Information processing method, information processing program, and information processing apparatus

Abstract

This invention provides an information processing method, an information processing program, and an information processing device that output the power procurement methods necessary for companies to achieve their greenhouse gas emission targets. [Solution] In a server that is a component of a Sustainability ERP (Enterprise Resources Planning) system, the control unit acquires the company ID and target time for achieving the target of the company to be processed, and from a storage unit that stores usage information including site IDs and power consumption in association with the company ID, it acquires the usage information corresponding to the acquired company ID, and also acquires the renewable energy procurement method and constraints related to the procurement of renewable energy, and executes a process to determine the renewable energy procurement method for achieving the target at the target time for each site ID based on the usage information, procurement method and constraints, and outputs the procurement method for each site ID that was determined.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing method, an information processing program, and an information processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an information processing apparatus, an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program that can reduce the input burden of a user in consideration of measures for reducing emissions of environmentally harmful substances.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] An information processing method according to an aspect of the present invention acquires a company ID of a company to be processed and a target time point for achieving a goal, and acquires utilization information including a base ID and power consumption from a storage unit that stores the utilization information in association with the company ID, corresponding to the acquired company ID. The method also acquires a procurement method for renewable energy and constraint conditions related to the procurement of renewable energy, and based on the utilization information, the procurement method, and the constraint conditions, determines, for each base ID, the procurement method for renewable energy that achieves the goal at the target time point, and a computer accessible to the storage unit executes a process of outputting the determined procurement method for each base ID.

[0005] In the above information processing method, an intermediate target time point is set at an intermediate time point from the start time point of implementing measures for achieving the goal to the target time point, and based on the utilization information, the procurement method, and the constraint conditions, the procurement method for renewable energy at the intermediate target time point is determined for each base ID.

[0006] In the above information processing method, the renewable energy procurement method for each site ID at the target intermediate point is output in a time series based on the target intermediate point.

[0007] In the above information processing method, the achievement rate of the target at the target intermediate point is obtained for each of the site IDs, and the procurement method for renewable energy at the target intermediate point where the target has not been met is updated based on the obtained achievement rate for each site ID.

[0008] In the above information processing method, the constraint is that at the target time, 100% of the energy procurement at the site is from renewable energy sources.

[0009] In the above information processing method, electricity charges for each location are calculated based on the renewable energy procurement method, and the calculated electricity charges for each location are output in association with the location ID.

[0010] An information processing program according to one aspect of the present invention calculates the ratio of the amount of renewable energy procured by each procurement method to the amount of conventional energy procured by each procurement method at the target intermediate point, for each of the locations, and outputs the calculated ratio in association with the location ID.

[0011] An information processing program according to one aspect of the present invention acquires the company ID of a company to be processed and the target time for achieving the goal, retrieves the usage information, including the base ID and electricity charges, associated with the acquired company ID from a storage unit that stores the usage information associated with the acquired company ID, retrieves the renewable energy procurement method and constraints related to the procurement of renewable energy, and causes a computer that can access the storage unit to execute a process to determine the renewable energy procurement method for achieving the goal at the target time for each base ID based on the usage information, the procurement method, and the constraints, and to output the determined procurement method for each base ID.

[0012] An information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a first acquisition unit that acquires the company ID of a company to be processed and a target time for achieving the goal; a second acquisition unit that acquires usage information, including a base ID and electricity charges, associated with the company ID from a storage unit that stores the usage information associated with the company ID; a third acquisition unit that acquires a renewable energy procurement method and constraints related to the procurement of renewable energy; a selection unit that determines, for each base ID, the renewable energy procurement method for achieving the goal at the target time based on the usage information, the procurement method, and the constraints; and an output unit that outputs the determined procurement method for each base ID.

[0013] It should be noted that the above summary of the invention does not enumerate all of its features. Furthermore, subcombinations of these features may also constitute an invention. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an information system configuration. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram showing examples of hierarchical structures across multiple companies. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an organizational hierarchy within a company. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a supply chain configuration. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the collection and disclosure process. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a company database. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a branch database. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an account database. [Figure 9] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input status database. [Figure 10] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input database. [Figure 11] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an approval database. [Figure 12] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a verification database. [Figure 13] It is an explanatory diagram showing a morphological example of the sustainability ERP system 10. [Figure 14] It is an explanatory diagram showing another morphological example of the sustainability ERP system 10. [Figure 15] It is an explanatory diagram showing another morphological example of the sustainability ERP system 10. [Figure 16] It is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the server. [Figure 17] It is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the terminal. [Figure 18] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the usage history DB. [Figure 19] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the target DB. [Figure 20] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the roadmap DB. [Figure 21] It is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of the creation main process. [Figure 22] It is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of the roadmap creation process. [Figure 23] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the roadmap display screen. [Figure 24] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the change setting screen. [Figure 25] It is a flowchart showing another example of the procedure of the creation main process. [Figure 26] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the roadmap of a company with three or more hierarchical levels. [Figure 27] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the roadmap of a company with three or more hierarchical levels. [Figure 28] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the price list. [Figure 29] It is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of the price calculation process. [Figure 30] It is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the roadmap display screen. [Figure 31] It is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of the roadmap update process. [[ID=S59]]

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] The present invention will be described below through embodiments, but these embodiments are not intended to limit the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention. In this specification, information that is easy for computers to handle but whose meaning and significance are difficult for humans to understand or interpret, such as mere numbers or symbols or combinations thereof, is referred to as data, but this is not limited to such information.

[0016] In recent years, companies and organizations have been required to adopt sustainable management and operations. Sustainable management and operations refer to management and operations that aim for growth and progress from a long-term perspective, rather than simply pursuing short-term profits. Sustainable management and operations require growing and progressing together in cooperation with various stakeholders, and contributing to the improvement or maintenance of the global environment. The following explanation will focus on corporate management, but the same principles apply to the operation of organizations.

[0017] To conduct sustainable business operations, companies need to collect data from many related organizations and groups. For example, timely data collection is necessary to improve operations by implementing the PDCA cycle. To conduct sound business operations, it is essential to receive investment from investors. In particular, whether or not a company can receive investment from institutional investors is important. Therefore, it is a company's responsibility to collect and disclose data in a timely manner so that institutional investors can use it to make investment decisions. And because institutional investors invest globally, global standards have been established for information disclosure. Hereafter, these standards for information disclosure will be referred to as disclosure standards.

[0018] The data that companies should collect includes not only the financial data that has been collected in the past, but also what is called non-financial data. Non-financial data is data related to sustainability. For example, non-financial data is classified into governance, strategy, risk management, metrics, and targets. Metrics and targets include greenhouse gas (GHG: GreenHouse GAS) emissions for each company. Non-financial data is associated with identifying information that uniquely identifies a company, such as a company ID. Another way to classify non-financial data is to divide it into categories: E (Environment), S (Social), and G (Governance).

[0019] Greenhouse gas emissions are calculated by multiplying carbon dioxide emissions and emissions of other gases, methane, nitrous oxide, perfluorinated compounds, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride by the global warming potential to convert them into carbon dioxide equivalents. Hereinafter, carbon dioxide emissions and the values ​​obtained by converting emissions of greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide into carbon dioxide equivalents will be collectively referred to as carbon dioxide emissions.

[0020] Carbon dioxide emissions include direct emissions, indirect emissions, and other indirect emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions may also be derived by multiplying the amount of electricity, water, oil, and gas used by an emission factor that indicates the amount of emissions per unit of each use.

[0021] As non-financial data, companies may manage information on human rights measures and disaster risk measures related to the products and services they handle. Human rights measures may include, for example, whether measures are in place to prevent child labor in the manufacturing of products (including not only the assembly of the product itself, but also the assembly of components that make up the product, the processing of materials (including raw materials, etc.) that make up each component, and all other processes related to the manufacturing of the product). Disaster risk measures may include whether measures are in place to prevent the manufacturing of products from being affected in the event of a disaster. In addition, as financial or non-financial data, any other information that the end-user company wishes to request from related companies may be included. For example, this may include various types of damage calculation-based environmental impact assessments, environmental information such as product carbon footprints related to climate change, biodiversity, land use, and raw material procurement related to natural resources, hazardous materials, waste management, and waste such as packaging materials and home appliances related to waste disposal, contained chemical substances, air pollutants, water quality, and soil contamination related to environmentally regulated substances, and other environmental information such as technology, energy, noise, vibration, and odor. Furthermore, information regarding society may include human rights related to human resources (child labor, forced labor, working hours, wages, labor rights, discrimination, etc.), labor management and occupational health and safety, human capital, safety and quality related to the safety of products and services, safety of each substance, privacy and data security, community relations, diversity, equity and inclusion, well-being and engagement, compliance and ethics, and other information related to society. In addition, information regarding governance may include ethics and legal compliance related to corporate conduct, anti-corruption, risk management and disaster response, tax transparency, and other information related to governance. Information regarding due diligence may also be included.

[0022] Location information may be included as one of the non-financial data items. An example of location information is coordinate values ​​in a geographic coordinate system (such as the Japanese Geodetic System, Japanese Geodetic System 2000, Japanese Geodetic System 2011, WSG84, etc.). Geographic coordinate values ​​are latitude and longitude. In addition, coordinate values ​​from various projected coordinate systems (plane rectangular coordinate system, UTM coordinate system, Web Mercator coordinate system) may be used as location information. Location information may also include height information, such as elevation, altitude, and sea level. Location information is not limited to coordinate values ​​that indicate a single point, but may also include country names, regional names, administrative division names, telephone area codes, postal codes, building names, etc. Country codes as defined in ISO 3166-1 may be used instead of country names. Regional names in Japan, for example, are Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinki, Chugoku / Shikoku, and Kyushu. Administrative division names in Japan, for example, are prefecture names, county / designated city names, and city / ward / town / village names. You may use a prefecture code instead of a prefecture name, or an administrative area code consisting of a prefecture code and a municipal code instead of a city / ward / town / village name.

[0023] Non-financial data may include the following information regarding environmental impact: the amounts of by-products, NOx, SOx, BOD, COD, etc. from each of the above-mentioned usage amounts, the impact areas such as air pollution, air pollution, hazardous chemicals, ozone depletion, acidification, noise, global warming, photochemical oxidants, eutrophication, resource consumption, ecotoxicity, fuel consumption, land use, etc., human health based on damage assessment, social projections, biodiversity, primary production, and other protected entities, and the amounts derived using unit consumption factors.

[0024] Direct emissions refer to carbon dioxide emissions (thousand tons of CO2) that fall under Scope 1 of so-called supply chain emissions. Indirect emissions refer to carbon dioxide emissions indirectly emitted by a company through energy purchases during a specified period (fiscal year, quarter, etc.). Indirect emissions refer to carbon dioxide emissions (thousand tons of CO2) that fall under Scope 2 of supply chain emissions. Other indirect emissions refer to carbon dioxide emissions from company activities that are not included in Scope 1 direct emissions or Scope 2 indirect emissions. Other indirect emissions refer to carbon dioxide emissions (thousand tons of CO2) that fall under Scope 3 of supply chain emissions.

[0025] The amount of carbon dioxide reduction represents the reduction from carbon dioxide emissions during the comparison period. The reduction may be shown separately for direct emissions, indirect emissions, and other indirect emissions. Instead of the reduction from the comparison period, the percentage change in emissions (e.g., a 10% reduction compared to the previous year) may be included in the non-financial data. Furthermore, the reduction contribution, which is the amount of reduction achieved per unit of product or service compared to the current carbon dioxide emissions of the product or service, the results of the LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) at the product or service level, or the carbon dioxide emissions (carbon footprint) at the product or service level may also be included in the non-financial data.

[0026] As explained above, for companies to conduct sustainable business, they need to collect financial and non-financial data and disclose and report it appropriately. The core system that supports sustainable business is the Sustainability ERP (Enterprise Resources Planning) system. Sustainability ERP systems enable companies to collect financial and non-financial data precisely and in a short period of time. As a result, it becomes possible to disclose non-financial data simultaneously with financial data. Furthermore, by having the Sustainability ERP system manage financial and non-financial data, it becomes possible to ensure the reliability of the data that can withstand audits. The Sustainability ERP system and systems that work in conjunction with it will be described below.

[0027] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the information system configuration. The information system 100 is a system centered around the sustainability ERP system 10, and includes systems that link with the said system. The information system 100 includes the sustainability ERP system 10, user companies 20, information providing organizations 30, linking systems 40, formulation organizations 50, receiving organizations 60, cloud services 70, information sites 80, and stakeholders 90.

[0028] Sustainability ERP System 10 is a computer system that supports user companies in conducting sustainable business operations. Sustainability ERP System 10 collects financial and non-financial data related to user companies and discloses or submits the collected data either as is or after processing.

[0029] User company 20 is a company that uses the sustainability ERP system 10. In Figure 1, User company 20 more precisely refers to the computer or computer system used by User company 20. However, in this specification, the scope of User company 20 is broadly defined, and in addition to the company as an organization, it also includes the company's employees, the computers and computer systems used by the company, and so on. Furthermore, User company 20 may not refer to a single company, but rather to a corporate group including a holding company with many subsidiaries and its subsidiaries.

[0030] Information providers 30 are organizations that provide information necessary for operating the Sustainability ERP System 10. For example, the Ministry of the Environment, which provides emission factors necessary for calculating GHG emissions, is an example of an information provider 30. Similarly, the IDEA Lab of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), which creates the LCI (Life Cycle Inventory) database IDEA (Inventory Database for Environmental Analysis) and provides it through agents, is another example of an information provider 30. For convenience, agents providing IDEA are also included in the category of information providers 30.

[0031] Furthermore, information providers 30 are organizations that collect information from user companies 20 and provide the collected information upon request, primarily for a fee. It is assumed that information providers 30 have no conflict of interest with user companies 20. This is because the information collected and provided by information providers 30 must be fair and accurate. For example, credit rating agencies and think tanks are examples of information providers 30. Information providers 30 also include public institutions, NPOs (Nonprofit Organizations), and NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) that provide fair and accurate information free of charge or at low cost. The Japan Electric Power Data Management Association is an example of an information provider 30. Similar to user companies 20, information providers 30 refer not only to the organization itself, but also to its employees, computers, and computer systems used by the organization. The Financial Services Agency and EDINET, which is operated by the Financial Services Agency, are examples of information providers 30.

[0032] The linked system 40 communicates with the sustainability ERP system 10 and provides the sustainability ERP system 10 with data it possesses from user companies 20. The linked system 40 also receives data from user companies 20 from the sustainability ERP system 10. Data exchange between the sustainability ERP system 10 and the linked system 40 may be performed as needed via an API (Application Programmable Interface) or periodically via batch processing. Data exchange between the sustainability ERP system 10 and the linked system 40 may also be performed without using a network, by writing data to a recording medium, transporting the recording medium, and reading data from the recording medium. Note that a system provided by an information provider 30 can be the linked system 40. For example, the system that performs the electricity data provision service provided by the Japan Electric Power Data Management Association, which is an information provider 30, corresponds to the linked system 40.

[0033] The 50 regulatory bodies are organizations that develop disclosure standards. Disclosures include not only statutory and timely disclosures, but also disclosures required by non-profit organizations. Examples of the 50 regulatory bodies include the SSBJ (Sustainability Standards Board of Japan), EFRAG in Europe, the SEC (US Securities and Exchange Commission) in the United States, and international organizations such as the GHG Protocol Initiative, GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures), SASB (Sustainability Accounting Standards Board), and ISSB (International Sustainability Standards Board) established by the IFRS Foundation.

[0034] For example, disclosure standards include the SSBJ standards developed by the SSBJ, the ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards) developed by EFRAG, the Climate-related Disclosure Regulations developed by the SEC, the GHG Protocol developed by the GHG Protocol Initiative, the GRI standards developed by the GRI, the TCFD guidance developed by the TCFD, the SASB standards developed by the SASB, and the ISSB standards developed by the ISSB. In addition, the questionnaires prepared by the CDP can also be considered a type of disclosure standard.

[0035] The receiving organization 60 is an organization that receives financial and non-financial data from the user company 20 in accordance with disclosure standards. In addition to indicating the organization itself, the receiving organization 60 also indicates its employees, computers and computer systems used by the organization. The receiving organization 60 may also serve as the information provider 30. For example, the receiving organization 60 may be a CDP or EDINET. For convenience, auditors and audit firms that verify the validity of the financial and non-financial data of the user company 20 before disclosure are also included in the receiving organization 60.

[0036] Cloud services 70 are software and applications provided over the internet. Examples of cloud services 70 include SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), and IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). Examples of cloud services 70 include cloud storage for data storage, customer relationship management systems, sales management systems, attendance management systems, accounting systems, and generative AI.

[0037] Information Site 80 is a website that collects information from User Companies 20 and makes that information widely available. Information Site 80 also includes websites, bulletin boards, and blogs operated by news organizations and PR (Public Solutions) companies. The difference between Information Site 80 and Information Providers 30 is that the information it publishes is a mix of reliable and unreliable sources.

[0038] Stakeholders 90 are defined as those stakeholders of User Company 20 who are interested in the information to be disclosed. Examples include shareholders of User Company 20 and institutional investors who have invested in or plan to invest in User Company 20. Local communities that have various influences on User Company 20's business activities are also considered stakeholders. Furthermore, employees of User Company 20 and companies with which User Company 20 has business relationships are also stakeholders.

[0039] Next, we will reiterate the involvement of the supply chain in the collection of non-financial data. As mentioned above, Scope 3 of GHG emissions refers to carbon dioxide emissions from corporate activities that are not included in Scope 1 direct emissions or Scope 2 indirect emissions. Therefore, user company 20, as a member of the supply chain, needs to receive non-financial data from upstream companies in the supply chain and pass on this non-financial data to downstream companies. If upstream and downstream companies use the sustainability ERP system 10 on a limited basis at the request of user company 20, without paying any usage fees, we will include upstream and downstream companies in user company 20.

[0040] Next, we will illustrate the hierarchical structure of corporate groups used in the explanations in this specification. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a hierarchy of multiple companies. Figure 4 shows a group of companies with A (ESG Trading Co., Ltd.) at the top of the hierarchy. Hierarchy 1 represents the top company of the corporate group. The top company is a company called a holding company. A holding company is the core parent company of a group, established to control multiple corporate groups as a corporate group. It holds shares in each company for the purpose of controlling the corporate groups within the group.

[0041] Tier 2 represents companies directly below Tier 1. Tier 2 consists of two companies: B (Food Sales Co., Ltd.) and C (Industrial Resources Co., Ltd.). Tier 3 represents companies directly below Tier 2. D (ABC Ham) and E (AB Foods) are directly below B (Food Sales Co., Ltd.). F (ABC Metals), G, and H are directly below C (Industrial Resources Co., Ltd.). Tier 4 represents companies directly below Tier 3. I and J are directly below E (ABC Metals).

[0042] Figure 2 shows the hierarchical structure between companies, illustrating relationships such as holding companies, headquarters, subsidiaries, sub-subsidiaries, affiliates, and overseas offices. Note that the hierarchical structure in the Sustainability ERP System 10 may be a convenient structure for data collection and does not necessarily have to perfectly match the dominance relationships between companies, organizations, or groups. In the hierarchical structure, the group directly above a given group is called the parent group, and the group directly below a given group is called the child group.

[0043] Although not shown in Figure 2, the hierarchical structure may include the internal organizational structure of a company (headquarters, business divisions, departments, etc.). It may also show connections between any other organizations (associations, national and local governments, etc.).

[0044] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an organizational hierarchy within a company. Figure 3 shows an example of the organizational hierarchy of ABC Ham. In Figure 2, ABC Ham was located at level 3, so this is followed here. Level 4 shows the head office, sales division, manufacturing division, etc. In organizational charts, there are notations that do not include the head office in level 3, but in this case, the head office is intentionally included in level 4. ABC Ham at level 3 represents the head office department that performs the function of aggregating and managing data collected from all over the company. The head office shown at level 4 is the department that collects data from various head office departments such as the general affairs department, human resources department, and accounting department. At level 5, under the sales division, the Hokkaido / Tohoku branch, Kanto branch, Tokyo sales office, etc., are shown. The Takasaki factory is shown under the manufacturing division.

[0045] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a supply chain structure. It shows that ABC Ham procures raw materials and packaging materials for products such as ham from meat wholesalers, seasoning manufacturers, flavoring manufacturers, packaging material manufacturers, etc. It also shows that ABC Ham sells its products to food wholesalers and supermarket (market) chains. With a supply chain structured as shown in Figure 4, when ABC Ham collects data using the Sustainability ERP System 10, it needs to receive data from downstream companies such as meat wholesalers, seasoning manufacturers, flavoring manufacturers, and packaging material manufacturers. As mentioned above, when a downstream company accesses the Sustainability ERP System 10 and inputs its own data at the request of ABC Ham, the downstream company is considered a user company 20. Also, when an upstream company that requested data from ABC Ham accesses the Sustainability ERP System 10 and refers to ABC Ham's data, the upstream company is considered a user company 20.

[0046] Next, we will explain the procedures for data collection and disclosure using the Sustainability ERP System 10. Here, we assume a process in which non-financial data is entered at each location, the entered non-financial data is aggregated and processed to create a report, and the created report is disclosed. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the data collection and disclosure procedure. First, the overall administrator or administrator performs the initial setup (Step S1). The initial setup involves setting up the company and location, and creating and managing accounts such as those of data entry personnel. It also involves setting the items (data type, section, item, type, unit) of company and location information to be entered by data entry personnel. Furthermore, the approval flow is set up.

[0047] At each location, data entry personnel enter the data (Step S2). Once data entry is complete, the data entry personnel submit the data. Submission can be done on a per-data-type basis. When the data entry personnel submit the data, the data status changes from "input" to "submitted." The submitted data is reviewed by end-users with review authority (reviewers) and approved by end-users with approval authority (approvers) (Step S3). Reviewers and approvers may be the same person or different. Also, only reviewed data may be approved, or unreviewed data may also be approved. In this case, it is desirable to ensure the accuracy and validity of the data by setting restrictions such as not being able to finalize unreviewed data. If a reviewer or approver finds any deficiencies in the data content and prompts the data entry personnel to review it, they will send it back for review. When data is sent back, the data status temporarily changes to "returned" and then to "input," which allows the data entry personnel to input and correct the data. In the flowchart shown in Figure 5, this returns to Step S2.

[0048] Once the status of all data types is confirmed and approved, the data is finalized and the report is created (Step S4). The report to be created is a report such as an integrated report or a sustainability report. Securities reports, which include financial and non-financial data, are also included in the report. In addition to the content and format of the report to be unique to the user company20, it is desirable that reports conforming to multiple disclosure standards can also be created. Furthermore, a data format that is easy for computers to handle, such as XBRL, can be used for the report.

[0049] Finally, output the completed report (Step S5). Output includes displaying it on the screen, printing it out on paper, submitting it as a printed document to the receiving institution 60, or transmitting it electronically. Simply storing the completed report on a storage device such as a hard disk is also included in output.

[0050] Next, we will describe the database used by the Sustainability ERP System 10. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a company database. The company database 121 stores information about companies. The company database 121 includes a company ID column, a name column, a hierarchy code column, and a memo column. The company ID column stores a company ID that can uniquely identify a company. The name column stores the name of the company. The hierarchy code column stores a hierarchy code that indicates the hierarchy in which the company is located. For example, the hierarchy code for ABC Ham is . is the company ID for ABC Ham. The slash ( / ) separates the hierarchy to the left, indicating the company one level up, Food Sales Co., Ltd. Further to the left of that, B indicates the company one level up, ESG Trading Co., Ltd. Since there is no code to the left of , it can be seen that ESG Trading Co., Ltd. is at the top level. In this way, by generating a hierarchy code for a company (group) at a certain level, placing the company ID of that company after the hierarchy code of its parent company (parent group), it is possible to generate an infinite number of hierarchies while maintaining the links between companies, excluding physical constraints, etc., and to represent the hierarchy of many companies in a unified manner. The memo column is used to store notes and other information about the company. Note that the hierarchy code is an example of a group ID.

[0051] Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a location database. Location DB122 stores information about locations. Locations are assumed to be branches, sales offices, or factories. Locations are organizations that have a large amount of information about the collected data. Location DB122 includes columns for Location ID, Hierarchy Code, Location Name, Country, Company ID, Business, Area, and Location Type. The Location ID column stores a location ID that uniquely identifies the location. The Hierarchy Code column stores a hierarchy code that indicates the location of the location in the hierarchical structure. The Location Name column stores the name of the location. The Country column stores the name of the country where the location is located. The Country column may also store the country code specified in ISO 3166-1. The Company ID column stores the company ID of the company to which the location belongs. The Business column stores the business type of the location, for example, a business office, a factory, etc. The Area column stores the region where the location is located. In the example shown in Figure 7, Tokyo is not included in the Kanto area, so the area of ​​the Tokyo sales office is listed as Tokyo, not Kanto. The "Location Type" column stores the type of location, such as "directly under headquarters" or "outside headquarters."

[0052] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an account database. Account DB123 stores account information and end-user information. Account DB123 includes columns for ID, display name, email address, company ID, and permissions. The ID column stores an ID that uniquely identifies the end-user. The display name column stores the account name, such as the end-user's job title or name. The email address column stores the end-user's email address. The company ID column stores the company ID of the company to which the end-user belongs. The permissions column stores the permissions granted to the end-user. For example, permissions may include "Global Management," "Management," "Approval," "Verification," and "Input Only." "Global Management" indicates the authority to manage accounts within a company group and manage the permission roles corresponding to each account. "Management" allows changes to accounts within a company group and changes to the permission roles corresponding to each account. "Management" does not allow adding accounts or permission roles. "Approval" allows approval of collected data. "Verification" allows verification of collected data. "Input Only" refers to an end-user account responsible only for inputting collected data, and the scope of input can be configured. The scope of authority is limited to the end-user's department and its subordinate departments. A range column may be added to account DB123 to explicitly store the scope of authority. For example, possible ranges include "including subsidiaries" and "company only." When combining multiple permissions, or when the scope of permissions does not match the organizational structure, permissions may be set individually. For example, the permission column may store the name of the individual permission, "Role 1." The Role DB (not shown) stores what permissions are granted to the permission named "Role 1."

[0053] Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input status database. It stores the status of collected data entered at each location. Input Status DB124 includes columns for Location ID, Year, Month, Data Type, Status, and Last Operation Date. The Location ID column stores the location ID. The Year column stores the target year for the collected data. The Month column stores the target month for the collected data. The Data Type column stores the data type. A data type represents a group of multiple data items. The Status column stores the status of the collected data. Statuses include Input, Submitted, Under Review, Reviewed, Approved, etc. The Last Operation Date column stores the last date on which an operation was performed on the data type. Operations include Submission, Review, Approval, Return, etc.

[0054] Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an input database. Input DB 125 stores the collected data entered at each location. Input DB 125 includes columns for Location ID, Year, Month, Data Type, Section, Item, Type, Unit, and Value. The Location ID column stores the Location ID. The Year column stores the target year for the collected data. The Month column stores the target month for the collected data. The Data Type column stores the data type. The Section column stores data classifications below the Data Type. The Item column stores the name that represents the data. The Type column stores the type of the entered value. The Unit column stores the unit of the entered value. The Value column stores the entered value. Records in Input DB 125 are created when an administrator of each company group, or an end user with global management privileges as an account type, sets the data to be collected for each location. When a record is created, the Value column is set to empty.

[0055] Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an approval database. Approval DB 126 stores the approval tasks and approval history of collected data. An approval task for collected data refers to the business of approving the collected data. Approval DB 126 includes columns for location ID, year, month, data type, approval hierarchy, approver ID, approval date and time, and result. The location ID column stores the location ID of the location where the collected data to be approved or approved was entered. The year column stores the target year of the collected data. The month column stores the target month of the collected data. The data type column stores the data type of the collected data. The approval hierarchy column stores the hierarchy code of the hierarchy to be approved or the hierarchy to which approval was performed. The approver ID column stores the user ID of the end user who approved. The approval date and time column stores the date and time of approval. The result column stores the result. When an approver approves, the result column stores the approval. When an approver rejects the data, the result column stores the rejection. For records representing approval tasks, the values ​​in the Approver ID, Approval Date & Time, and Result columns will be blank or fixed values ​​indicating that the task is not approved (e.g., "None" in the example in Figure 11).

[0056] Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the Verification DB 127. The Verification DB 127 stores the verification history. The verification history is a record of whether the contents of the collected data entered at each location were correct. It includes columns for Location ID, Year, Month, Data Type, Verification Hierarchy, Verifier ID, and Verification Date and Time. The Location ID column stores the Location ID of the location where the verified collected data was entered. The Year column stores the target year of the collected data. The Month column stores the target month of the collected data. The Data Type column stores the data type of the collected data. The Verification Hierarchy column stores the hierarchy code of the hierarchy in which the verification was performed. The Verifier ID column stores the User ID of the end user who performed the verification. The Verification Date and Time column stores the date and time of the verification.

[0057] The databases described above are necessary when performing the collection and disclosure operations shown in Figure 5 using the Sustainability ERP System 10, but are not limited to these. For example, if a function implemented in the Sustainability ERP System 10 is removed, unnecessary databases may be created. Also, if the functions implemented in the Sustainability ERP System 10 are changed, the schema of the databases described above may need to be changed. Furthermore, adding functions to the Sustainability ERP System 10 may require new databases other than those described above.

[0058] While the traditional design involves placing the database physically on the server computers that constitute the Sustainability ERP System 10, it is clear that this is not the only option. The database may be distributed and stored across multiple database servers. The database may also be stored in cloud storage. In any case, as long as the database described above is appropriately available within the Sustainability ERP System 10, there are no special constraints regarding its physical placement.

[0059] There are several possible forms of database management privileges, depending on the database management policy. In the following explanation, the term "instance" is used, and in this specification, it refers to the following: An instance is an execution environment that integrates the physical and logical resources of a database and performs database operations. An instance provides a set of processes and resources for accessing and manipulating the data stored in the database. An instance manages access privileges to the database and user authentication. This prevents unauthorized access to and manipulation of data.

[0060] This specification describes three implementation forms of the Sustainability ERP System 10, focusing primarily on the nature of instances: the 2-Tier type, the Global Single Instance type, and the Flexible Global Single Instance type. Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the Sustainability ERP System 10's form. Figure 13 shows the 2-Tier type. In the 2-Tier type, the parent company (holding company) and its subsidiaries each build an ERP system with a database linked to a different instance. Each database is independent, and the database used by the subsidiary is managed and operated by the subsidiary. The parent company is not permitted to freely access the subsidiary's database, and access or data transmission is limited to the extent permitted by mutual agreement. From the perspective of data collection, the parent company prepares a company-wide global template and distributes it to the subsidiaries. Subsidiaries create their own customized templates by adding content for the data they collect to the global template. Since the global template corresponds to the data that the parent company should collect from the subsidiaries, subsidiaries are not permitted to change the content of the global template. Subsidiaries deploy their own templates internally. The subsidiary stores and utilizes the collected data in its own database, and transmits data collected according to a global template to the parent company.

[0061] The advantages of adopting a 2-Tier model are as follows: Subsidiaries can manage the databases they use themselves and customize the templates for collected data, enabling the construction and deployment of highly scalable systems. Furthermore, since the uniqueness of the subsidiary is reflected in the system's form, it is expected to reduce resistance from business personnel and overseas subsidiaries with differing values ​​when the parent company collects various data from the subsidiary via the Sustainability ERP System 10.

[0062] The disadvantages of adopting a 2-Tier model are as follows: The parent company needs to collect data from databases managed by each subsidiary, which increases the processing load for data collection in the parent company's ERP system. In addition, since each subsidiary manages its own database and collects data using its own templates, the sustainability ERP system as a whole will have multiple master data and applications, which is expected to increase management and maintenance costs. Ultimately, a 2-Tier sustainability ERP system is equivalent to operating and maintaining multiple information infrastructures across the entire corporate group, and is therefore considered to have little economies of scale.

[0063] Figure 14 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the Sustainability ERP System 10. Figure 14 shows the Global Single Instance type. In the Global Single Instance type, the parent company and its subsidiaries access the database using a single common instance. In the Global Single Instance type, the content and format of the collected data are defined by company-wide global requirements (global template) established by the parent company. The parent company also operates and manages the database with a common schema and stores the data collected from multiple subsidiaries in that database. Note that the database may contain multiple tables.

[0064] The advantages of adopting a Global Single Instance (GST) architecture are as follows: Since the entire company uses a database with a common schema, operation and management of data in a single format and a single application are handled, reducing the effort required for operation and management. Because a single information infrastructure is operated and maintained, costs are relatively lower.

[0065] The disadvantages of adopting a Global Single Instance model are as follows: Since the parent company is involved in all aspects of data management and operation, significant resistance is expected from business personnel and overseas subsidiaries with differing values. When the Sustainability ERP System 10 is shut down, it is difficult to partially limit the impact on end users. Therefore, even for maintenance purposes, the number of downtimes must be small and the duration short, making stable operation and the necessary maintenance work difficult. As a system configuration, while the parent company can strengthen governance over its subsidiaries, it is necessary to ensure sufficient independence between companies in terms of technology and operation to prevent excessive interference from the parent company or unnecessary data access between subsidiaries.

[0066] Figure 15 is an explanatory diagram showing other examples of the Sustainability ERP System 10. Figure 15 shows the Flexible Global Single Instance type. The Flexible Global Single Instance type is an extension of the Global Single Instance type. The parent company and subsidiaries use one instance, but it is possible to create a data area in the database that is accessible only to each subsidiary. In terms of data collection, similar to the 2-Tier type, a company-wide global template prepared by the parent company is customized and deployed by the subsidiary. Among the collected data, the subsidiary writes the data collected according to the global template to an area that is also accessible to the parent company. Among the collected data, data collected independently by the subsidiary is stored in a database area accessible only to the subsidiary (hereinafter also referred to as the "proprietary area").

[0067] The advantages of adopting the Flexible Global Single Instance model are as follows: Similar to the Global Single Instance model, the entire company uses a database with a common schema, resulting in a single data format and a single application for operation and management, thus reducing the man-hours required for operation and management. Since a single information infrastructure is operated and maintained, costs are relatively lower. Also, unlike the Global Single Instance model, subsidiaries can store data they collect independently in their own areas, so it is expected that there will be less resistance from overseas subsidiaries with different business personnel and values.

[0068] The disadvantages of adopting the Flexible Global Single Instance type are as follows: Similar to the Global Single Instance type, the number of downtime instances and the duration of downtime must be kept to a minimum, making stable operation and the necessary maintenance work difficult. Since the parent company and subsidiary use a single instance, the parent company's system administrator can change the access rights to the subsidiary's private area, allowing the parent company to access it. While parent company access to the subsidiary's private area contributes to strengthening the parent company's governance, it may undermine the subsidiary's independence. Therefore, changes to access rights should not be permitted in principle and should only be applied in the event of a predetermined emergency.

[0069] Of the three implementation forms of the Sustainability ERP System 10 described above, the choice of which type to select should be determined by the user company 20's specific needs and requirements. This concludes our overview of the Sustainability ERP System 10, which helps user companies 20 to conduct sustainable business practices. Next, we will provide a more detailed explanation of the Sustainability ERP System 10.

[0070] First, let's describe the server 1 and terminal 2, which are components of the sustainability ERP system 10. Server 1 uses the database mentioned above to perform information processing to realize the functions provided by the sustainability ERP system 10. It then transmits the information to terminal 2. Server 1 can consist of a server computer, workstation, PC (Personal Computer), etc. Alternatively, Server 1 may be configured as a multicomputer consisting of multiple computers, a virtual machine virtually constructed by software, or a quantum computer. The functions performed by Server 1 may be distributed among multiple computers. Furthermore, the functions of Server 1 may be implemented as a cloud service.

[0071] Figure 16 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of Server 1. Server 1 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, and a read unit 14. Each component is connected by bus B.

[0072] The control unit 11 has one or more arithmetic processing units such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The control unit 11 reads and executes a program 1P (program product) stored in the storage unit 12, thereby performing various information processing and control processing related to the server 1, and realizing various functional units (first acquisition unit, second acquisition unit, third acquisition unit, selection unit, output unit).

[0073] The first acquisition unit acquires the company ID of the company to be processed and the target time for achieving the goal. The second acquisition unit acquires the usage information, including the base ID and electricity charges, associated with the company ID from a storage unit that stores the usage information in association with the company ID. The third acquisition unit acquires the renewable energy procurement method and the constraints related to the procurement of renewable energy. Based on the usage information, the procurement method, and the constraints, the selection unit determines the renewable energy procurement method for achieving the goal at the target time for each base ID. The output unit outputs the determined procurement method for each base ID.

[0074] The storage unit 12 is composed of SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), flash memory, or a hard disk or SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage unit 12 temporarily stores the data necessary for the control unit 11 to perform calculations. The storage unit 12 also stores the program 1P necessary for the control unit 11 to perform the processing. Some or all of the above-mentioned DB may be stored in the storage unit 12.

[0075] The communication unit 13 communicates with terminal 2 via network N. Alternatively, the control unit 11 may use the communication unit 13 to download program 1P from another computer via network N or the like and store it in the storage unit 12.

[0076] The reading unit 14 reads a portable storage medium 1a, including CD (Compact Disc)-ROM and DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)-ROM. The control unit 11 may read program 1P from the portable storage medium 1a via the reading unit 14 and store it in the storage unit 12. Alternatively, the control unit 11 may download program 1P from another computer via a network N or the like and store it in the storage unit 12. Furthermore, the control unit 11 may read program 1P from a semiconductor memory (not shown).

[0077] Terminal 2 is a terminal used by end users. End users are employees or staff of corporations, organizations, etc. Depending on their role and authority, end users may be referred to as inputters, approvers, verifiers, etc.

[0078] Figure 17 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a terminal. Terminal 2 consists of a notebook computer, panel computer, tablet computer, smartphone, etc. Terminal 2 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication unit 23, an input unit 24, and a display unit 25. Each component is connected by bus B.

[0079] The control unit 21 has one or more arithmetic processing units such as CPUs, MPUs, and GPUs. The control unit 21 provides various functions by reading and executing programs 2P (program products) stored in the storage unit 22.

[0080] The storage unit 22 is composed of SRAM, DRAM, flash memory, or a hard disk or SSD. The storage unit 22 temporarily stores data necessary for the control unit 21 to perform calculations. The storage unit 22 also stores the program 2P and various databases necessary for the control unit 21 to perform processing. The various databases stored in the storage unit 22 may be stored in a database server or cloud storage.

[0081] The communication unit 23 communicates with the server 1 via the network N. Alternatively, the control unit 21 may use the communication unit 23 to download program 2P from another computer via the network N or the like and store it in the storage unit 22.

[0082] The input unit 24 is a keyboard or mouse. The display unit 25 includes a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL display panel, etc. The display unit 25 displays reports output by the server 1. Alternatively, the input unit 24 and the display unit 25 may be integrated to form a touch panel display. The terminal 2 may also display information on an external display device.

[0083] (Roadmap creation function) This specification describes the function of creating a plan (roadmap) for a user company 20 to use renewable energy for the energy it consumes in conducting its business. The roadmap shows a plan to bring the renewable energy rate (hereinafter referred to as the "renewable energy rate") (achievement rate) of the electricity used by the user company to a target value.

[0084] In recent years, user companies 20 have been required to increase their renewable energy ratio in order to decarbonize their business operations. However, it is difficult to increase the renewable energy ratio all at once, and it is essential to formulate and implement a roadmap that spans several years. Therefore, user companies use electricity usage data and other information stored in the sustainability ERP system 10 to have the server 1 create a roadmap. The roadmap creation function will be described below.

[0085] First, let's explain the database used in the roadmap creation process. Note that the database used is not limited to the one listed below; the databases mentioned above may also be used as needed.

[0086] (Usage history database) Figure 18 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a usage history database. The usage history database 128 stores the past monthly electricity usage of user company 20. The usage history database 128 includes columns for year and month, power company, supply point name, usage amount, CO2 emissions [t-CO2], and electricity bill. The year and month column shows the year and month. The power company column stores the identification information of the power company from which electricity is procured. The supply point name column stores the name of the location where electricity is supplied. The location is assumed to be a subordinate organization of the company. If the supply point can be identified, information other than the name may be stored. The usage amount column stores the usage amount for the relevant month. The CO2 emissions [t-CO2] column stores the carbon dioxide emissions based on the amount of electricity consumed. The electricity bill column stores the electricity bill paid to the power company for the relevant month.

[0087] (Target DB) Figure 19 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a target database. Target DB 129 stores renewable energy targets. Target DB 129 includes columns for company, target year, target rate, and status. The company column stores the name or company ID of the company that created the target. The target year column stores the year or fiscal year (target time) in which the target is to be achieved. The target rate column stores the target renewable energy rate. The status column stores the status of activities toward the target. The status can be, for example, "Before Start," "In Progress," "Completed," or "Suspended."

[0088] (Roadmap DB) Figure 20 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a roadmap database. Roadmap DB12A stores the created roadmaps. Roadmap DB12A includes columns for Map ID, Company, Target Year, Intermediate Year, Target Site, Procurement Method, and Renewable Energy Rate. The Map ID column stores a Map ID that uniquely identifies the roadmap. The Company column stores the name or Company ID of the company that is the target of the roadmap. The Target Year column stores the year in which the target is to be achieved. The Intermediate Year column stores the intermediate years until the target is achieved. Due to the data structure, the Target Year is also stored in the Intermediate Year column. The Target Site column stores the sites where renewable energy will be introduced each year. The Procurement Method column stores the procurement method for renewable energy. The Renewable Energy Rate column stores the renewable energy rate each year.

[0089] (Main creation process) Next, we will explain the information processing performed by the sustainability ERP system 10. Figure 21 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for the main creation process. The end user of the user company 20 that created the roadmap operates terminal 2 to input the goals that will be the conditions for creating the roadmap. For example, the goals include the year in which they are to be achieved and the target renewable energy rate. The control unit 21 of terminal 2 sends the input goals to server 1. The control unit 11 of server 1 acquires the goals (step S11). The control unit 11 acquires power data, including the user company 20's past power usage, from the usage history DB 128 (step S12). The control unit 11 performs the roadmap creation process (step S13). Details will be described later. The control unit 11 displays the created roadmap on terminal 2 (step S14). The end user checks the roadmap displayed on terminal 2 and inputs instructions such as whether to complete the creation, make changes, and if so, how to make changes. The control unit 21 of terminal 2 sends the input instructions to server 1. The control unit 11 of server 1 receives the instruction (step S15). The control unit 11 determines whether the content of the instruction requires the roadmap to be recreated (step S16). If the control unit 11 determines that recreation is necessary (YES in step S16), it moves the process to step S13. If the control unit 11 determines that recreation is not necessary (NO in step S16), it stores the completed roadmap in the roadmap DB 12A (step S17) and terminates the process.

[0090] (Roadmap creation process) Figure 22 is a flowchart showing an example of the roadmap creation process. The control unit 11 of Server 1 sets intermediate points (intermediate years) (target intermediate points) based on the current date (start date) and the target year (step S31). For example, if the current date is 2024 and the target year is 2030, the intermediate points will be 2025, 2026, 2027, ..., 2029, and 2030. Intermediate points can be set every year or every few years. Intermediate points can be set at intervals shorter than one year, but setting them to less than one year is considered to have no significance. The current date is considered the first year of renewable energy introduction, but the start date can be set to a future year or later. The control unit 11 sets targets for each intermediate point (intermediate point targets) based on the target renewable energy penetration rate and the number of intermediate points (step S32). Intermediate point targets include the target value of the renewable energy penetration rate at the intermediate point and the locations where renewable energy will be introduced. The control unit 11 selects an intermediate point in time to be processed (step S33). The control unit 11 determines whether a site for introducing renewable energy has been selected as the target for the intermediate point (step S34). If the control unit 11 determines that a site has been selected (YES in step S34), it proceeds to step S36. If the control unit 11 determines that no site has been selected (NO in step S34), it selects a site for introducing renewable energy at the intermediate point (step S35). For example, the control unit 11 selects one of the unselected sites in order of the amount of electricity used. The control unit 11 calculates the electricity used by the selected sites (step S36). The control unit 11 determines whether the target for the intermediate point has been reached (step S37). If the target for the intermediate point is the renewable energy rate, the control unit 11 determines whether the renewable energy rate, when the calculated electricity used is from renewable energy, has reached the target. If the target is not the renewable energy penetration rate, but rather a site where renewable energy is introduced at an intermediate point, the control unit 11 unconditionally determines that the target has been reached. If the control unit 11 determines that the target at the intermediate point has not been reached (NO in step S37), it returns to step S35. If the control unit 11 determines that the target at the intermediate point has been reached (YES in step S33), it determines whether or not the target has been reached (step S38).For example, if the target is the renewable energy penetration rate and the target value is less than 100%, depending on the setting of the target year, it is possible that the target may be reached at an intermediate point. For example, if the target is a 50% renewable energy penetration rate in 5 years, it is possible that the 50% renewable energy penetration rate may be reached in 4 years. If the target is a 100% renewable energy penetration rate, and a site is selected at each intermediate point based on the order in which renewable energy is introduced, the target will not be determined to have been reached until the processing for the final year is completed. If the control unit 11 determines that the target has not been reached (NO in step S38), it returns the process to step S33. If the control unit 11 determines that the target has been reached (YES in step S38), it associates the sites where renewable energy is introduced at each intermediate point, the renewable energy penetration rate that is expected to be achieved, and the amount of electricity to be procured as renewable energy, and temporarily stores this information (step S39). The control unit 11 selects a renewable energy procurement method for each site (step S40). Possible procurement methods include grid power + non-fossil fuel certificates, retail renewable energy menus, VPPA (Virtual Power Purchase Agreement), on-site PPA, physical PPA, and on-site PPA. The control unit 11 associates the sites where renewable energy will be introduced at each intermediate point, the renewable energy conversion rate that is expected to be achieved, the amount of electricity to be procured as renewable energy, and the renewable energy procurement method for each site, stores this information in the roadmap DB 12A (step S41), and returns the process to the caller.

[0091] (Selection of procurement method) Next, we will illustrate the process for determining the renewable energy procurement method at each site. Various factors should be considered when deciding on a procurement method. For example, whether the site is a tenant or located in a company-owned building is one example of a consideration. Another example of a consideration is whether the deadline for introducing renewable energy is approaching, as the introduction of VPPA (Renewable Power Plant Aid) takes at least a year. Furthermore, whether an increase in procurement costs is acceptable is another example of a consideration. In addition, the procurement method is selected based on which aspects of the benefits of introducing renewable energy are prioritized.

[0092] In order for Server 1 to process the procurement method for each site, Site DB 122 stores the following information in addition to the information shown in Figure 7: Site DB 122 stores a flag indicating whether or not it is a tenant, the area of ​​the space where power generation equipment can be installed, and structural strength. If the site is on the company's own premises, Site DB 122 also stores whether or not there is available space to install power generation equipment, whether sufficient wind power can be obtained if wind power generation is considered, and whether or not there are no obstructions and sunlight is good if solar power generation is considered. Note that the above information does not necessarily need to be stored when Site DB 122 is built, and the information may be collected and stored when considering the introduction of renewable energy. If the information is not stored in Site DB 122, the end user may input the above information into Terminal 2 and send it to Server 1 during the process of determining the procurement method. In addition, when installing power generation equipment, information that allows server 1 to determine whether legal requirements are met, whether it violates land use regulations, and whether the power generation equipment can be installed on a scale that complies with the Building Standards Act may be stored in storage unit 12, or the end user may input this information into terminal 2 and send it to server 1.

[0093] (goal setting) Next, I will explain the goal setting process. As mentioned above, the goal setting process consists of two main steps. One step is setting intermediate points. The other step is assigning the timing of renewable energy conversion for each site to one of these intermediate points.

[0094] (Setting an intermediate point) Let's explain how to set intermediate points. Intermediate points are points in the middle of the period from the start of renewable energy introduction to the final year. The interval between intermediate points can be arbitrary, but considering the time it takes to introduce renewable energy, every year is reasonable. For example, if the goal is to achieve a 100% renewable energy introduction rate in 5 years, there will be five intermediate points: year 1 (first year), year 2, year 3, year 4, and year 5 (final year). Strictly speaking, the first year and the final year are not intermediate points, but for information processing purposes, they are treated as intermediate points.

[0095] (Assignment of bases to intermediate points) Next, we will explain the process of assigning each site to an intermediate point. The assignment process differs depending on the target for each intermediate point. First, if the target for each intermediate point is the renewable energy rate, then the renewable energy rate will be the rate for each intermediate point. For example, the renewable energy rate is 20% in year 1, 40% in year 2, 60% in year 3, 80% in year 4, and 100% in year 5. When Server 1 assigns each site to each intermediate point, it assigns the sites in a way that satisfies the target renewable energy rate for each intermediate point. When selecting the sites to assign, Server 1 may select them randomly, in descending order of electricity consumption, or in an order based on location, such as north to south, south to north, east to west, or west to east. Server 1 may also select them in an order predetermined by the end user. Note that the target value of the renewable energy rate for each year is increased linearly, but this is not the only way. The target value may be increased exponentially or polynomially (with a degree of 2 or higher).

[0096] If the renewable energy rate is not included in the intermediate target, Server 1 may assign sites to each intermediate point in an order predetermined by the end user. The end user will determine the priority of sites for introducing renewable energy, taking into account the company's policies. For example, to demonstrate the promotion of renewable energy introduction both internally and externally, a symbolic site may be strategically selected, and the selected site may be given a higher priority. The number of sites assigned to each intermediate point may be uniform, or the number of sites may increase exponentially or polynomially (degree 2 or higher).

[0097] (Screen image) Next, we will explain the screen related to the roadmap displayed on terminal 2. Figure 23 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the roadmap display screen. The roadmap display screen d01 displays the roadmap created by server 1. The roadmap display screen d01 includes the company name d011, the planning period d012, the map table d013, the change button d014, and the close button d015. The company name d011 indicates the name of the company that was the subject of the roadmap creation. The planning period d012 indicates the year in which the introduction of renewable energy will begin and the year in which the target will be achieved. The map table d013 shows, in chronological order, the target sites for introducing renewable energy, the renewable energy procurement method, and the renewable energy rate of the entire company after introduction for each intermediate point (intermediate year). Instead of, or in addition to, the renewable energy rate may be shown. Selecting the change button d014 displays the change settings screen that instructs the user to change the roadmap. Selecting the close button d015 closes the roadmap display screen d01.

[0098] Figure 24 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a change settings screen. The change settings screen d02 is a screen for changing the conditions for creating a roadmap. The change settings screen d02 includes the company name d021, the planning period d022, the ranking table d023, the confirm button d024, and the cancel button d025. The company name d021 and the planning period d022 are the same as the items with the same names on the roadmap display screen d01, so their explanation is omitted. The ranking table d023 shows the ranking of the areas where renewable energy introduction will be promoted. The ranking can be changed by dragging and dropping the names of the locations using a mouse or similar device. When the confirm button d024 is selected, the changes in the ranking are sent to the server 1. The server 1 recreates the roadmap and sends the recreated roadmap to the terminal 2. When the confirm button d024 is operated, the control unit 21 of the terminal 2 determines whether the ranking has been changed or not, and if it has not been changed, it does not need to instruct the server 1 to recreate the roadmap. In that case, the control unit 21 may display a message indicating that the ranking has not been changed. Selecting the Cancel button d025 will either close the Change Settings screen d02 or return you to the Roadmap display screen d01.

[0099] The change settings screen d02 shown in Figure 24 is a screen for changing the ranking of sites where renewable energy will be introduced, but it is not limited to that. The change settings screen d02 may also include an area for changing the target renewable energy rate for each intermediate point in time. In addition, both the ranking and the renewable energy rate may be changeable on the change settings screen d02. In this case, it may not be possible to create a roadmap that satisfies both the set ranking and renewable energy rate, so it may be possible to specify whether to prioritize the ranking or the renewable energy rate when creating the roadmap.

[0100] The roadmap creation function described above has the following effects: In renewable energy introduction plans, when the end user inputs the target achievement date, a roadmap can be created showing the locations to be introduced at each intermediate point towards achieving the target. The end user can change the introduction order shown in the created roadmap and recreate the roadmap, making it possible to create a roadmap that follows the introduction order determined from a strategic perspective.

[0101] The roadmap creation function described above was explained assuming a simple organizational structure, specifically a company with approximately two organizational hierarchies. However, it is also possible to create roadmaps for companies with three or more organizational hierarchies, such as holding companies. For example, this can be done by recursively executing the roadmap creation process. Taking ESG Trading Co., Ltd., shown in Figure 2, as an example, the roadmap for ESG Trading Co., Ltd. would be created by considering the company at hierarchical level 2 as a base and creating the roadmap described above. To realize the created roadmap, a roadmap for the company at hierarchical level 2 would be created. Furthermore, a roadmap for the company at hierarchical level 3 would be created, and so on. Note that when creating a roadmap for a company that has bases with lower-level organizations directly below it (for example, ESG Trading Co., Ltd. or Food Sales Co., Ltd.), it is sufficient to select the renewable energy procurement method for each base (including the head office, etc.), and it is unnecessary to select the procurement method for the entire company.

[0102] However, the above explanation assumes that each location will introduce renewable energy within a single year, which is unrealistic. ESG Trading's roadmap stipulates that in the first year, renewable energy will be introduced at Food Sales Co., Ltd., bringing the company's renewable energy rate to 100%, and in the second year, renewable energy will be introduced at Industrial Resources Co., Ltd., bringing the company's renewable energy rate to 100%. This means that all locations belonging to Food Sales Co., Ltd. and Industrial Resources Co., Ltd. will be planned to introduce renewable energy within a single year.

[0103] Therefore, when creating a roadmap recursively for companies with three or more tiers, it is desirable to set the number of years until 100% renewable energy is achieved, or the minimum number of years until 100% renewable energy is achieved, so that the introduction of renewable energy in the company immediately below it is planned to take place over multiple years.

[0104] Figure 25 is a flowchart showing other example steps of the main creation process. The process shown in Figure 25 shows the process when creating a roadmap for a company with 3 or more layers. For the explanation, we will assume that we are creating a roadmap for ESG Trading Co., Ltd. as shown in Figure 2. The control unit 11 of Server 1 obtains the number of lower layers (step S51). Here, we assume there are up to 4 layers as shown in Figure 2. The control unit 11 refers to the company DB 121 (Figure 6) and the location DB 122 (Figure 7) to find the number of lower layers. Here, it is 3 layers. The control unit 11 determines whether the number of lower layers is 2 or more (step S52). If the control unit 11 determines that the number of lower layers is 2 or more (YES in step S52), it obtains the location one level below (step S53). Here, the locations one level below ESG Trading Co., Ltd. are Food Sales Co., Ltd. and Industrial Resources Co., Ltd. The control unit 11 creates a roadmap that does not include the consideration of procurement methods (step S54). Here, a roadmap for ESG Trading Co., Ltd. is created with Food Sales Co., Ltd. and Industrial Resources Co., Ltd. as locations. The control unit 11 selects the base to be processed (step S55). Here, let's assume that Food Sales Co., Ltd. is selected. The control unit 11 returns to step S51. The control unit 11 obtains the number of lower levels below the selected base, in this case Food Sales Co., Ltd. Here, it is 1 (level 3 only). The control unit 11 executes step S52. If the control unit 11 determines that the number of lower levels is not 2 or more (NO in step S52), it determines whether the number of lower levels is 1 or not (step S56). If the control unit 11 determines that the number of lower levels is 1 (YES in step S56), it creates a roadmap including the procurement method (step S57). Here, it creates a roadmap for ABC Ham and Food Sales Co., Ltd., which has ABC Ham as a base. The control unit 11 determines whether there are any unprocessed bases (step S58). If the control unit 11 determines that there are no unprocessed bases (NO in step S58), it terminates the process.

[0105] If the control unit 11 determines that there are unprocessed locations (YES in step S58), it moves the process to step S55. Here, since no processing has been done for Industrial Resources Co., Ltd., the control unit 11 selects Industrial Resources Co., Ltd. in step S55 and returns the process to step S51. Since Industrial Resources Co., Ltd. has 2 lower levels, steps S53 and S54 are executed, and the control unit 11 creates a roadmap for Industrial Resources Co., Ltd., which has three locations F, G, and H. If the control unit 11 selects F as the location in step S55, it determines NO in step S52 and YES in step S56, and creates a roadmap for F.

[0106] If the control unit 11 selects G or H in step S55, it determines NO in step S52. The control unit 11 determines NO in step S56. If the control unit 11 determines that the number of lower levels is not 1, i.e., there are no lower levels (NO in step S56), it moves the process to step S58. If the control unit 11 has already performed processing for F, G, and H, it determines NO in step S58. If the control unit 11 determines that there are no unprocessed locations (NO in step S58), it terminates the process.

[0107] Figures 26 and 27 are explanatory diagrams showing examples of roadmaps for companies with three or more hierarchical levels. Figure 26 is an example of the roadmap for ESG Trading Co., Ltd. ESG Trading Co., Ltd. has the organizational hierarchy shown in Figure 2. As mentioned above, the renewable energy rate in Figure 26 represents the renewable energy rate of ESG Trading Co., Ltd. In the roadmap shown in Figure 26, the companies directly under ESG Trading Co., Ltd. are planned to achieve a 100% renewable energy rate over multiple years. In the example in Figure 26, Food Sales Co., Ltd. is planned to achieve a 100% renewable energy rate in 5 years, and Industrial Resources Co., Ltd. is planned to achieve a 100% renewable energy rate in 4 years.

[0108] Figure 27 shows an example of a roadmap for Food Sales Co., Ltd. It shows the annual renewable energy rate targets for its subsidiaries, ABC Ham and AB Foods, in order to achieve the renewable energy rate target for Food Sales Co., Ltd. shown in Figure 26. The renewable energy rate values ​​in Figure 27 match the renewable energy rate values ​​for the corresponding locations of Food Sales Co., Ltd. in Figure 26. The roadmap for ABC Ham to meet the renewable energy rate target shown in Figure 26 is the roadmap shown in Figure 23. As described above, by recursively creating roadmaps, it is possible to create roadmaps even for companies with three or more hierarchical levels.

[0109] (Price display function) In the roadmap presented to end users, in addition to the renewable energy procurement methods, the cost of procuring electricity using those methods may also be displayed. The following describes the cost display function.

[0110] Figure 28 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a price list. Figure 28 shows the price lists for Renewable Energy Plan A, Renewable Energy Plan B, and Off-site PPA. These price lists are stored in the storage unit 12 of Server 1, etc. These price lists may be obtained from new power companies, renewable energy businesses, independent power generators, public power companies, etc. that provide renewable energy plans. Similarly, the fees for using off-site PPAs and on-site PPAs may be obtained from power generators and retail electricity providers.

[0111] Figure 29 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure for calculating charges. The charge calculation process is assumed to be executed by the control unit 11 of server 1 after the procurement method for each location has been determined during the roadmap creation process. The control unit 11 selects the locations to be processed (step S71). The control unit 11 refers to the roadmap DB 12A and obtains the procurement method for the selected locations (step S72). The control unit 11 obtains the attributes of the locations for calculating charges (step S73). For example, it obtains attributes that match the procurement method, such as the power consumption of the location and which area of ​​the general transmission and distribution company's supply area the location is situated in. These attributes are stored in the location DB 122 or similar. Alternatively, a database for storing location attributes may be provided. Furthermore, if necessary, the control unit 11 may also obtain attributes entered by the end user at terminal 2. The control unit 11 determines whether or not a charge table for calculating electricity charges based on the procurement method assigned to the location is stored in the storage unit 12 (step S74). If the control unit 11 determines that the price list is stored (YES in step S74), it proceeds to step S78. If the control unit 11 determines that the price list is not stored (NO in step S74), it queries the power supply provider for the procurement method (step S75). For example, server 1 uses a Web API to query the power company's computer system for price information. In order to use the Web API, server 1 performs necessary preparations for integration in advance, such as setting authentication information (e.g., API key or OAuth token) and registering the URL of the target endpoint. The control unit 11 obtains the price information (step S76). The control unit 11 stores the obtained price information in the storage unit 12 (step S77). Based on the price list and price information stored in the storage unit 12, the control unit 11 calculates the electricity charges for the locations (step S78). The control unit 11 determines whether or not there are any unprocessed locations (step S79). If the control unit 11 determines that there are unprocessed locations (YES in step S79), it returns to step S71 and processes the unprocessed locations. If the control unit 11 determines that there are no unprocessed locations (NO in step S79), it stores the calculated electricity charges in the road map DB12A, etc. (step S80) and terminates the process.Furthermore, when calculating electricity consumption at a time when the renewable energy rate is not 100%, the control unit 11 appropriately apportions the electricity usage and calculates the charges based on the conventional electricity procurement method and the charges based on the renewable energy procurement method.

[0112] Figure 30 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the roadmap display screen. The roadmap display screen d01 shown in Figure 30 has the same configuration as the screen example shown in Figure 23, and therefore uses the same symbols as in Figure 23. The difference between Figure 30 and Figure 23 is the map table d013. In Figure 30, the Rate column, Conventional Energy column, and Rate column are displayed to the right of the Renewable Energy Rate column. The Rate column immediately to the right of the Renewable Energy Rate column shows the rate for electricity from renewable energy. The Conventional Energy column shows the percentage of electricity used (procured) from conventional energy sources such as fossil fuels in relation to total electricity usage. The Rate column immediately to the right of the Conventional Energy column shows the electricity rate for electricity used from conventional energy sources.

[0113] (update function) Next, let's discuss the update function. The update function is used to modify the roadmap as needed during the process of introducing renewable energy (from the start of implementation to intermediate points along the way to the target date). It is primarily intended for use when the introduction based on the roadmap is not progressing smoothly.

[0114] Figure 31 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the roadmap update process. The end user operates terminal 2 to specify the roadmap to be updated. The control unit 21 of terminal 2 sends the map ID of the specified roadmap to server 1. The control unit 11 of server 1 uses the received map ID to retrieve the roadmap to be updated from roadmap DB 12A (step S91). The control unit 11 retrieves current data showing the current status of renewable energy introduction (step S92). The control unit 11 resets the targets based on the roadmap and current data (step S93). The control unit 11 creates a roadmap based on the reset targets (step S94). The roadmap creation process is as explained with reference to Figure 22. The control unit 11 displays the roadmap to terminal 2 (step S95). That is, the control unit 11 outputs data to display the roadmap on terminal 2. The end user checks the updated new roadmap displayed on terminal 2 and instructs whether to complete the update, make changes, and if so, what the changes will be. The control unit 21 of terminal 2 sends the input instruction to server 1. The control unit 11 of server 1 receives the instruction (step S96). The control unit 11 determines whether the content of the instruction requires the roadmap to be recreated (step S97). If the control unit 11 determines that recreation is necessary (YES in step S97), it determines whether to change the goal (step S98). If the instruction from the end user includes content that changes the goal, the control unit 11 determines that the goal should be changed. If the control unit 11 determines that the goal should be changed (YES in step S98), it returns the process to step S93. If the control unit 11 determines that the goal should not be changed (NO in step S98), it returns the process to step S94. If the control unit 11 determines that recreation is not necessary (NO in step S97), it stores the updated roadmap in roadmap DB 12A (step S99) and terminates the process.

[0115] The update function allows end users to update the roadmap if the implementation based on the roadmap is not progressing smoothly. If an end user who has reviewed the updated roadmap feels that its contents are unrealistic, they can change the goals and recreate the roadmap, thus creating a more feasible roadmap.

[0116] Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It will be clear from the claims that such modified or improved forms may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0117] It should be noted that the execution order of operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the apparatus, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not explicitly stated as "before," "prior to," etc., and that these can be implemented in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operation flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is described using phrases such as "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to perform the operations in that order.

[0118] Furthermore, aspects of each embodiment can be embodied in whole or in part by a computer. For example, a program installed on such a computer may cause the computer to function as an operation associated with an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, or as one or more "parts" of such apparatus. Alternatively, the program may cause the computer to execute such operation or one or more "parts." The program may cause the computer to execute a process or a stage of such process according to an embodiment of the present invention. Such a program may be executed by the CPU to cause the computer to execute a particular operation associated with some or all of the blocks in the flowcharts and block diagrams described herein. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 100: Information Systems 10: Sustainability ERP System 20: User companies 30: Information Providers 40: Integration System 50: Formulation body 60: Receiving Institution 70: Cloud Services 80: Information site 90: Stakeholders 1: Server 11: Control Unit 12: Storage section 121: Corporate DB 122: Branch Database 123: Account DB 124: Input Status DB 125: Input DB 126: Approval DB 127: Confirmation DB 128: Usage History Database 129:Target DB 12A: Roadmap Database 13: Communications Department 14: Reading section 16: Communications Department 1P: Program 1a: Portable storage medium 2: Terminal 2P: Program 21: Control Unit 22: Storage section 23: Communications Department 24: Input section 25:Display section B: Bus N: Network

Claims

1. Obtain the company ID of the company to be processed, and the target timeframe for achieving the goal. From a storage unit that stores usage information, including the location ID and power consumption, in association with the company ID, the usage information corresponding to the acquired company ID is retrieved. We obtain information on renewable energy procurement methods and constraints related to renewable energy procurement. Based on the aforementioned usage information, procurement method, and constraints, the procurement method for renewable energy that achieves the target at the target time is determined for each of the site IDs. Output the procurement method for each of the obtained location IDs. An information processing method in which a computer capable of accessing the storage unit performs the processing.

2. An intermediate point in time between the start of implementation of measures to achieve the aforementioned goal and the aforementioned goal date will be set. Based on the aforementioned usage information, procurement method, and constraints, the procurement method for renewable energy at the target intermediate point is determined for each site ID. The information processing method according to claim 1.

3. The procurement methods for renewable energy for each site ID at the aforementioned target midpoint are output in a time series based on the aforementioned target midpoint. The information processing method according to claim 2.

4. The achievement rate of the target at the aforementioned midpoint is obtained for each of the aforementioned location IDs. Based on the achievement rate for each acquired site ID, update the renewable energy procurement method at the midpoint of the unmet target. The information processing method according to claim 2 or claim 3.

5. The aforementioned constraint is that, at the target time, the procurement of renewable energy for the site will be 100%. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. Based on the aforementioned renewable energy procurement method, the electricity charges for each location are calculated. The calculated electricity charges for each of the aforementioned locations are output, associated with the location ID. The information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The ratio of the amount of renewable energy procured by each procurement method to the amount procured by conventional energy procurement methods at the aforementioned target midpoint is calculated for each location. Output the calculated percentage, associating it with the aforementioned location ID. The information processing method according to claim 2.

8. Obtain the company ID of the company to be processed, and the target timeframe for achieving the goal. From a storage unit that stores usage information, including the location ID and electricity charges, in association with the company ID, the usage information corresponding to the acquired company ID is retrieved. We obtain information on renewable energy procurement methods and constraints related to renewable energy procurement. Based on the aforementioned usage information, procurement method, and constraints, the procurement method for renewable energy that achieves the target at the target time is determined for each of the site IDs. Output the procurement method for each of the obtained location IDs. An information processing program that causes a computer with access to the aforementioned storage unit to perform the processing.

9. A first acquisition unit that acquires the company ID of the company to be processed and the target time for achieving the goal, A second acquisition unit acquires usage information, including the location ID and electricity charges, from a storage unit that stores the usage information in association with the company ID, and the usage information associated with the acquired company ID. A third acquisition unit that acquires methods for procuring renewable energy and constraints related to the procurement of renewable energy, A selection unit determines, for each site ID, the renewable energy procurement method that achieves the target at the target time, based on the aforementioned usage information, the aforementioned procurement method, and the aforementioned constraints. An output unit that outputs the procurement method for each of the obtained base IDs. An information processing device equipped with the following features.

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