] As disclosed in Patent Documents 1-5, solar power generation and wind power generation, which use renewable energy, are dependent on nature and therefore have large fluctuations in the amount of power they generate. For example, solar power generation does not generate power at least at night, and its power generation capacity fluctuates depending on the weather. Also, wind power generation does not generate power when there is no wind.

[0010] Therefore, attempts have been made to operate hydrogen production equipment according to the amount of power generated, but in this case, because the amount of power generated by solar and wind power generation fluctuates greatly, if the hydrogen production equipment is installed to match the maximum amount of power generated, the operating rate of the hydrogen production equipment will drop significantly when power generation capacity drops due to weather.In other words, the problem with conventional technology is that it is not possible to operate hydrogen production equipment efficiently.

[0011] An object of the present invention is to provide a hydrogen production system that can efficiently operate a hydrogen production device by effectively utilizing renewable energy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] (1) The hydrogen production system of the present invention is characterized by comprising a power generation device that generates electricity using renewable energy, a plurality of hydrogen production devices that produce hydrogen using the electricity generated by the power generation device, and a control device that controls the start and stop of each of the plurality of hydrogen production devices based on environmental information provided from the outside.

[0013] (2) In the present invention, it is preferable that the plurality of hydrogen production devices require the same amount of electric power to operate.

[0014] (3) In the present invention, it is preferable that the control device controls the number of operating hydrogen production devices among the plurality of hydrogen production devices based on environmental information.

[0015] (4) In the present invention, it is preferable that the control device calculates the predicted power generation amount that the power generation device will generate in the future based on the environmental information, and controls the number of operating hydrogen production devices among the plurality of hydrogen production devices so that the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of the operating hydrogen production devices among the plurality of hydrogen production devices, is maximized within the range of the predicted power generation amount.

[0016] (5) In the present invention, it is preferable that the plurality of hydrogen production devices include hydrogen production devices that require different amounts of power to operate, and that the control device calculates a predicted amount of power to be generated by the power generation device based on the environmental information, and controls the start and stop of each of the plurality of hydrogen production devices based on the predicted amount of power to be generated.

[0017] (6) In the present invention, it is preferable that the control device controls the start and stop of each of the plurality of hydrogen production devices so that the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of the operating hydrogen production devices among the plurality of hydrogen production devices, is maximized within the range of the predicted power generation power.

[0018] (7) In the present invention, the plurality of hydrogen production devices preferably include hydrogen production devices that are divided into two or more groups with different required electric power.

[0019] (8) In the present invention, it is preferable that the hydrogen production device further includes a storage device that stores the power output from the power generation device, and a switching unit that switches between the output from the power generation device and the output from the storage device to supply power to the hydrogen production device.

[0020] (9) In the present invention, it is preferable that the power generation system further comprises a power generation amount monitoring device that monitors the amount of power generated by the power generation device, and a power storage amount monitoring device that monitors the amount of power stored in the power storage device.

[0021] (10) In the present invention, when the control device determines that the amount of power generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device is capable of corresponding to the total required power, which is the sum of the power required by the operating hydrogen production devices among the multiple hydrogen production devices, and that the predicted generated power is equal to or greater than the total required power, it preferably controls the switching unit to supply all of the power to the operating hydrogen production devices from the power generation device.

[0022] (11) In the present invention, when the control device determines that the amount of power generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device is capable of corresponding to the total required power, which is the sum of the power required by the operating hydrogen production devices among the multiple hydrogen production devices, and that the predicted generated power is equal to or greater than the total required power, it preferably controls the switching unit to supply all of the power to the operating hydrogen production devices from the power generation device.

[0023] (12) In the present invention, it is preferable that the power generation device has a maximum power generation capacity that exceeds the power required to operate all of the plurality of hydrogen production devices, and the power storage device stores surplus power output by the power generation device in excess of the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of the hydrogen production devices that are in operation among the plurality of hydrogen production devices.

[0024] (13) In the present invention, it is preferable that the control device controls the start and stop of each of the plurality of hydrogen production devices based on the predicted power generation power, the power generation amount monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device, and the stored power amount monitored by the stored power amount monitoring device.

[0025] (14) In the present invention, it is preferable that a minimum number of operating units among the plurality of hydrogen production devices is set in advance, and when operating with the minimum number of operating units, the control device controls the switching unit to operate the minimum number of operating hydrogen production devices using the power output from the power storage device and the power output from the power generation device. The minimum number of operating units in the present invention means the minimum number of operating units in the entire hydrogen production system or the minimum number of operating units in each group.

[0026] (15) In the present invention, if the total amount of electricity, which is the sum of the amount of electricity generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device and the amount of electricity stored monitored by the electricity storage amount monitoring device, does not correspond to the minimum amount of electricity required to operate the hydrogen production device with the minimum number of operating units, it is preferable to store electricity in the electricity storage device using a commercial power source.

[0027] (16) In the present invention, even if the total amount of electricity, which is the sum of the amount of electricity generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device and the amount of electricity stored monitored by the electricity storage amount monitoring device, can correspond to the minimum amount of electricity required to operate the hydrogen production device with the minimum number of operating units, if both the amount of electricity generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device and the amount of electricity stored monitored by the electricity storage amount monitoring device cannot correspond to the minimum amount of electricity required, it is preferable to store electricity in the electricity storage device using a commercial power source.

[0028] (17) In the present invention, when the commercial power source is used to store electricity in the electricity storage device, it is preferable to use a nighttime rate.

[0029] (18) In the present invention, the power generation device is preferably a solar power generation device that generates electricity using sunlight, or a wind power generation device that generates electricity using wind power.

[0030] (19) In the present invention, the environmental information preferably includes information on the amount of solar radiation, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and rain.

[0031] (20) In the present invention, it is preferable that the environmental information includes information observed by an already installed device for weather forecasting.

[0032] (21) In the present invention, it is preferable that the hydrogen generating system further comprises a hydrogen storage container for storing hydrogen produced by the plurality of hydrogen generating devices.

[0033] (22) In the present invention, it is preferable that a subsystem including the power generation device and the plurality of hydrogen production devices is provided in each of a plurality of different regions, and when controlling the subsystems in the plurality of regions, the control device controls the start and stop of each of the plurality of hydrogen production devices based on the environmental information corresponding to the target region in which the subsystem to be controlled is installed.

[0034] (23) In the present invention, when the control device uses environmental information of areas other than the target area when controlling the subsystem of the target area, it is preferable to weight the environmental information of areas closer to the target area more than the environmental information of areas farther from the target area. [Effects of the Invention]

[0035] In the hydrogen production system according to the present invention, multiple hydrogen production devices are provided, and the control device controls the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices based on environmental information. Therefore, the control device can adjust the total power required to operate the hydrogen production devices in accordance with the environmental information. Therefore, according to the present invention, a hydrogen production system can be provided that can efficiently produce hydrogen by effectively utilizing renewable energy, even when the amount of power generated by the power generation device fluctuates due to environmental conditions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a hydrogen production system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a hydrogen production system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a hydrogen production system according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a hydrogen production system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the amount of electricity generated and the amount of electricity stored in the hydrogen production system shown in FIG. [Figure 6] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the hydrogen production system shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0038] [Embodiment 1] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a hydrogen production system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the hydrogen production system 1 includes a power generation device 10 that generates electricity using renewable energy, a plurality of hydrogen production devices 14 that produce hydrogen using the electricity generated by the power generation device 10, and a control device 12 that controls the start and stop of each of the plurality of hydrogen production devices 14. The hydrogen production system 1 also includes a hydrogen storage container 16 that stores the hydrogen produced by the plurality of hydrogen production devices 14.

[0039] In the first embodiment, the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 require the same amount of power to operate. The control device 12 controls the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 based on environmental information 18 provided from the outside via a network or the like. The control device 12 can be configured as a control circuit that operates in a predetermined order based on input signals, or it can be configured using a CPU or the like that performs processing based on programs stored in various recording media or storage devices.

[0040] (Configuration of power generation device 10) The power generation device 10 that generates power using renewable energy is a solar power generation device that generates power using sunlight, a wind power generation device that generates power using wind power, or the like. In the first embodiment, the power generation device 10 is a solar power generation device 10a that generates power using sunlight. The solar power generation device 10a does not emit carbon dioxide and can provide clean electrical energy. Furthermore, the solar power generation device 10a is the most widespread of the power generation devices 10 that generate power using renewable energy, and is therefore advantageous in terms of capital investment, etc.

[0041] The solar power generation device 10a is equipped with a solar panel containing a semiconductor material that converts light into electricity. When light strikes the surface of the solar panel, the energy of the light moves electrons to generate electricity. The solar power generation device 10a mainly generates DC power, and in the first embodiment, the power generated by the solar power generation device 10a is used to power the hydrogen production device 14.

[0042] In the solar power generation device 10a, when light hits the surface of the solar panel, the energy of the light moves electrons and converts them into electrical energy, so the amount of solar radiation is closely related to electrical energy. The angle of incidence of solar radiation changes depending on the altitude and direction of the sun, and the amount of power generated is maximized when sunlight is at the optimal angle, i.e., at its zenith.

[0043] In addition, when wind blows, heat is dissipated from the surface of the solar panel, lowering the surface temperature of the solar panel, which improves the performance of the solar cell and tends to increase the amount of power generated. Humidity is generally thought to have little direct effect on the amount of power generated by solar panels, but when humidity is high, water vapor and fog in the atmosphere can adhere to the surface of the solar panel, which can temporarily affect the amount of power generated.

[0044] Other environmental factors that affect the amount of power generated include the level of atmospheric pollution, the altitude and direction of the sun, and the shadow effect. Regarding the level of atmospheric pollution, pollutants and particles in the air can absorb and scatter sunlight, reducing the amount of power generated. The shadow effect occurs when a solar panel is cast in the shadow of a building or tree, reducing the amount of power generated in that area.

[0045] As described above, the solar power generation system 10a is the most popular among the power generation systems 10 that generate electricity using renewable energy, and while it has advantages in terms of capital investment, it has the disadvantage of being easily affected by environmental factors. The present invention has a configuration to overcome the above disadvantages.

[0046] (Contents of Environmental Information 18) The environmental information 18 includes information that affects the amount of power generated by the solar power generation device 10a. More specifically, the environmental information 18 includes information related to the amount of solar radiation, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and rainfall. This information allows for highly accurate prediction of the future amount of power generated by the solar power generation device 10a. This information also varies depending on the environmental conditions in which the solar power generation device 10a is installed. For this reason, it is difficult to generalize the amount of power generated, but accuracy can be improved by accumulating data.

[0047] Furthermore, when a wind power generation device is used as the power generation device 10, wind speed, rain, and the like affect the amount of power generated, so the environmental information 18 includes information about wind speed and rain.

[0048] The environmental information 18 includes information observed by existing devices already installed for weather forecasting. This reduces the cost of collecting information. Moreover, it is possible to collect a wide range of information.

[0049] (Configuration of hydrogen production device 14) There are several methods for producing hydrogen using the hydrogen production unit 14. Steam reforming involves heating hydrocarbons such as natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and reacting them with steam to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide. This method is widely used on an industrial scale, but its drawback is the generation of carbon dioxide. Biomass reforming involves heating biomass (organic matter derived from plants) and reacting it with steam to produce hydrogen. This method has the advantage of minimizing carbon dioxide emissions.

[0050] Electrolysis (electrolysis of water) involves electrically splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. This process requires electrical energy to electrically split water. The solar power generation device 10a is suitable for this process.

[0051] Photoelectrolysis utilizes sunlight to decompose water using the energy of light, converting it into hydrogen and oxygen. Because photoelectrolysis utilizes sunlight, a renewable energy source, it minimizes its impact on the environment and is highly compatible with the solar power generation device 10a.

[0052] As described above, there are several methods for producing hydrogen, and it is desirable to produce hydrogen using a method suitable for the solar power generation device 10a, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0053] (Configuration of hydrogen storage container 16) There are various methods for storing hydrogen in the hydrogen storage container 16, and any of them is acceptable. Pressure storage is a method of storing hydrogen in a container under high pressure. Typical container materials are composite materials such as carbon fiber and glass fiber, and by compressing the hydrogen, a large amount of hydrogen can be stored in a relatively small container.

[0054] Liquid storage is a method of storing hydrogen by liquefying it at low temperatures. Liquefied hydrogen has a very high energy density and can store a large amount of hydrogen in a relatively small container. However, maintaining liquid hydrogen requires extremely low temperatures, which necessitates insulation and cooling equipment.

[0055] Storage using hydrogen storage materials involves the absorption of hydrogen by specific materials (e.g., metal hydrides, carbon nanotubes, etc.). In this method, hydrogen can be stored at relatively low pressure by adsorbing it into the storage material, and when hydrogen is needed, it can be released by heating, reducing pressure, or other methods.

[0056] Chemical storage is a method of storing hydrogen using specific chemical reactions, such as reacting hydrogen with metals or compounds to store it as a chemical bond, and then facilitating the reverse reaction to release hydrogen when needed.

[0057] (Configuration of control device 12) The amount of power generated by the solar power generation device 10a is not constant but fluctuates depending on environmental conditions. In the first embodiment, the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 require the same amount of power to operate, so the control device 12 controls the number of operating hydrogen production devices 14 based on the environmental information 18.

[0058] More specifically, the control device 12 calculates the predicted power generation amount to be generated by the solar power generation device 10a in the future based on the environmental information 18, and controls the number of operating hydrogen production devices 14 so that the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of the operating hydrogen production devices 14, is maximized within the range of the predicted power generation amount.

[0059] Therefore, if the predicted future power generation is high, the number of operating hydrogen production devices 14 is increased, and if all hydrogen production devices 14 are operating, all hydrogen production devices 14 will continue to operate. On the other hand, if the predicted future power generation is low, some of the hydrogen production devices 14 will be stopped. Therefore, the total required power, which is the sum of the power required by the operating hydrogen production devices 14 among the multiple hydrogen production devices 14, will be the maximum within the range of the predicted power generation.

[0060] (Main effects of the first embodiment) As described above, the hydrogen production system 1 according to the first embodiment is provided with a plurality of hydrogen production devices 14, and the control device 12 controls the start and stop of each of the plurality of hydrogen production devices 14 based on the environmental information 18. Therefore, the control device 12 can adjust the total power required to operate the hydrogen production devices 14. Therefore, even if the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 fluctuates depending on the environmental conditions, it is possible to provide a hydrogen production system 1 that can effectively utilize renewable energy and efficiently operate the hydrogen production devices 14.

[0061] Furthermore, in the hydrogen production system 1, the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 require the same amount of power to operate. Therefore, the control device 12 can adjust the total power required to operate the hydrogen production devices 14 by controlling the number of operating hydrogen production devices 14 within the range of predicted power generation based on the environmental information 18. Therefore, even if the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 fluctuates due to environmental conditions, renewable energy can be effectively used to efficiently operate the hydrogen production devices 14.

[0062] [Embodiment 2] 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a hydrogen production system according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. In embodiment 2 and embodiments 3 and 4 described below, the basic configurations of the power generation device 10, hydrogen production device 14, control device 12, and hydrogen storage container 16 are the same as those in embodiment 1, so corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals and a description of common functions will be omitted.

[0063] 2, the hydrogen production system 1A includes a power generation device 10 that generates electricity using renewable energy, multiple hydrogen production devices 14 that produce hydrogen using the electricity generated by the power generation device 10, and a control device 12 that controls the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14. The hydrogen production system 1A also includes a hydrogen storage container 16 that stores the hydrogen produced by the multiple hydrogen production devices 14.

[0064] The power generation device 10 is a solar power generation device 10a that generates power using sunlight. The environmental information 18 includes information that affects the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10. The hydrogen production device 14, for example, electrolytically decomposes water into hydrogen and oxygen.

[0065] In the second embodiment, the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 include hydrogen production devices that require different amounts of power to operate. That is, the hydrogen production devices 14 range from large-scale devices to small-scale devices, and the required power (power consumption) also varies from large to small.

[0066] In the second embodiment, the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 include hydrogen production devices that are divided into two or more groups with different power requirements. Preferably, the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 include hydrogen production devices that are divided into three or more groups with different power requirements. In the present embodiment, as an example, the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 include hydrogen production devices 14 that are grouped into three ranks based on the power requirements. More specifically, group A is the group of hydrogen production devices A1 to A3, which require the most power. group C is the group of hydrogen production device C1, which requires the least power. group B is the group of hydrogen production device B1, which requires power intermediate between groups A and C.

[0067] For example, the hydrogen production device B1 in group B requires half the power of the hydrogen production device A1 in group A, and the hydrogen production device C1 in group C requires one-fourth the power of the hydrogen production device A1 in group A.

[0068] The control device 12 calculates the predicted power generation amount that the power generation device 10 will generate in the future based on environmental information 18 provided from outside via a network, etc., and optimizes the combination of operating hydrogen production devices 14 by controlling the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 based on the predicted power generation amount.

[0069] In this case, the control device 12 controls the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 so that the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of the operating hydrogen production devices among the multiple hydrogen production devices 14, is maximized within the range of the predicted power generation power.

[0070] In the second embodiment, the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 include hydrogen production devices that require different amounts of power to operate. The power required by a hydrogen production device 14 is approximately proportional to its hydrogen production capacity, so a hydrogen production device 14 that requires less power has a lower hydrogen production capacity. However, if hydrogen production devices A1, B1, and C1 that require different amounts of power are provided, the control device 12 can set the total required power in small increments when determining which hydrogen production device 14 to operate.

[0071] Therefore, the control device 12 can combine the hydrogen production devices 14 to be operated among the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 so that the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of the operating hydrogen production devices, is maximized within the range of the predicted power generation power.

[0072] For example, when the total required power is changed slightly, the control device 12 can start or stop the hydrogen production device C1 that requires the least amount of power, thereby maximizing the total required power within the range of the predicted power generation. This allows the power output from the solar power generation device 10a to be used efficiently.

[0073] In other words, when the amount of power generated by the solar power generation device 10a is insufficient, it is more efficient to shut down the hydrogen generation device C1 in group C and then the hydrogen generation device B1 in group B in response to the insufficient amount of power generated by the solar power generation device 10a than to shut down any of the hydrogen generation devices A1 to A3 in group A, thereby making it possible to utilize the power generated by the solar power generation device 10a more efficiently.

[0074] In contrast, if the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 are all hydrogen production devices A1 to A3 of group A only, even a decrease in the power generation amount of the solar power generation device 10a to the extent that it is enough to power the hydrogen production device C1 of group C must stop the high-power hydrogen production devices (hydrogen production devices A1 to A3 of group A), resulting in poor efficiency in hydrogen production.

[0075] The number of groups based on the difference in required power does not have to be the three groups shown in Fig. 2, and can be set arbitrarily. Also, the number of hydrogen production devices 14 belonging to each group can be set arbitrarily.

[0076] However, if the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 include hydrogen production devices 14 that are divided into three or more groups with different power requirements, the control device 12 can set the total required power in small increments when determining which hydrogen production devices 14 to operate. Therefore, it is preferable that the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 be divided into three or more groups with different power requirements.

[0077] As described above, in the hydrogen production system 1A according to the second embodiment, the control device 12 calculates the predicted power to be generated by the power generation device 10 based on environmental information provided from the outside, and controls the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 based on the predicted power to be generated. The multiple hydrogen production devices 14 also include hydrogen production devices 14 that require different amounts of power to operate.

[0078] Therefore, by combining hydrogen production devices 14 with different power requirements, the control device 12 can set the total required power, which is the sum of the power requirements of the operating hydrogen production devices 14, in small increments. Therefore, the control device 12 can set the total required power to the maximum within the range of the predicted power generation. Therefore, the hydrogen production system 1A of embodiment 2 can effectively use renewable energy and efficiently operate the hydrogen production devices 14.

[0079] [Embodiment 3] Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a hydrogen production system according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 3, the hydrogen production system 1B according to the third embodiment includes a power generation device 10 that generates electricity using renewable energy, a plurality of hydrogen production devices 14, a hydrogen storage container 16 that stores the hydrogen produced by the plurality of hydrogen production devices 14, and a control device 12 that controls the start and stop of each of the plurality of hydrogen production devices 14.

[0080] The multiple hydrogen production devices 14 include hydrogen production devices that require different amounts of power to operate. The control device 12 calculates the predicted power to be generated by the power generation device 10 in the future based on environmental information 18 provided from the outside, and controls the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 based on the predicted power to be generated, thereby optimizing the number of operating units and the combination of operating hydrogen production devices 14.

[0081] Therefore, according to the hydrogen production system 1B of embodiment 3, the control device 12 can set the total required power to the maximum within the range of the predicted power generation power, thereby achieving the same effects as the hydrogen production system 1A of embodiment 2, such as making effective use of renewable energy and operating the hydrogen production device 14 efficiently.

[0082] The power generation device 10 is a solar power generation device 10a that generates power using sunlight. The environmental information 18 includes information that affects the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10. The hydrogen production device 14, for example, electrically decomposes water into hydrogen and oxygen. The configurations of the power generation device 10, the environmental information 18, and the hydrogen production device 14 are the same as those in the second embodiment, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0083] The hydrogen production system 1B according to this embodiment is further provided with a power storage device 20 that stores the electric power output from the power generation device 10, and a switching unit 26 that switches between the output from the power generation device 10 and the output from the power storage device 20 to supply electric power to the hydrogen production device 14. Therefore, in this embodiment, the hydrogen production device 14 can be operated using the electric power output from the power generation device 10 and the electric power output from the power storage device 20.

[0084] The hydrogen production system 1B is further provided with a power generation amount monitoring device 24 that monitors the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10, and a power storage amount monitoring device 22 that monitors the amount of power stored in the power storage device 20. Therefore, in this embodiment, the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 and the amount of power stored in the power storage device 20 can be constantly monitored, and the number of operating hydrogen production devices 14 can be appropriately set based on the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 and the amount of power stored in the power storage device 20.

[0085] The power generation amount monitor 24 monitors the power generation amount based on, for example, the voltage between the output terminals of the power generation device 10, and the power storage amount monitor 22 monitors the power storage amount based on, for example, the voltage between the output terminals of the power storage device 20.

[0086] In the hydrogen production system 1B configured in this manner, the control device 12 determines that the amount of power generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device 24 can cover the total required power, which is the sum of the power required by all of the operating hydrogen production devices 14 out of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14, but if it determines that the predicted power generation power is less than the total required power, it controls the switching unit 26 to supply all of the power to the operating hydrogen production devices 14 from the power storage device 20. In this case, the power output from the solar power generation device 10a is the power stored in the power storage device 20.

[0087] Therefore, even if the amount of power generated by the solar power generation device 10a is insufficient, the hydrogen production device 14 can be operated. Furthermore, the power generated by the solar power generation device 10a can be used to store electricity in the electricity storage device 20, enabling efficient use of electricity.

[0088] Furthermore, if the control device 12 determines that the amount of power generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device 24 is sufficient to cover the total required power, which is the sum of the power required by all of the operating hydrogen production devices 14 out of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14, and that the predicted power generation is equal to or greater than the total required power, it controls the switching unit 26 to supply all of the power to the operating hydrogen production devices 14 from the solar power generation device 10a. Therefore, even if the amount of power stored in the power storage device 20 is insufficient, the hydrogen production devices 14 can be operated.

[0089] Here, the power generation device 10 has a maximum power generation capacity that exceeds the power required to operate all of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14. Therefore, the power storage device 20 may output more power than the total required power, which is the sum of the power required by all of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 that are in operation. In this case, the surplus power that exceeds the total required power can be stored in the power storage device 20.

[0090] Therefore, the hydrogen production device 14 can be operated with a margin. Moreover, since surplus power can be stored in the power storage device 20, the power from the solar power generation device 10a can be used efficiently.

[0091] The control device 12 may also control the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 based on the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 and the amount of power stored in the power storage device 20 in addition to the predicted power generation power.

[0092] [Embodiment 4] (Overall composition) Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a hydrogen production system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 4, the hydrogen production system 1C according to the fourth embodiment includes a power generation device 10 that generates electricity using renewable energy, a plurality of hydrogen production devices 14, a hydrogen storage container 16 that stores the hydrogen produced by the plurality of hydrogen production devices 14, and a control device 12 that controls the start and stop of each of the plurality of hydrogen production devices 14.

[0093] The multiple hydrogen production devices 14 include hydrogen production devices that require different amounts of power to operate. The control device 12 calculates the predicted power to be generated by the power generation device 10 in the future based on environmental information 18 provided from the outside, and controls the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 based on the predicted power to be generated, thereby optimizing the number of operating units and the combination of operating hydrogen production devices 14.

[0094] Therefore, according to the hydrogen production system 1C of embodiment 4, the control device 12 can set the total required power to the maximum within the range of the predicted power generation power, thereby achieving the same effects as the hydrogen production system 1A of embodiment 2, such as making effective use of renewable energy and operating the hydrogen production device 14 efficiently.

[0095] The power generation device 10 is a solar power generation device 10a that generates power using sunlight. The environmental information 18 includes information that affects the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10. The hydrogen production device 14, for example, electrically decomposes water into hydrogen and oxygen. The configurations of the power generation device 10, the environmental information 18, and the hydrogen production device 14 are the same as those in the second embodiment, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0096] The hydrogen production system 1C according to the fourth embodiment is further provided with a power storage device 20 that stores the power output from the power generation device 10, and a switching unit 26 that switches between the output from the power generation device 10 and the output from the power storage device 20 to supply power to the hydrogen production device 14. The hydrogen production system 1C according to the present embodiment is further provided with a power generation amount monitoring device 24 that monitors the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10, and a power storage amount monitoring device 22 that monitors the amount of power stored in the power storage device 20.

[0097] In the hydrogen production system 1C according to the fourth embodiment, if the control device 12 determines that the amount of power generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device 24 can cover the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of all of the operating hydrogen production devices 14 among the multiple hydrogen production devices 14, but that the predicted power generation power is less than the total required power, the control device 12 controls the switching unit 26 to supply all of the power to the operating hydrogen production devices 14 from the power storage device 20. In this case, the power output from the solar power generation device 10a is the power stored in the power storage device 20.

[0098] Furthermore, if the control device 12 determines that the amount of power generated monitored by the power generation monitoring device 24 is sufficient to cover the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of all of the operating hydrogen production devices 14 out of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14, and that the predicted power generation is greater than or equal to the total required power, it controls the switching unit 26 to supply all of the power to the operating hydrogen production devices 14 from the solar power generation device 10a.

[0099] Here, the power generation device 10 has a maximum power generation capacity that exceeds the power required to operate all of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14. Therefore, the power storage device 20 can store surplus power output by the power generation device 10 that exceeds the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of all of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 that are in operation.

[0100] In addition, the control device 12 may also control the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 based on the predicted power generation amount, the power generation amount monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device 24, and the stored power amount monitored by the stored power amount monitoring device 22.

[0101] In the hydrogen production system 1C configured as described above, if there are not a certain number of hydrogen production devices 14 in operation, the system will be unprofitable, so a minimum number of operating hydrogen production devices 14 is set in advance. When operating with the minimum number of operating devices, the control device 12 controls the switching unit 26 to operate the minimum number of operating hydrogen production devices 14 using the power output from the power storage device 20 and the power output from the power generation device 10. This makes it possible to prevent situations where the hydrogen production devices 14 must be operated with fewer than the minimum number of operating devices. The minimum number of operating devices may be either the minimum number of operating devices in the entire hydrogen production system when achieving the total required power that will avoid being unprofitable, or the minimum number of operating devices in each group when achieving the total required power that will avoid being unprofitable.

[0102] In the fourth embodiment, if the total amount of power, which is the sum of the amount of power generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device 24 and the amount of stored power monitored by the stored power amount monitoring device 22, does not meet the minimum power required to operate the hydrogen production device 14 with the minimum number of operating units, a commercial power source is used to store power in the power storage device 20. This makes it possible to prevent situations where the hydrogen production device 14 must be operated with fewer than the minimum number of operating units.

[0103] Furthermore, even if the total amount of electricity, which is the sum of the amount of electricity generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device 24 and the amount of electricity stored monitored by the electricity storage amount monitoring device 22, can accommodate the minimum amount of electricity required to operate the hydrogen production device 14 with the minimum number of operating units, if both the amount of electricity stored in the electricity storage device 20 and the amount of electricity generated by the electricity generation device 10 cannot accommodate the minimum amount of electricity required to operate the hydrogen production device 14 with the minimum number of operating units, it is possible to configure the system so that electricity is stored in the electricity storage device 20 using a commercial power source 28.

[0104] As described above, the solar power generation device 10a cannot generate electricity when sunlight is unavailable, such as when there is no sunlight or at night, and the amount of power generated varies depending on environmental factors, which causes problems such as instability. However, the commercial power source 28 complements the amount of power generated by the solar power generation device 10a. Therefore, the operating efficiency of the hydrogen production device 14 can be maintained at a high level.

[0105] Furthermore, when storing electricity in the electricity storage device 20 at night using the commercial power source 28 during the night when the solar power generation device 10a is not generating electricity, a late-night rate system is utilized. Therefore, it is possible to store electricity in the electricity storage device 20 at a relatively low rate.

[0106] (Fluctuation in power generation and storage) Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the amount of power generated and the amount of stored power in the hydrogen production system 1C shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 5(A) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic diagram of the change over time in the amount of power generated by the solar power generation device 10a on a sunny day and on a rainy day. Fig. 5(B) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic diagram of the change over time in the amount of stored power in the power storage device 20 on a sunny day and on a rainy day.

[0107] On a clear day, the amount of solar radiation increases with sunrise, and the amount of power generated by the solar power generation device 10a also increases accordingly, reaching its highest level at meridian. As the sun sinks further westward toward sunset, the amount of solar radiation decreases, and no power is generated after sunset. This is the time period during which power is generated; no power is generated at night. On rainy days, even when the sky is cloudy, power is generated by scattered light. Therefore, the solar power generation device 10a can generate power even on rainy days.

[0108] The amount of sunlight varies depending on factors such as the region, weather, and season, and the amount of electricity generated also fluctuates in proportion to the amount of sunlight. Solar panels are sensitive to heat, and the amount of electricity generated decreases on very hot days, so it is also characteristic that electricity generation is higher in spring than in summer, when hot days continue every day.

[0109] 5(B), the amount of electricity stored in the electricity storage device increases as the amount of solar radiation increases, and decreases as the amount of solar radiation decreases.When there are consecutive rainy days, such as during the rainy season, the amount of electricity generated by the solar power generation device 10a is low, and the hydrogen production device 14 cannot sufficiently supply the power required.

[0110] (Example of operation) Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the hydrogen production system shown in Fig. 4. The operation shown in Fig. 6 is executed under the control of the control device 12. In this embodiment, the control device 12 is configured using a CPU or the like that performs processing based on programs stored in various recording media and storage devices. Here, the operation shown in Fig. 6 is executed, for example, from the morning (the start of work) to the evening (the end of work) of one day.

[0111] First, in step S1, the control device 12 calculates the predicted power generation amount to be generated by the power generation device 10 in the future based on environmental information 18 provided from the outside, and controls the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 based on the predicted power generation amount.

[0112] More specifically, the control device 12 determines the number of operating units and the combination of operating hydrogen production devices 14 that can consume as much power as efficiently as possible within the range of the predicted power generation power.

[0113] In step S1, the control device 12 may also control the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 based on the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 and the amount of power stored in the power storage device 20 in addition to the predicted power generation power.

[0114] Next, in step S2, the control device 12 determines whether the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 is sufficient. More specifically, the control device 12 determines whether the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 is equal to or greater than the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of all of the hydrogen production devices 14 that are scheduled to operate. Here, if the control device 12 determines that the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 is not sufficient, it waits in step S2 until the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 becomes sufficient.

[0115] Then, in step S2, if the control device 12 determines that the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 is sufficient, in step S3, the control device 12 operates the hydrogen production device 14 that was determined to be operated in step S1.

[0116] Next, in step S4, the control device 12 determines whether the amount of stored electricity in the electricity storage device 20 is sufficient. More specifically, in step S4, the control device 12 determines whether the amount of stored electricity in the electricity storage device 20 is equal to or greater than the total required power, which is the sum of all the required power of the operating hydrogen production devices 14.

[0117] If the control device 12 determines in step S4 that the amount of electricity stored in the power storage device 20 is sufficient, then in step S5 the control device 12 drives the hydrogen production device 14 with the electricity stored in the power storage device 20, and then in step S6 determines whether the amount of electricity stored in the power storage device 20 is sufficient. Note that if the control device 12 determines that the amount of electricity generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device is sufficient to cover the total required power, which is the sum of the power required by the operating hydrogen production devices 14 out of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14, but that the predicted power generation power is less than the total required power, then the control device 12 may supply all of the power to the operating hydrogen production devices 14 from the power storage device 20 if it can determine that the amount of electricity stored in the power storage device 20 is sufficient.

[0118] If the control device 12 determines in step S6 that the amount of electricity stored in the power storage device 20 is sufficient, the control device 12 returns to step S5, drives the hydrogen production device 14 using the electricity stored in the power storage device 20, and then determines again in step S6 whether the amount of electricity stored in the power storage device 20 is sufficient.

[0119] Next, if the control device 12 determines in step S6 that the amount of electricity stored in the power storage device 20 is insufficient, it determines in step S7 whether the amount of electricity generated by the power generation device 10 is sufficient. More specifically, in step S7, the control device 12 determines whether the amount of electricity generated by the power generation device 10 is equal to or greater than the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of all of the operating hydrogen production devices 14. If the control device 12 determines in step S7 that the amount of electricity stored in the power storage device 20 is insufficient, it reduces the number of operating hydrogen production devices 14 to the minimum number of operating devices in step S11. Until then, all of the electricity output from the power generation device 10 is stored in the power storage device 20.

[0120] On the other hand, if the control device 12 determines in step S4 that the amount of electricity stored in the electricity storage device 20 is insufficient, the control device 12 operates the hydrogen production device 14 with the power output from the power generation device 10 in step S8, and then determines in step S9 whether the amount of electricity generated by the power generation device 10 is sufficient. More specifically, in step S9, the control device 12 determines whether the amount of electricity generated by the power generation device 10 is equal to or greater than the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of all the hydrogen production devices 14 that are operating.

[0121] If the control device 12 determines in step S9 that the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 is sufficient, it returns to step S4 and determines again whether the amount of power stored in the power storage device 20 is sufficient. On the other hand, if the control device 12 determines in step S9 that the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 is not sufficient, it reduces the number of operating hydrogen production devices 14 to the minimum number of operating devices in step S10. During this time, if there is surplus power in the power output from the power generation device 10, the surplus power is stored in the power storage device 20.

[0122] Furthermore, if the control device 12 determines in step S7 that the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 is sufficient, it operates the hydrogen production device 14 using the electricity output from the power generation device 10 in step S8, and then determines in step S9 whether the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 is sufficient.

[0123] Next, in step S11, the control device 12 determines whether the total amount of electricity, which is the sum of the amount of electricity stored in the storage device 20 and the amount of electricity generated by the power generation device 10, is sufficient to meet the minimum required electricity for operating the hydrogen production device 14 with the minimum number of operating units.

[0124] If the control device 12 determines in step S11 that the total amount of electricity stored in the storage device 20 and the amount of electricity generated by the power generation device 10 is sufficient to operate the hydrogen production device 14 with the minimum number of operating units, it continues operating the hydrogen production device 14 using the electricity output from the power generation device 10 and the electricity output from the storage device 20.

[0125] On the other hand, if the control device 12 determines in step S11 that the total amount of electricity stored in the storage device 20 and the amount of electricity generated by the power generation device 10 is not sufficient to operate the hydrogen production device 14 with the minimum number of operating units, the control device 12 supplies electricity from the commercial power source 28 to the storage device 20 for a certain period of time in step S12.

[0126] Next, in step S13, the control device 12 again determines whether the amount of stored electricity in the electricity storage device 20 is sufficient. More specifically, in step S13, the control device 12 determines whether the amount of stored electricity in the electricity storage device 20 is sufficient to cover the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of all the hydrogen production devices 14 that are in operation.

[0127] If the control device 12 determines in step S13 that the amount of stored electricity in the power storage device 20 is insufficient, it returns to step S12 and continues supplying power from the commercial power source 28 to the power storage device 20 for a certain period of time until it determines in step S13 that the amount of stored electricity in the power storage device 20 is sufficient.

[0128] On the other hand, if the control device 12 determines in step S13 that the amount of stored electricity in the electricity storage device 20 is sufficient, it determines in step S14 whether the amount of electricity generated by the power generation device 10 is sufficient. More specifically, in step S14, the control device 12 determines whether the amount of electricity generated by the power generation device 10 is sufficient to cover the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of all the hydrogen production devices 14 that are in operation.

[0129] If the control device 12 determines in step S14 that the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 is insufficient, it returns to step S12 and continues supplying power from the commercial power source 28 to the storage device 20 for a certain period of time until it determines in step S14 that the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 is sufficient.

[0130] On the other hand, if the control device 12 determines in step S14 that the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 is sufficient, then in step S15, the control device 12 drives the hydrogen production device 14 with the power stored in the power storage device 20.

[0131] Therefore, according to the processing of steps S13 and S14, even if the total amount of electricity, which is the sum of the amount of electricity stored in the storage device 20 and the amount of electricity generated by the power generation device 10, is sufficient to operate the hydrogen production device 14 with the minimum number of operating units, if both the amount of electricity stored in the storage device 20 and the amount of electricity generated by the power generation device 10 are unable to meet the minimum power required to operate the hydrogen production device 14 with the minimum number of operating units, then electricity will be stored in the storage device 20 using the commercial power source 28.

[0132] In step S16, the control device 12 determines whether to stop the operation of the hydrogen production device 14. If it determines not to stop the operation of the hydrogen production device 14, in step S17, the control device 12 recalculates the predicted power generation amount to be generated by the power generation device 10 in the future based on environmental information 18 provided from the outside, and controls the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 based on this predicted power generation amount.

[0133] More specifically, the control device 12 re-determines the number of operating units and the combination of operating hydrogen production devices 14 that can consume as much electricity as possible efficiently under conditions below the predicted power generation level, and then repeats the processing from step S4 to step S17 until it determines in step S16 to completely stop the operation of the hydrogen production devices 14.

[0134] In step S17, the control device 12 may also control the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 based on the amount of power generated by the power generation device 10 and the amount of power stored in the power storage device 20 in addition to the predicted power generation power.

[0135] [Embodiment 5] Although not shown in the drawings, the hydrogen production system 1 according to the fifth embodiment has the same basic configuration as the first to fourth embodiments, so the corresponding components are given the same reference numerals and a description of the common parts will be omitted.

[0136] The hydrogen production system 1 according to the fifth embodiment is provided with a power generation device 10 and a subsystem including a plurality of hydrogen production devices 14, each in a plurality of different regions. A control device 12 is provided for each subsystem. Alternatively, the subsystems may be collectively installed in a center connected via a network. In either case, the fifth embodiment is applicable.

[0137] In embodiment 5, when controlling each of the subsystems in multiple regions, the control device 12 controls the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices 14 based on the environmental information 18, which is the environmental information of the target region in which the subsystem to be controlled is installed.

[0138] Furthermore, when controlling the subsystems of the target area, the control device 12 can also use environmental information 18 of areas other than the target area. In this case, the control device 12 weights the environmental information 18 of areas closer to the target area more than the environmental information 18 of areas farther from the target area. The weighting is set in advance in the environmental information 18 for each area for each of the multiple subsystems.

[0139] In the fifth embodiment, the environmental information 18 includes at least environmental information of the multiple regions where the subsystems are installed. Alternatively, the environmental information 18 may consist only of environmental information of the multiple regions where the subsystems are installed.

[0140] As described above, in the fifth embodiment, the control device 12 can also use environmental information 18 from areas other than the target area. In this case, the control device 12 weights the environmental information 18 from areas closer to the target area more than the environmental information 18 from areas farther from the target area, thereby enabling more accurate prediction of the future amount of power generation from the power generation device 10. Therefore, according to the fifth embodiment, the hydrogen production device 14 can be operated efficiently.

[0141] Furthermore, since it is possible to mutually link and utilize environmental information with subsystems outside the region, it is possible to take measures against localized heavy rainfall and disaster prevention measures against earthquakes, lightning, heavy snow, etc.

[0142] [Other embodiments] Although the embodiment of the hydrogen production system has been described above, various configurations are possible without being limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the control device 12 determines the number of hydrogen production devices 14 to operate and the combination of the operating hydrogen production devices 14 based on the predicted power generation predicted based on the environmental information 18. However, the number of hydrogen production devices 14 to operate and the combination of the operating hydrogen production devices 14 may also be determined based on the amount of electricity stored in the electricity storage device 20 and the amount of electricity generated by the power generation device 10 in addition to the predicted power generation.

[0143] In addition, when operating the hydrogen production devices 14 from the morning, the number of hydrogen production devices 14 to be operated and the combination of hydrogen production devices 14 to be operated may be determined based on the predicted power generation and the amount of electricity stored in the electricity storage device 20.

[0144] In addition, during the daytime when sunlight is irradiated, the power generated by the solar power generation device 10a may be stored in the power storage device 20, and at night, the number of operating hydrogen production devices 14 may be set to be optimal for the amount of stored power and then started.

[0145] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and applications are possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. For example, the configuration using the power storage device 20, the power storage amount monitoring device 22, the power generation amount monitoring device 24, and the switching unit 26 described in the second and third embodiments can also be applied to the first embodiment, and the configuration using the commercial power source 28 and the minimum number of operating units described in the third embodiment can also be applied to the first embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0146] A, B, C groups, 1, 1A, 1B, 1C hydrogen production system, 10 power generation device, 10a solar power generation device, 12 control device, 14, A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3 hydrogen production device, 16 hydrogen storage container, 18 environmental information, 20 power storage device, 22 power storage amount monitoring device, 24 power generation amount monitoring device, 26 switching unit, 28 commercial power supply

Claims

1. A power generation device that generates electricity using renewable energy; a plurality of hydrogen production devices that produce hydrogen using the electric power generated by the power generation device; a control device that controls the start and stop of each of the plurality of hydrogen production devices based on environmental information provided from an external source; A hydrogen production system comprising:

2. 2. The hydrogen production system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of hydrogen production devices require the same amount of electric power for operation.

3. 3. The hydrogen production system according to claim 2, wherein the control device controls the number of operating hydrogen production devices among the plurality of hydrogen production devices based on the environmental information.

4. The hydrogen production system described in claim 3, characterized in that the control device calculates a predicted power generation amount to be generated by the power generation device in the future based on the environmental information, and controls the number of operating hydrogen production devices among the plurality of hydrogen production devices so that the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of the operating hydrogen production devices among the plurality of hydrogen production devices, is maximized within the range of the predicted power generation amount.

5. the plurality of hydrogen production devices include hydrogen production devices that require different amounts of power to operate, The hydrogen production system according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device calculates a predicted power generation amount to be generated by the power generation device in the future based on the environmental information, and controls the start and stop of each of the plurality of hydrogen production devices based on the predicted power generation amount.

6. The hydrogen production system described in claim 5, characterized in that the control device controls the start and stop of each of the multiple hydrogen production devices so that the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of the operating hydrogen production devices among the multiple hydrogen production devices, is maximized within the range of the predicted power generation power.

7. 7. The hydrogen production system according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of hydrogen production devices include hydrogen production devices that are divided into two or more groups with different required electric power.

8. 6. The hydrogen production system according to claim 4, further comprising: a power storage device that stores the power output from the power generation device; and a switching unit that switches between the output from the power generation device and the output from the power storage device to supply power to the hydrogen production device.

9. 9. The hydrogen production system according to claim 8, further comprising: a power generation amount monitoring device that monitors the amount of power generated by the power generation device; and a power storage amount monitoring device that monitors the amount of power stored in the power storage device.

10. the control device determines that the amount of power generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device can correspond to the total required power, which is the sum of the required power of the operating hydrogen production devices among the plurality of hydrogen production devices, but that the predicted generated power is less than the total required power, controls the switching unit to supply all of the power to the operating hydrogen production devices from the power storage device; 10. The hydrogen production system according to claim 9, wherein the electric power output from the power generation device is stored in the power storage device.

11. The hydrogen production system of claim 9, characterized in that when the control device determines that the amount of power generated monitored by the power generation monitoring device is capable of covering the total required power, which is the sum of the power required by the operating hydrogen production devices among the multiple hydrogen production devices, and that the predicted generated power is equal to or greater than the total required power, it controls the switching unit to supply all of the power to the operating hydrogen production devices from the power generation device.

12. the power generation device has a maximum power generation capacity that exceeds the power required to operate all of the plurality of hydrogen production devices; The hydrogen production system according to claim 11, characterized in that the power storage device stores surplus electricity output by the power generation device in excess of the total required electricity, which is the sum of the required electricity of the operating hydrogen production devices among the plurality of hydrogen production devices.

13. The hydrogen production system according to claim 9, characterized in that the control device controls the start and stop of each of the plurality of hydrogen production devices based on the predicted power generation power, the power generation amount monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device, and the stored power amount monitored by the stored power amount monitoring device.

14. a minimum number of operating hydrogen production devices is set in advance, The hydrogen production system according to claim 9, characterized in that, when operating with the minimum number of operating units, the control device controls the switching unit to operate the minimum number of operating hydrogen production devices using the power output from the storage device and the power output from the power generation device.

15. The hydrogen production system of claim 14, wherein if the total amount of electricity, which is the sum of the amount of electricity generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device and the amount of electricity stored monitored by the electricity storage amount monitoring device, does not meet the minimum required power required to operate the hydrogen production device with the minimum number of operating units, a commercial power source is used to store electricity in the electricity storage device.

16. 16. The hydrogen production system according to claim 15, wherein even if the total amount of power, which is the sum of the amount of power generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device and the amount of power stored monitored by the power storage amount monitoring device, can correspond to the minimum power required to operate the hydrogen production device with the minimum number of operating units, if both the amount of power generated monitored by the power generation amount monitoring device and the amount of power stored monitored by the power storage amount monitoring device cannot correspond to the minimum power required, a commercial power source is used to store power in the power storage device.

17. 16. The hydrogen production system according to claim 15, wherein a nighttime rate is used when storing electricity in the electricity storage device using the commercial power source.

18. 18. The hydrogen production system according to claim 1, wherein the power generation device is a solar power generation device that generates electricity using sunlight, or a wind power generation device that generates electricity using wind power.

19. The hydrogen production system according to claim 1 , wherein the environmental information includes information on the amount of solar radiation, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and rain.

20. The hydrogen production system according to claim 19, wherein the environmental information includes information observed by an existing device already installed for weather forecasting.

21. 2. The hydrogen production system according to claim 1, further comprising a hydrogen storage container for storing hydrogen produced by the plurality of hydrogen production devices.

22. a subsystem including the power generation device and the plurality of hydrogen production devices is provided in each of a plurality of different regions; The hydrogen production system according to claim 1, characterized in that, when controlling the subsystems in the plurality of regions, the control device controls the start and stop of each of the plurality of hydrogen production devices based on the environmental information corresponding to the target region in which the subsystem to be controlled is installed, among the environmental information.

23. The hydrogen production system according to claim 22, characterized in that, when the control device uses environmental information of areas other than the target area when controlling the subsystem of the target area, the control device weights environmental information of areas closer to the target area more highly than environmental information of areas farther from the target area.

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