Information processing system

Abstract

To provide a technology capable of accurately estimating an emission amount of greenhouse effect gas when producing a product or providing a service.SOLUTION: An environmental information management system 1 includes an emission amount calculation part 123 for acquiring emission basic unit information 117 indicating the emission basic unit of energy supplied to a business operator who produces a product for each predetermined unit period, and calculating the emission amount of greenhouse gas for each production unit of the product on the basis of the emission basic unit information 117.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for performing information processing. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, various efforts have been made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout society, and one such effort is known as carbon footprinting. Carbon footprinting involves converting the greenhouse gas emissions emitted throughout the entire life cycle of a company's products or services, from the procurement of raw materials to production, distribution, disposal, and recycling, into CO2 emissions, and presenting these CO2 emissions to consumers when providing the product or service, thereby raising their awareness of the issue of global warming.

[0003] To achieve carbon footprinting, it is necessary to accurately estimate greenhouse gas emissions in each process. However, the composition of energy (e.g., electricity) used in the production of products and the provision of services, as well as the composition of raw materials used in products, can vary depending on the situation. In such cases, it is difficult to accurately estimate greenhouse gas emissions in a given process.

[0004] Known technology for estimating greenhouse gas emissions is, for example, that described in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes an emission coefficient calculator that calculates the effective CO2 emission coefficient in a power system at regular intervals based on the ratio between the integrated amount of power received from a higher-level system and the amount of power generated using zero-emission power, and the emission coefficient of the higher-level system, and notifies the load and lower-level systems of the calculation results. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-197355 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The technology in Patent Document 1 targets power systems that have power generation facilities capable of zero-emission power generation, such as solar power generation, and eliminates supply-demand mismatches by controlling the load according to the CO2 emission coefficient, thereby reducing CO2 emissions. However, it does not take into account CO2 emissions from power generation in upstream systems or CO2 emissions other than power generation. Therefore, it is not possible to accurately estimate greenhouse gas emissions during the production of products or the provision of services, which are important in carbon footprint analysis.

[0007] The present invention has been made against this background, and aims to provide a technology that enables accurate estimation of greenhouse gas emissions during the production of products and the provision of services. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The information processing system according to the present invention is a system for processing information regarding greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of products or the provision of services, and includes an emissions calculation unit that acquires emissions unit information indicating the emissions unit of energy supplied to businesses that produce the products or provide the services for each specified unit period, and calculates the greenhouse gas emissions for each production unit of the products or each provision unit of the services based on the emissions unit information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique that enables accurate estimation of greenhouse gas emissions during the production of products and the provision of services. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of an environmental information management system that is an example of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a supply-side management system and a demand-side management system. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a supply-side management system and a demand-side management system. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of emission intensity information. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of power usage information. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of emission amount information. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of a type management process performed in the supply-side management system. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of production management processing carried out in the demand-side management system. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of an emission calculation process performed in the demand-side management system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of an environmental information management system, which is an example of an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. The environmental information management system 1 shown in Fig. 1 is a system for processing information related to greenhouse gas emissions due to the production of products, and includes a supply-side management system 11 and a demand-side management system 12.

[0013] The supply-side management system 11 is connected to a plurality of power generation facilities 2 and power storage facilities 3. The demand-side management system 12 is connected to a plurality of production facilities 4. The power generation facilities 2, power storage facilities 3, and production facilities 4 are connected to one another via a power grid 5. In the example of FIG. 1, three power generation facilities 2, one power storage facility 3, and two production facilities 4 are each connected to the power grid 5, but the number of these facilities is not limited to the above, and any number of facilities can be connected for each.

[0014] The power generation facilities 2 each generate electricity using a predetermined method and supply the generated electricity to each production facility 4 via the power grid 5. For example, the power generation facilities 2 may be facilities that generate electricity using renewable energy such as solar, wind, or geothermal energy, or facilities that generate electricity using non-renewable energy such as coal, oil, or natural gas.

[0015] The power storage facility 3 charges and stores a portion of the power generated by each power generation facility 2, and discharges the stored power as needed to supply it to each production facility 4, thereby adjusting supply and demand in the power grid 5. The power storage facility 3 is realized using, for example, a power storage device such as a chargeable and dischargeable secondary battery. The charge and discharge control of the power storage facility 3 is performed, for example, by a control device (not shown) provided in the power grid 5.

[0016] The production facilities 4 are facilities owned by businesses that produce various products. Each production facility 4 receives power supplied from the power generation facility 2 via the power grid 5 and uses that power to perform various operations necessary for the production of the products. For example, various types of machine tools, chemical treatment equipment, heat treatment equipment, industrial robots, and other equipment depending on the type of product being produced can be used as the production facility 4.

[0017] The power grid 5 transmits the electricity supplied from the power generation facility 2 and the power storage facility 3 to the production facility 4. The power grid 5 is, for example, a large-scale power transmission and distribution network provided over a wide area by a general power transmission and distribution company, a microgrid provided on a small scale in a specific area, or a combination of these.

[0018] The supply-side management system 11 measures the power supplied from each power generation facility 2 and the power charged / discharged from the power storage facility 3, and based on the results of these measurements, performs processing to manage the greenhouse gas emissions from each facility located on the supply side of the energy used in the production of products, i.e., each power generation facility 2 and power storage facility 3. Details of the processing performed by the supply-side management system 11 will be described later.

[0019] The demand-side management system 12 measures the amount of electricity used by each production facility 4 during product production, and performs processing to manage the amount of greenhouse gases emitted during product production by each facility located on the energy demand side, i.e., each production facility 4, based on the measurement results and the production history of the products by each production facility 4. Details of the processing performed by the demand-side management system 12 will be described later.

[0020] In the environmental information management system 1, the supply-side management system 11 and the demand-side management system 12, which each perform the above-mentioned processing, work in cooperation with each other, thereby enabling the sharing of information necessary to realize carbon footprints between the electricity supply side (power generation side) and the demand side (business side).

[0021] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the supply-side management system 11 and the demand-side management system 12. As shown in FIG.

[0022] The supply-side management system 11 and the demand-side management system 12 are each realized using a general information processing device such as a PC (Personal Computer), a server, etc. As shown in Fig. 2, for example, the supply-side management system 11 and the demand-side management system 12 each include a processor 21, a memory 22, an external storage device 23, a communication interface (communication IF) 24, an input / output device 25, and a communication bus 26 connecting these respective components.

[0023] The processor 21 controls each part of the supply-side management system 11 or the demand-side management system 12, and performs calculations related to the various processes described above that are performed in each of these systems. The processor 21 may be, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The memory 22 is configured using a processor 21 and other components, such as a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and a Serial Communication Unit (SCM), and can implement the respective functional blocks (see FIG. 3 described below) of the supply-side management system 11 and the demand-side management system 12 by executing programs stored in the memory 22. The memory 22 is, for example, a semiconductor storage device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), and temporarily stores programs that are loaded from an external storage device 23 and executed by the processor 21, as well as necessary work data.

[0024] The external storage device 23 is, for example, a large-capacity non-transitory magnetic storage device or semiconductor storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD), and stores programs executed by the processor 21 and data used in the processing of the processor 21. As described above, some or all of these programs and data may be stored in the external storage device 23 in advance, or may be introduced from outside as necessary.

[0025] The communication IF 24 operates under the control of the processor 21 and performs interface processing to send and receive various information between the supply-side management system 11 and the demand-side management system 12, or between other information processing devices, via a communication network not shown.

[0026] The input / output device 25 is a device for accepting input from an administrator who manages the supply-side management system 11 and the demand-side management system 12, and for outputting information to be presented to the administrator, and is configured using, for example, a mouse, keyboard, display, etc.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the supply-side management system 11 and the demand-side management system 12 in the environmental information management system 1 of this embodiment.

[0028] The supply-side management system 11 includes the following functional blocks: a power generation amount measurement unit 111, a charge / discharge amount measurement unit 112, a type management unit 113, and a communication unit 114. These functional blocks are realized by the processor 21 executing a predetermined program.

[0029] The supply-side management system 11 also has information on electricity storage information 116 and emission intensity information 117. These pieces of information are stored in the external storage device 23.

[0030] The power generation amount measurement unit 111 measures the amount of power generated by each power generation facility 2 at predetermined unit intervals (e.g., 30 minutes). The power generated by each power generation facility 2 is supplied to various demand destinations including production facilities 4 via the power grid 5.

[0031] The charge / discharge amount measuring unit 112 measures the amount of charge / discharge by the power storage equipment 3 at every predetermined unit period (for example, 30 minutes). That is, when the power storage equipment 3 is charging, the charge / discharge amount measuring unit 112 measures the amount of charged power of the power storage equipment 3 at every predetermined unit period, and when the power storage equipment 3 is discharging, the charge / discharge amount measuring unit 112 measures the amount of discharged power of the power storage equipment 3 at every predetermined unit period.

[0032] The type management unit 113 calculates the emission intensity of the received power in each production facility 4 based on the measured value of the amount of power generated for each power generation facility 2 in each unit period measured by the power generation amount measurement unit 111 and the measured value of the charge / discharge amount of the power storage facility 3 in each unit period measured by the charge / discharge amount measurement unit 112. Then, the type management unit 113 generates emission intensity information 117 based on the calculated value of the emission intensity and stores it in the external storage device 23 of the supply-side management system 11.

[0033] The emission intensity of received power calculated by the type management unit 113 is the value obtained by converting the greenhouse gas emissions per unit amount of power received by the business from the power grid 5 at each production facility 4 into CO2 emissions. This is determined according to the ratio of the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the energy used by each power generation facility 2 when generating power to the amount of power generated by each power generation facility 2 in each unit period. However, when the power storage facility 3 is discharging, the emission intensity must be calculated by further considering the emission coefficient (the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per unit amount discharged by the power storage facility 3) when the power storage facility 3 is discharging and the amount of discharge. The emission coefficient when the power storage facility 3 is discharging can be determined based on the ratio of the amount of power generated by each power generation facility 2 when the power storage facility 3 was previously charged.

[0034] Furthermore, the type management unit 113 calculates the amount of electricity stored in the electricity storage facility 3 and the amount of CO2 accumulated, which is the amount of greenhouse gases accumulated in the electricity storage facility 3 converted into CO2, based on the calculation result of the emission intensity of the received power and the measurement value of the charge / discharge amount of the electricity storage facility 3 in each unit period. Then, these values ​​are stored in the external storage device 23 of the supply-side management system 11 as electricity storage information 116.

[0035] By performing the above-described processing, the type management unit 113 manages the type of power that is the energy supplied to the business operator. Details of the processing by the type management unit 113 will be described later.

[0036] The communication unit 114 uses the communication IF 24 in FIG. 2 to perform information communication with the demand-side management system 12 or other information processing devices via a communication network (not shown).

[0037] The demand-side management system 12 includes the following functional blocks: an energy usage measurement unit 121, a production management unit 122, an emission calculation unit 123, and a communication unit 124. These functional blocks are realized by the processor 21 executing a predetermined program.

[0038] The demand side management system 12 also has information on electricity usage 126 and emission amount information 127. These pieces of information are stored in the external storage device 23.

[0039] The power usage measurement unit 121 measures the amount of power usage by each production facility 4 for each predetermined unit period (for example, 30 minutes).

[0040] The production management unit 122 acquires information about products produced by the business operator using the production facility 4, and identifies the relationship between the production history and the amount of electricity used for each unit period based on this information and the measured value of the amount of electricity used by the production facility 4 for each unit period measured by the electricity usage measurement unit 121. Then, based on these identified relationships, it generates electricity usage information 126 and stores it in the external storage device 23 of the demand-side management system 12. This allows production management of the product in question regarding the amount of electricity used. Details of this processing will be described later.

[0041] The emission calculation unit 123 acquires the emission intensity information 117 from the supply-side management system 11, and calculates the amount of greenhouse gas emissions for each production unit of a product produced by the business operator based on the emission intensity information 117 and the power usage information 126. Then, the calculated information on the amount of emissions for each production unit of the product is stored as emission information 127 in the external storage device 23 of the demand-side management system 12. Details of this processing will be described later.

[0042] The communication unit 124 uses the communication IF 24 in FIG. 2 to communicate information with the supply-side management system 11 or other information processing devices via a communication network (not shown).

[0043] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the emission intensity information 117. The emission intensity information 117 is configured by combining a plurality of records each having fields for time 1171, power generation amount 1172, and emission intensity 1173, as shown in Fig. 4, for example.

[0044] The time 1171 stores information about the time when the amount of power generated by each power generation facility 2 and the amount of charge / discharge of the power storage facility 3 are measured. The interval between the values ​​of the time 1171 between records is equal to the unit period (e.g., 30 minutes) described above. That is, in the emission intensity information 117, a record is set for each unit period.

[0045] The power generation amount 1172 stores the measured values ​​of the power generation amount of each power generation facility 2 and the charge / discharge amount of the power storage facility 3 measured for each unit period. In the example of Fig. 4, the three power generation facilities 2 shown in Fig. 1 are represented as power generation facilities A, B, and C, respectively, and the measured values ​​of the power generation power measured by the power generation amount measurement unit 111 for each of these power generation facilities A, B, and C and the measured values ​​of the charge / discharge power of the power storage facility 3 measured by the charge / discharge amount measurement unit 112 are stored in the power generation amount 1172 of each record set for each unit period. In the charge / discharge power of the power storage facility 3, positive values ​​represent discharge power, and negative values ​​represent charge power.

[0046] 4, the amounts of power generated by power generation facilities A, B, and C are recorded separately, but if there are multiple power generation facilities that use a common power generation method, the amounts of power generated by these power generation facilities may be totaled and recorded as power generation amount 1172. Even if the power generation methods are different, if the power generation facilities use renewable energy to generate power, that is, if the power generation facilities emit zero greenhouse gases during power generation, the total amount of power generated by the multiple power generation facilities may be recorded as power generation amount 1172. As long as the measured value of the amount of power generated can be recorded for at least each greenhouse gas emission coefficient during power generation, the power generation amount 1172 can be recorded in the emission intensity information 117 by any method.

[0047] The emission intensity 1173 stores the value of the emission intensity of the electricity supplied from the power generation facility 2 and the power storage facility 3 to each production facility 4 via the power grid 5. As described above, this value is calculated for each record in the type management unit 113 based on the measured values ​​of the power generation amount of each power generation facility 2 and the charge / discharge amount of the power storage facility 3 stored in the power generation amount 1172.

[0048] The information described above is recorded in the emission intensity information 117. As a result, the emission intensity information 117 can indicate the emission intensity for each predetermined unit period for electricity, which is the energy supplied to a business operator that produces products.

[0049] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the power usage information 126. The power usage information 126 is configured by combining a plurality of records each having fields for time 1261, manufactured product 1262, and power usage amount 1263, as shown in Fig. 5, for example.

[0050] The time 1261 stores information about the time when the amount of power used by each production facility 4 was measured. The interval between the values ​​of the time 1171 between records is equal to the above-mentioned unit period (e.g., 30 minutes), similar to the time 1171 in the emission intensity information 117 in Fig. 4. That is, in the power usage information 126, a record is set for each unit period.

[0051] Information about products produced for each unit period is stored in the produced products 1262. Specifically, information for identifying the production unit of the products produced within the period, such as the product serial number or lot number, is stored in each record as the produced products 1262.

[0052] The power usage amount 1263 stores the measured value of the power usage amount of the production equipment 4 measured for each unit period. In the example of the power usage amount 1263 shown in Fig. 5, the total value of the power usage amounts of the two production equipment 4 shown in Fig. 1 is recorded as the power usage amount 1263. Note that the power usage amount 1263 may be recorded for each production equipment 4.

[0053] The information described above is recorded in the power usage information 126. This makes it possible to show the relationship between the production history of a product and the amount of power usage for each unit period in the power usage information 126.

[0054] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the emission amount information 127. The emission amount information 127 is configured by combining a plurality of records each having fields for a product 1271, a production time 1272, an amount of electricity used 1273, raw materials used 1274, and a carbon footprint 1275, as shown in Fig. 6, for example.

[0055] Information for identifying the production unit of a product produced by a business is stored in product 1271. Information corresponding to produced product 1262 in power usage information 126 in FIG. 5, such as the product serial number or lot number, is stored here.

[0056] The production time 1272 stores information indicating the production time of the product for each production unit.

[0057] The value of the amount of electricity used for each type of energy during the production of a product is stored in the amount of electricity used 1273 for each production unit. In the example of Fig. 6, for electricity generated using renewable energy such as solar, wind, and geothermal power, and two types of electricity generated using non-renewable energy such as coal, oil, and natural gas, information on the amount of electricity used during the production of a product is stored as "renewable energy," "non-renewable energy 1," and "non-renewable energy 2" in the amount of electricity used 1273 of each record set for each production unit of the product. Note that the electricity generated by each power generation facility 2 in Fig. 1 (power generation facilities A, B, and C in Fig. 4) corresponds to one of the above "renewable energy," "non-renewable energy 1," and "non-renewable energy 2," respectively.

[0058] Information about the raw materials used in the production of a product is stored for each production unit in the raw materials used 1274. In the example of Fig. 6, when recycled products and new products (non-recycled products) are used together as raw materials, information indicating which raw materials were used in the production of each production unit of the product, or whether a mixture of these was used in the production, is stored in the raw materials used 1274 of each set record.

[0059] The amount of greenhouse gas emitted during the production of a product is stored as a carbon footprint value for each production unit in the carbon footprint 1275. The carbon footprint value stored in the carbon footprint 1275 corresponds to the total value of the amount of greenhouse gas emitted due to electricity used and the amount of greenhouse gas emitted due to raw materials used, converted into CO2 emissions.

[0060] The information described above is recorded in the emission amount information 127. As a result, the emission amount information 127 can indicate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions for each production unit of products produced by the business operator using the production facility 4.

[0061] 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of the type management process performed in the supply side management system 11. The supply side management system 11 executes the type management process in accordance with the flowchart in FIG. 7 for each unit period (for example, 30 minutes) described above.

[0062] In step S10, the power generation amount measurement unit 111 measures the power generation amount of each power generation facility 2. Here, for example, the amount of power generated by each power generation facility 2 within a unit period from the previous measurement to the current measurement is measured. Alternatively, the instantaneous value of the power generated by each power generation facility 2 at the time of the current measurement may be measured as the power generation amount of each power generation facility 2.

[0063] In step S20, the charge / discharge amount measuring unit 112 measures the charge / discharge amount of the power storage equipment 3. Here, for example, the amount of power charged / discharged by the power storage equipment 3 within a unit period from the previous measurement to the current measurement, i.e., the difference between the amount of charged power and the amount of discharged power, is measured. Alternatively, the instantaneous value of the charge / discharge power of the power storage equipment 3 at the time of the current measurement may be measured as the charge / discharge amount of the power storage equipment 3. In either case, it is preferable to perform the measurement in step S20 using the same measurement method as in step S10.

[0064] The charge / discharge amount of the power storage facility 3 measured in step S20 can be expressed as either a charge amount or a discharge amount depending on its sign. For example, by expressing the discharge side as a positive value and the charge side as a negative value, it becomes possible to distinguish between charge and discharge in the charge / discharge amount of the power storage facility 3.

[0065] In step S30, the type management unit 113 calculates the current amount of stored power in the power storage facility 3 based on the measurement values ​​of the charge / discharge amounts of the power storage facility 3 acquired in step S20. Here, for example, by using the following formula (1), the amount of stored power Qz(t) in the power storage facility 3 in the unit period t (hereinafter referred to as the current unit period t) corresponding to the current processing cycle when the processing shown in the flowchart in FIG. 7 is executed for each unit period is calculated, and this can be used as the current amount of stored power in the power storage facility 3. Qz(t) = Qz(t-1) - Pz (1)

[0066] In formula (1), Qz(t-1) represents the amount of stored energy in the energy storage facility 3 in the unit period t-1 corresponding to the previous processing cycle (hereinafter referred to as the previous unit period t-1), and this amount is calculated in step S30 in the previous processing. The value of the amount of stored energy Qz(t-1) calculated in the previous processing is recorded in the energy storage information 116. In step S30, the value of the previous amount of stored energy Qz(t-1) can be obtained by reading out the energy storage information 116. Also in formula (1), Pz represents the amount of charge / discharge of the energy storage facility 3 measured in step S20. As described above, this amount of charge / discharge Pz is a positive value on the discharge side and a negative value on the charge side.

[0067] In step S40, it is determined whether the power storage equipment 3 is charging or discharging. For example, if the charge / discharge amount of the power storage equipment 3 measured in step S20 is a negative value, it is determined that the power storage equipment 3 is charging, and the process proceeds to step S50. Conversely, if the charge / discharge amount of the power storage equipment 3 measured in step S20 is a positive value, it is determined that the power storage equipment 3 is discharging, and the process proceeds to step S80. Note that if the power storage equipment 3 is neither charging nor discharging, that is, if the charge / discharge amount of the power storage equipment 3 is 0, it is preferable to proceed to step S50, as in the case of charging.

[0068] In step S50, the type management unit 113 calculates the emission intensity for the current unit period t. Here, the emission intensity for the current unit period t is calculated based on the measured values ​​of the power generation amount of each power generation facility 2 acquired in step S10. Specifically, the emission intensity I for the current unit period t is calculated based on the type of energy used by each power generation facility 2 when generating electricity and the ratio of the power generation amount of each power generation facility 2, for example, using the following formula (2). I=(Ka·Ga+Kb·Gb+Kc·Gc) / (Ga+Gb+Gc) ···(2)

[0069] In equation (2), Ka, Kb, and Kc represent the greenhouse gas emission coefficients of the power generation facilities A, B, and C, respectively. These values ​​are set in advance according to the type of energy used by each power generation facility when generating electricity and the specifications of each power generation facility. Note that for power generation facilities that generate electricity using renewable energy such as solar, wind, and geothermal, the emission coefficient value is 0. Also, in equation (1), Ga, Gb, and Gc represent the power generation amounts of power generation facilities A, B, and C, respectively. These values ​​are obtained in step S10.

[0070] Note that while formula (2) shows the calculation formula for the emission intensity I when there are three power generation facilities 2, A, B, and C, the emission intensity I can be calculated using a similar calculation formula even when the number of power generation facilities 2 is different. That is, in step S50, the emission intensity I can be calculated for any number of power generation facilities 2 using the following formula (3), which is a generalization of formula (2). I=Σ(Kx Gx) / Σ(Gx) (3)

[0071] In equation (3), Σ(Kx Gx) represents the sum of the product of the greenhouse gas emission coefficient Kx and the power generation amount Gx of any power generation facility 2 for all power generation facilities 2. Also, Σ(Gx) represents the sum of the power generation amount Gx of any power generation facility 2 for all power generation facilities 2. Note that equation (2) described above is obtained by setting Kx = Ka, Kb, Kc and Gx = Ga, Gb, Gc in equation (3).

[0072] In step S60, the type management unit 113 calculates the amount of CO2 stored in accordance with the current amount of stored electricity in the electricity storage facility 3, based on the measured value of the charge / discharge amount of the electricity storage facility 3 acquired in step S20 and the value of the emission intensity calculated in step S50. Here, for example, the amount of CO2 stored in the electricity storage facility 3 in the current unit period t, Cz(t), can be calculated using the following equation (4). Cz(t)=Qz(t-1)·Kz(t-1)-Pz·I ···(4)

[0073] In equation (4), I represents the value of the emission intensity calculated by equation (2) or equation (3), and Pz represents the charge / discharge amount of the power storage facility 3 measured in step S20. However, since the power storage facility 3 is being charged when step S60 is executed, the charge / discharge amount Pz is a negative value. Furthermore, Kz(t-1) represents the greenhouse gas emission coefficient of the power storage facility 3 in the previous unit period t-1, that is, the greenhouse gas emission coefficient of the power storage facility 3 in the state before charging in the current unit period t. In addition to the aforementioned power storage amount Qz(t-1), the power storage information 116 also records the value of the emission coefficient Kz(t-1) of the power storage facility 3 in the previous unit period t-1, as a result of the previously executed type management process. In step S60, these values ​​can be acquired by reading out the power storage information 116.

[0074] In step S70, the type management unit 113 calculates a greenhouse gas emission coefficient corresponding to the power storage facility 3 after charging, based on the current amount of stored electricity and the amount of accumulated CO2 in the power storage facility 3 calculated in steps S30 and S60, respectively. Here, the emission coefficient Kz(t) of the power storage facility 3 for the current unit period t, which reflects the state of electricity stored in the power storage facility 3 after charging, can be calculated, for example, by the following equation (5): Kz(t)=Cz(t) / Qz(t) (5)

[0075] If the emission coefficient Kz(t) of the power storage facility 3 for the current unit period t can be calculated in step S70, the process proceeds to step S110.

[0076] In step S80, the type management unit 113 determines the emission coefficient of the power storage facility 3. Here, the power storage information 116 is read from the external storage device 23 of the supply-side management system 11, and the value of the emission coefficient Kz(t-1) of the power storage facility 3 for the previous unit period t-1 recorded in this power storage information 116 is obtained. Then, the obtained value of the emission coefficient Kz(t-1) is determined as the value of the emission coefficient Kz(t) of the power storage facility 3 for the current unit period t.

[0077] The value of the emission coefficient Kz(t-1) for the previous unit period t-1 is calculated by executing the processes of steps S50 to S70 described above during the most recent charging of the power storage facility 3. This is calculated according to the above-mentioned formulas (4) and (5) using the emission intensity I calculated based on the ratio of the amount of power generated by each power generation facility 2 during the processing period. That is, in the process of step S80, the emission coefficient Kz(t) during the current discharge of the power storage facility 3 is determined based on the ratio of the amount of power generated by each power generation facility 2 when the power storage facility 3 was previously charged.

[0078] In step S90, the type management unit 113 calculates the emission intensity for the current unit period t. Here, the emission intensity is calculated based on the measured values ​​of the power generation amount of each power generation facility 2 and the charge / discharge amount of the power storage facility 3 acquired in steps S10 and S20, respectively, and the emission coefficient of the power storage facility 3 determined in step S80. Specifically, the emission intensity I is calculated, for example, using the following formula (6): I=(Ka·Ga+Kb·Gb+Kc·Gc+Kz(t)·Pz) / (Ga+Gb+Gc+Pz) ···(6)

[0079] In equation (6), Ka, Kb, Kc and Ga, Gb, Gc represent the greenhouse gas emission coefficients and power generation amounts of power generation facilities A, B, and C, respectively, as in equation (2) above. These values ​​are acquired in step S10. Furthermore, Kz(t) represents the emission coefficient of the power storage facility 3 for the current unit period t determined in step S80, and Pz represents the charge / discharge amount of the power storage facility 3 measured in step S20. However, since the power storage facility 3 is discharging when step S90 is executed, the charge / discharge amount Pz is a positive value.

[0080] As in step S50, in step S90, the emission intensity I can be calculated for any number of power generation facilities 2 and power storage facilities 3 using the following formula (7), which is a generalization of formula (6). I=Σ(Kx·Gx+Ky(t)·Py) / Σ(Gx+Py) ···(7)

[0081] In equation (7), Σ(Kx·Gx+Ky(t)·Py) represents the sum of the product of the greenhouse gas emission coefficient Kx and the power generation amount Gx for any power generation facility 2, and the product of the greenhouse gas emission coefficient Ky(t) and the charge / discharge amount Py for any storage facility 3, for all power generation facilities 2 and power storage facilities 3. Also, Σ(Gx+Py) represents the sum of the power generation amount Gx for any power generation facility 2 and the charge / discharge amount Py for any storage facility 3, for all power generation facilities 2 and power storage facilities 3. Note that equation (6) described above is obtained by setting Kx = Ka, Kb, Kc, Gx = Ga, Gb, Gc in equation (7), setting Ky(t) = Kz(t), and Py = Pz.

[0082] In step S100, the type management unit 113 calculates the amount of CO2 stored in accordance with the current amount of stored electricity in the electricity storage facility 3, based on the measurement value of the charge / discharge amount of the electricity storage facility 3 acquired in step S20 and the emission coefficient of the electricity storage facility 3 determined in step S80. Here, for example, the CO2 stored amount Cz(t) in the electricity storage facility 3 in the current unit period t can be calculated using the following equation (8). Cz(t)={Qz(t-1)-Pz}·Kz(t-1) ···(8)

[0083] In equation (8), Pz represents the charge / discharge amount of the power storage facility 3 measured in step S20. However, since the power storage facility 3 is discharging when step S100 is executed, the charge / discharge amount Pz is a positive value. Also, Qz(t-1) and Kz(t-1) represent the amount of electricity stored in the power storage facility 3 and the emission coefficient in the previous unit period t-1, respectively, as in the above-mentioned equation (4). Note that the emission coefficient Kz(t-1) is equal to the value of the current emission coefficient Kz(t) determined in step S80. In step S100, these values ​​can be acquired by reading out the power storage information 116.

[0084] If the current CO2 storage amount Cz(t) of the power storage facility 3 can be calculated in step S100, the process proceeds to step S110.

[0085] In step S110, the type management unit 113 updates the electricity storage information 116 by reflecting the result of the current type management process. Here, the electricity storage amount of the electricity storage facility 3 calculated in step S30 and the emission coefficient of the electricity storage facility 3 calculated in step S70 or determined in step S80 are stored as new electricity storage information 116 in the external storage device 23 of the supply-side management system 11, thereby updating the electricity storage information 116.

[0086] In step S120, the type management unit 113 generates emission intensity information for the unit period corresponding to the current processing cycle based on the amount of power generated by each power generation facility 2 and the amount of charge / discharge of the power storage facility 3 measured in steps S10 and S20, respectively, and the emission intensity calculated in step S50 or step S90. Then, the content of the generated emission intensity information is added to a new record in the emission intensity information 117 illustrated in Fig. 4, thereby updating the emission intensity information 117.

[0087] After the process of step S120 is performed, the type management process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7 ends.

[0088] The type management process described above is executed every predetermined unit period (for example, 30 minutes) in the supply-side management system 11. As a result, the supply-side management system 11 generates emission intensity information 117 indicating the emission intensity of electricity, which is energy supplied from the power generation facility 2 and the power storage facility 3 to businesses that manufacture products, for every predetermined unit period, and stores the information in the external storage device 23.

[0089] Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the production management process performed in the demand-side management system 12. The demand-side management system 12 executes the production management process in accordance with the flowchart in Fig. 8 for each unit period (for example, 30 minutes) described above.

[0090] In step S210, the production management unit 122 identifies the products produced in the unit period corresponding to the current processing cycle. Here, for example, by using the communication unit 124 to obtain production history information of the products from a production management device (not shown), the products produced in that period can be identified by their production unit.

[0091] In step S220, the production management unit 122 acquires the amount of power used during production of the product identified in step S210. Here, for example, the power consumption of each piece of production equipment 4 within a unit period from the previous measurement to the current measurement is measured by the power consumption measurement unit 121, and the total value is calculated, thereby acquiring the amount of power used during product production.

[0092] In step S230, the production management unit 122 records information about the produced products and the amount of power used in the unit period corresponding to the current processing cycle, based on the produced products identified in step S210 and the amount of power used during product production acquired in step S220, in the power usage information 126. Here, the information acquired in steps S210 and S220 is recorded in the power usage information 126 by adding the information to new records in the power usage information 126 shown in FIG.

[0093] After the processing of step S230 is performed, the production management processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8 ends.

[0094] The demand side management system 12 executes the production management process described above for each predetermined unit period (e.g., 30 minutes). As a result, the demand side management system 12 generates power usage information 126 indicating the relationship between the production history of the product and the amount of power usage for each unit period, and stores the information in the external storage device 23.

[0095] Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of the emission calculation process performed in the demand side management system 12. The demand side management system 12 executes the emission calculation process according to the flowchart in Fig. 9 for a calculation period longer than the above-mentioned unit period, for example, for each day.

[0096] In step S310, the emission calculation unit 123 acquires the emission intensity information 117 and the power usage information 126. Here, for example, the communication unit 124 is used to acquire information on each record of the emission intensity information 117 stored in the supply-side management system 11 that corresponds to the calculation period corresponding to the current processing cycle (hereinafter referred to as the current calculation period). Also, information on each record of the power usage information 126 stored in the demand-side management system 12 that corresponds to the current calculation period is acquired. This allows the emission calculation unit 123 to acquire information on the products produced and the amount of power usage within the specified calculation period, and information on the emission intensity of the received power for each unit period at each production facility 4 at that time.

[0097] In step S320, emission calculation unit 123 calculates the total amount of CO2 emissions due to power usage within the current calculation period based on emission intensity information 117 and power usage information 126 acquired in step S310. Here, for example, the amount of power usage per unit period represented by power usage information 126 is multiplied by the emission intensity per unit period represented by emission intensity information 117, and the result is totaled within the current calculation period. In this way, the total amount of CO2 emissions due to power usage within the current calculation period can be calculated.

[0098] In step S330, the emission calculation unit 123 calculates the total amount of CO2 emissions from raw materials used during the current calculation period based on the power usage information 126 acquired in step S310. Here, for example, the total number of products produced during the current calculation period is calculated from the products produced for each unit period represented by the power usage information 126, and this total number is multiplied by a predetermined mixing ratio of recycled and new raw materials and the emission coefficients respectively determined for recycled and new products. This makes it possible to calculate the total amount of CO2 emissions from raw materials used during the current calculation period.

[0099] In step S340, the emission calculation unit 123 determines the allocation of CO2 emissions calculated in steps S320 and S330 for each production unit of the product. Here, the allocation of CO2 emissions for each product produced during the current calculation period is determined for each production unit of the product based on the allocation conditions, etc., preset by the business operator. For example, the CO2 emissions calculated in steps S320 and S330 are added together to calculate the total CO2 emissions from the electricity and raw materials used in the production of the product during the current calculation period. This total CO2 emissions is then allocated to each product according to the predetermined allocation conditions, thereby determining the allocation of CO2 emissions for each product. Specifically, the allocation of CO2 emissions for each production unit of the product can be determined by, for example, allocating the total CO2 emissions equally to all products, or allocating the total CO2 emissions so that the number of products with zero CO2 emissions is as large as possible.

[0100] Alternatively, the allocation of CO2 emissions due to electricity use and the allocation of CO2 emissions due to raw materials use may be determined according to separate allocation conditions. In step S340, the allocation of CO2 emissions related to the production of each product can be determined for each production unit of the product according to any other allocation conditions.

[0101] In step S350, one of the products for which the allocation of CO2 emissions has been determined in step S340 and that has not yet been selected is selected as the target for processing in the subsequent steps S360 to S390. Note that in step S350, a product is selected for each production unit.

[0102] In step S360, the production time of the product selected in step S350 is determined by the emission calculation unit 123. Here, the production time of the product can be determined by identifying the unit period corresponding to the product among the unit periods within the calculation period represented by the power usage information 126 acquired in step S310, and equally allocating the unit period among the products produced within the unit period.

[0103] In step S370, the emission calculation unit 123 determines the amount of electricity used and raw materials used for each type of power generation for the product selected in step S350, based on the allocation of CO2 emissions for that product. Here, the amount of electricity used and raw materials used for each type of power generation are determined according to the allocation of CO2 emissions determined in step S340. Specifically, for example, if the amount of CO2 emissions allocated to that product is zero, all of the electricity used for that product is determined to be renewable energy, and the raw materials used for that product are determined to be recycled. On the other hand, if the amount of CO2 emissions allocated to that product is other than zero, the amount of electricity used for each type of power generation and the type of raw materials used for that product are determined according to this allocation value. In this case, the amount of electricity used and raw materials used for each type of power generation are determined so that the larger the value of CO2 emissions, the greater the proportion of non-renewable energy in the amount of electricity used and the greater the proportion of new (non-recycled) materials used.

[0104] In step S380, the emission calculation unit 123 calculates the carbon footprint of the product based on the amount of electricity used and raw materials used for each type of power generation determined in step S370. Here, the carbon footprint of the product can be calculated by multiplying the amount of electricity used and raw materials used for each type of power generation determined in step S370 by a preset emission coefficient and adding up the values. Alternatively, the carbon footprint of the product may be calculated based on the allocation of CO2 emissions determined in step S340. Note that if the amount of electricity used is entirely renewable energy and the raw materials used are recycled, the carbon footprint value calculated in step S380 will be zero.

[0105] In step S390, the emission calculation unit 123 records in the emission information 127, for the product selected in step S350, the production time determined in step S360, the amount of electricity used and raw materials used for each type of power generation determined in step S370, and the carbon footprint calculated in step S380.

[0106] In step S400, it is determined whether all of the products for which the CO2 emission allocations were determined in step S340 have been selected in step S350. If there are any unselected products, the process returns to step S350, and one of them is selected in step S350, after which the processes of steps S360 to S390 described above are executed. On the other hand, if all of the products have been selected in step S350, the emission calculation process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9 is terminated.

[0107] The demand-side management system 12 executes the emission calculation process described above for each predetermined calculation period (for example, one day). As a result, the demand-side management system 12 adjusts the amount of electricity used by type for each production unit of product based on the proportion of the amount of power generated by each power generation facility 2 during the calculation period, and calculates the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Then, emission information 127 indicating the calculated amount of greenhouse gas emissions for each product is generated and stored in the external storage device 23.

[0108] According to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the following advantageous effects can be obtained.

[0109] (1) The environmental information management system 1 is a system for processing information on greenhouse gas emissions due to the production of products. The environmental information management system 1 acquires emission intensity information 117 that indicates the emission intensity of energy supplied to a business that produces products for each predetermined unit period, and includes an emission calculation unit 123 that calculates the amount of greenhouse gas emissions for each production unit of the product based on this emission intensity information 117. This makes it possible to accurately estimate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions during the production of the product.

[0110] (2) The environmental information management system 1 includes a type management unit 113 that generates emission intensity information 117. Energy is supplied to the business operator from multiple types of supply sources, each of which emits different amounts of greenhouse gases when generating the energy. The type management unit 113 generates the emission intensity information 117 based on measurement values ​​obtained by measuring the amount of energy supplied from each of these supply sources for each unit period. Specifically, the business operator receives, as energy, a portion of the power generated by each of multiple types of power generation facilities 2 via the power grid 5 at each production facility 4. The type management unit 113 acquires, as a measurement value, a value obtained by measuring the amount of power generated by each power generation facility 2 for each unit period (step S10), and calculates the emission intensity based on the proportion of the amount of power generated by each power generation facility 2 for each unit period in this measurement value (steps S50, S90). As a result, when electricity generated by multiple types of power generation facilities 2 is supplied to a business operator, the emission intensity information 117 for accurately estimating the greenhouse gas emissions caused by that electricity in the emission calculation unit 123 can be generated according to the amount of electricity generated by each power generation facility 2.

[0111] (3) A chargeable and dischargeable power storage facility 3 is connected to the power grid 5. The business operator receives a portion of the power generated by the power generation facility 2 and the discharged power discharged from the power storage facility 3 at each production facility 4 via the power grid 5. The type management unit 113 determines an emission coefficient at the time of discharge from the power storage facility 3 based on the ratio of the amount of power generated by each power generation facility 2 when the power storage facility 3 was previously charged (steps S50 to S80). Then, an emission intensity is calculated based on the predetermined emission coefficient and amount of power generated for each power generation facility 2 and the determined emission coefficient and amount of discharge for the power storage facility 3 (step S90). As a result, when power generated by multiple types of power generation facilities 2 and power discharged from the power storage facility 3 are supplied to the business operator, the emission intensity information 117 used by the emission calculation unit 123 to accurately estimate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from this power can be generated according to the amount of power generated by each power generation facility 2 and the amount of discharge from the power storage facility 3.

[0112] (4) Electricity is supplied to businesses as energy to be used in the production of products. The electricity supplied to businesses includes electricity generated by multiple types of power generation facilities 2 and supplied from each power generation facility 2 via the power grid 5. The emission calculation unit 123 adjusts the amount of electricity used by type for each production unit of product based on the proportion of the amount of electricity generated by each power generation facility 2 during a specified calculation period (steps S340, S370) and calculates the greenhouse gas emissions (carbon footprint) (step S380). As a result, when electricity generated by multiple types of power generation facilities 2 is supplied to businesses, the greenhouse gas emissions caused by that electricity can be accurately calculated as an arbitrary value for each production unit of product.

[0113] (5) The power generation facility 2 includes a power generation facility (first power generation facility) that generates electricity using renewable energy and a power generation facility (second power generation facility) that generates electricity using non-renewable energy. The emission calculation unit 123 determines the greenhouse gas emissions for each product resulting from the use of electricity by allocating the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the electricity used during the calculation period to each production unit of the products produced during the calculation period (step S340). Then, based on the determined greenhouse gas emissions, the ratio of the first power generation facility to the second power generation facility in the amount of electricity used is determined for each production unit of the product (step S370). In this way, the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the electricity used during product production can be adjusted arbitrarily for each production unit of the product within a specified calculation period.

[0114] (6) The raw materials of a product include both recycled and non-recycled products. The emission calculation unit 123 adjusts the ratio of recycled to non-recycled products in the raw materials for each production unit of the product during the calculation period (step S370) and calculates the greenhouse gas emissions (carbon footprint) (step S380). Specifically, the emission calculation unit 123 determines the greenhouse gas emissions from the raw materials of each product by allocating the total greenhouse gas emissions from the raw materials used during the calculation period to each production unit of the product produced during the calculation period (step S340). Then, based on the determined greenhouse gas emissions, the ratio of recycled to non-recycled products in the raw materials is determined for each production unit of the product (step S370). In this way, when recycled and non-recycled products are used as raw materials for a product, the greenhouse gas emissions from the raw materials used during product production can be arbitrarily adjusted for each production unit of the product within a specified calculation period.

[0115] In the above embodiment, an example of application to calculating greenhouse gas emissions due to energy use when a business produces products using production equipment 4 has been described, but the invention can also be similarly applied to calculating greenhouse gas emissions due to energy use when a business provides various services. That is, when a business provides various services using energy such as electricity, the environmental information management system 1 can be used to estimate greenhouse gas emissions for each unit of service provided.

[0116] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of the above-described embodiments with other configurations.

[0117] Furthermore, the above-mentioned configurations, functional units, processing units, processing means, etc. may be partially or entirely implemented in hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. The above-mentioned configurations, functions, etc. may also be implemented in software, with a processor interpreting and executing a program that implements each function. Information such as the programs, tables, and files that implement each function can be stored in a memory, a hard disk, a recording device such as an SSD, an IC card, an SD card, a DVD, or other recording media.

[0118] In addition, in the above figures, the control lines and information lines shown are those that are considered necessary for explanation, and do not necessarily show all the control lines and information lines that are actually implemented. For example, it can be considered that almost all components are actually connected to each other.

[0119] The above-described layout of the various functional units, processing units, and databases is merely an example, and may be changed to an optimal layout in terms of the performance, processing efficiency, communication efficiency, etc., of the hardware and software included in these devices. [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] 1: Environmental information management system, 2: Power generation equipment, 3: Power storage equipment, 4: Production equipment, 5: Power system, 11: Supply-side management system, 12: Demand-side management system, 21: Processor, 22: Memory, 23: External storage device, 24: Communication interface, 25: Input / output device, 26: Communication bus, 111: Power generation amount measurement unit, 112: Charge / discharge amount measurement unit, 113: Type management unit, 114: Communication unit, 116: Power storage information, 117: Emission intensity information, 121: Power usage amount measurement unit, 122: Production management unit, 123: Emissions calculation unit, 124: Communication unit, 126: Power usage information, 127: Emissions information

Claims

1. A system for processing information on greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of products or the provision of services, an emission calculation unit that acquires emission intensity information indicating the emission intensity of energy supplied to a business operator that produces the product or provides the service for each predetermined unit period, and calculates the greenhouse gas emissions for each production unit of the product or each provision unit of the service based on the emission intensity information; Information processing system.

2. 2. The information processing system according to claim 1, a type management unit that generates the emission intensity information, the energy is supplied from a plurality of types of supply sources that have different amounts of greenhouse gas emissions when generating the energy, the type management unit generates the emission intensity information based on a measurement value obtained by measuring the amount of energy supplied from each of the supply sources for each unit period; Information processing system.

3. 3. The information processing system according to claim 2, The business operator receives, as the energy, a portion of the electric power generated by each of a plurality of types of power generation facilities via an electric power grid; the type management unit acquires, as the measurement value, a value obtained by measuring the amount of power generated by each of the power generation facilities in each unit period, and calculates the emission intensity based on a ratio of the amount of power generated by each of the power generation facilities in each unit period in the measurement value; Information processing system.

4. 4. The information processing system according to claim 3, a chargeable and dischargeable power storage facility is connected to the power grid; the business operator receives a portion of the generated power and the discharged power discharged from the power storage facility via the power grid; The type management unit determining an emission coefficient for discharging the power storage equipment based on the ratio of the amount of power generated by each of the power generation equipment when the power storage equipment was previously charged; calculating the emission intensity based on a predetermined emission coefficient of each power generation facility and the amount of power generated, and the determined emission coefficient and discharge amount of the power storage facility; Information processing system.

5. 2. The information processing system according to claim 1, The business operator is supplied with electricity to be used in the production of the product as the energy, the electric power supplied to the business operator includes electric power generated by a plurality of types of power generation facilities and supplied from each power generation facility via a power grid, the emission amount calculation unit calculates the emission amount by adjusting the amount of electricity used by type for each production unit of the product based on the ratio of the amount of electricity generated by each power generation facility during a predetermined calculation period; Information processing system.

6. 6. The information processing system according to claim 5, The power generation facility includes a first power generation facility that generates power using renewable energy and a second power generation facility that generates power using non-renewable energy, The emission calculation unit The total value of the emissions due to the electricity used during the calculation period is allocated to each of the products produced during the calculation period for each production unit, thereby determining the emissions due to the use of the electricity for each product; determining a ratio of the first power generation facility to the second power generation facility in the amount of electricity used for each production unit of the product based on the determined amount of emissions; Information processing system.

7. 6. The information processing system according to claim 5, The raw materials of the product include recycled and non-recycled materials; the emission calculation unit calculates the emission amount by adjusting the ratio of the recycled products to the non-recycled products in the raw materials for each production unit of the product during the calculation period; Information processing system.

8. 8. The information processing system according to claim 7, The emission calculation unit The total amount of emissions from the raw materials used during the calculation period is allocated to the products produced during the calculation period for each production unit, thereby determining the amount of emissions from the raw materials for each product; Based on the determined amount of emissions, a ratio of the recycled items to the non-recycled items in the raw materials is determined for each production unit of the product. Information processing system.

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