Power network systems and management devices for businesses

Abstract

To more effectively promote the installation of green power generation facilities. [Solution] Power generation and utilization control equipment, including green power generation equipment, is provided and installed free of charge on the premises of the electricity consumer. The electricity service provider operates a business management device connected to the power generation and utilization control equipment via communication means. The business management device stores the date the consumer started using electricity, associated with the consumer's identification information, and also stores multiple unit prices for electricity consumed by the consumer, which are determined considering factors contributing to the cost and installation costs of the power generation and utilization control equipment, as well as repair costs, and are reduced according to the elapsed time since the start of electricity use. The electricity charge for the consumer's self-consumed electricity is calculated from the amount of electricity consumed by the consumer and the unit price obtained from the unit price storage unit based on the elapsed time since the start of electricity use, and the consumer is billed for it.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a power network system using green power and a management device for operators.

Background Art

[0002] For example, various efforts have been made to promote the installation of power generation facilities that generate power with a high "environmental value" (green power) using non-fossil power sources such as solar power generation. For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-85850) proposes a business model that enables general household owners to receive the benefits of introducing a residential solar power generation facility without bearing the initial investment required to purchase and install the solar power generation facility in their homes.

[0003] The business model of this Patent Document 1 is such that a residential solar power generation facility owned by an operator providing a power service is installed on the site (such as a roof) of a general residential owner who is a customer, and the economic benefits under the surplus power purchase system are shared in some form between the facility owner and the customer. Specifically, the billing to the customer is performed by subtracting a part of the revenue based on the amount of power sold generated by the power generation facility for each customer from the self-consumption power charge corresponding to the amount of self-consumption power of the customer's green power.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Even if solar power generation equipment can be installed without initial costs, typical homeowners will not adopt or will hesitate to use the electricity service proposed in Patent Document 1 if the cost of their self-consumption of electricity is not favorable compared to the cost of electricity services through existing or currently used grid power networks.

[0006] In the case of Patent Document 1, it is argued that a portion of the revenue generated from the electricity sold by the power generation facility is returned to the consumer, thereby creating a benefit for the consumer. However, the generation of surplus electricity from solar power generation facilities is influenced by the weather and has many fluctuating factors, which can be a source of anxiety for consumers when deciding whether or not to use it.

[0007] Furthermore, since electricity charges to consumers are calculated by subtracting a portion of the revenue based on the amount of electricity sold from the power generation facilities of each consumer from the self-consumption charge based on the amount of green electricity consumed by the consumer, the price (unit price) of the self-consumption charge also becomes an issue.

[0008] Generally, the electricity charge for a customer's own electricity consumption is calculated based on the unit price, which is determined as the electricity rate for the amount of electricity used per unit time, and the amount of electricity consumed by the customer. Typically, the amount of electricity consumed when 1 kW of electricity is used for one hour is considered to be 1 kWh, and the unit price (A / kWh) is determined as the rate A per 1 kWh. The amount of electricity consumed by the customer (kWh) is expressed by multiplying the amount of electricity consumed (kW) by the time (h). Therefore, the electricity charge that is billed is the amount of electricity consumed by the customer (kWh) multiplied by the unit price (A / kWh). In addition, a basic charge may be added to the electricity charge.

[0009] Similarly, in the case of Patent Document 1 mentioned above, a unit price is used when calculating the charge for self-consumption of green electricity in the billing of electricity charges to consumers, based on the amount of self-consumption of green electricity.

[0010] In this case, as described in Patent Document 1, the electricity service provider typically sets its rates at the same level as or slightly higher than those of electricity service providers on the grid, in order to secure its own operating profits, because the surplus electricity generated by each customer's power generation facility is subject to significant fluctuations, such as weather conditions, as mentioned above. Therefore, if the amount of surplus electricity sold is small, customers may feel that they are not receiving much economic benefit despite having provided their land free of charge to have solar power generation facilities installed.

[0011] Based on the above, a business model like that described in Patent Document 1, in which charges consumers by subtracting the revenue based on the amount of electricity sold from the amount of electricity generated by each consumer's power generation facility from the self-consumption charge based on the amount of green electricity consumed by the consumer, has factors that make consumers hesitant to use it, and therefore may not be able to promote the installation of green electricity generation facilities such as solar power generation facilities.

[0012] In view of the above-mentioned problems, this invention aims to provide a power network system that can more effectively promote the installation of green power generation facilities. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] To solve the above problems, A power generation utilization control system is installed free of charge on the customer's premises, which supplies the portion of the electricity generated by the green power generation equipment that is consumed by the customer, and transmits the surplus to the power grid. A business operator that owns the power generation and utilization control equipment, including the aforementioned green power generation equipment, and operates the power service provider, and a business operator management device connected to the power generation and utilization control equipment via communication means, A power network system comprising, The aforementioned power generation and utilization control equipment is A transmission means for transmitting the amount of electricity generated by the green power generation equipment, the amount of electricity consumed by the company, and the amount of electricity surplus to the business operator's management device via the communication means, Power transmission means for sending the surplus power to the power grid, Equipped with, The aforementioned management device for business operators is A start date storage unit stores the date on which the customer began using electricity, in association with the customer's identification information. A rate storage unit stores rate units for electricity charges for self-consumption at predetermined intervals, determined considering factors contributing to the costs and installation costs of the aforementioned power generation utilization control equipment, and which are reduced rate units according to the elapsed time since the start date of electricity use. A means for calculating the electricity charges for the self-consumed portion of the customer for each billing period, which is calculated from the acquired amount of electricity consumed by the self and the unit price for the predetermined period to which the billing period belongs, obtained from the unit price storage unit. The system includes a billing mechanism that generates electricity billing information for the customer based on the electricity charges for self-consumption calculated by the billing calculation mechanism. The present invention provides a power network system characterized by the following features.

[0014] The power network system with the above configuration makes the most of the fact that power service providers own the power generation and utilization control equipment, including green power generation facilities, and aims to increase the benefits that consumers receive, thereby more effectively promoting the installation of green power generation facilities.

[0015] In other words, in the power network system with the above configuration, power generation and utilization control equipment, including green power generation equipment, is provided and installed free of charge on the premises of power consumers without any burden on the consumers. The power service provider owns the power generation and utilization control equipment, including green power generation equipment.

[0016] In the unit price memory section for the business operator's management device, there are unit prices for the electricity charge for self-consumption determined in consideration of at least the costs of the power generation power utilization control equipment and the factors contributing to the installation cost and the repair cost, and a plurality of unit prices reduced according to the elapsed period from the start date of power utilization are stored.

[0017] The means for calculating the self-consumption billing charge of the business operator's management device calculates the electricity charge for self-consumption for each billing target period of the customer from the amount of electricity for self-consumption calculated based on the information from the power generation power utilization control equipment installed in the customer and the unit price for the billing target period acquired from the unit price memory section based on the elapsed period from the start date of power utilization in the billing target period. The customer is billed for the calculated electricity charge for self-consumption.

[0018] The factors contributing to the costs of the power generation power utilization control equipment and the installation cost can consider, for example, the profit from selling surplus power generated by the green power generation equipment, subsidies from the state or local public bodies for the power generation equipment itself and the installation cost of the power generation equipment, investment funds from investors, etc., since the business operator has the ownership of the power generation power utilization control equipment including the green power generation equipment. Therefore, the business operator can set the unit price stored in the unit price memory section to a unit price that is relatively inexpensive and is reduced as the use of the power generation equipment becomes longer. Accordingly, the customer can enjoy the effect of promoting the use of the power generation equipment and long-term use because the electricity charge becomes cheaper by using it for a long time.

Effect of the Invention

[0019] According to the power network system of this invention, by making the most of the fact that the business operator providing the power service has the ownership of the power generation power utilization control equipment including the green power generation equipment and aiming to increase the benefits obtained by the customer, it is possible to more effectively promote the installation of the green power generation equipment.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing an overview of an embodiment of a power network system according to this invention. [Figure 2] This is a diagram used to explain the operation of the main part of an embodiment of a power network system according to this invention. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing a configuration example of power generation power utilization control equipment installed in a consumer that constitutes an embodiment of a power network system according to this invention. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a system power storage device that constitutes an embodiment of a power network system according to this invention. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a repair parts management unit that constitutes an embodiment of a power network system according to this invention. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an operator management device that constitutes an embodiment of a power network system according to this invention. [Figure 7] This is a diagram for explaining the main part of the operator management device in the example of FIG. 6.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a power network system according to this invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of the configuration of an embodiment of a power network system according to this invention. The power network system of this embodiment is an example when the green power is only solar power generation power. However, as the green power, it is not limited to the case of using only solar power generation power, and wind power generation power, geothermal power generation power, etc. can be used. Further, the power network system can also be configured by mixing these various green powers.

[0023] The power network system of this embodiment comprises a business management device 1 operated by a power service provider, power consumers 2, grid energy storage devices (hereinafter referred to as SG-ESS) 3, a power grid 4 for transmitting and distributing grid power, a communication network 5, the Japan Electric Power Exchange (hereinafter referred to as JEPX) 6, and a repair facility 7. In this embodiment, the power network system is constructed in Japan, so the wholesale electricity exchange is referred to as JEPX 6. However, if the power network system is constructed in a region other than Japan, it will consist of a wholesale electricity exchange that conducts electricity trading in that region.

[0024] In Figure 1, the power grid 4 is shown with solid lines connecting the various components that make up the power network system of this embodiment. The communication network 5 is also shown with dotted lines connecting the various components that make up the power network system of this embodiment. In this embodiment, the communication network 5 includes the internet, and each component is configured to communicate through the communication network 5 via wireless communication in this example. Of course, wired communication is also possible instead of wireless communication.

[0025] In this embodiment, the business management device 1 is owned and operated by a business operator that provides electricity services under contract with one or more customers 2. In this embodiment, the business management device 1 is composed of a computer and performs various processes as described later through software processing using AI (Artificial Intelligence).

[0026] In this embodiment, the business management device 1 is connected to the customer 2, SG-ESS3, JEPX6, repair facility 7, and Japan Meteorological Agency 8 via a communication network 5, as shown in Figure 1. The business management device 1 acquires necessary predetermined information from each of the connected parts via the communication network 5 and supplies the necessary control signals to the necessary parts within those parts.

[0027] In this embodiment, the business operator also possesses the SG-ESS3, or has entered into a contract with the person who possesses the SG-ESS3 regarding the use of the SG-ESS3.

[0028] The business management device 1 includes a power management control unit 11 for managing and controlling the supply of green electricity to consumers 2 at a low cost.

[0029] The SG-ESS3 is equipped with a battery 3CB and is configured to store (charge) power received from the power grid 4 and to transmit (discharge) the stored power.

[0030] Customer 2 enters into a power service contract with a service provider to receive green electricity, in this example, solar power, and there can be one or more such customers. In this embodiment, customer 2 is assumed to be the owner of a detached house, but it could also be the owner of a shop such as a retail store.

[0031] In this embodiment, the electricity service provided by the business operator includes the provision, installation, operation, and maintenance services of solar power generation equipment. Specifically, when customer 2 enters into an electricity service contract with the business operator, a power generation utilization control system 2PV, which in this embodiment includes solar panels 2SL, a storage battery 2CB, and a control unit (not shown in Figure 1) for providing electricity services using these components, is installed on customer 2's premises free of charge at the business operator's expense. If customer 2 is the owner of a general residence, the solar panels 2SL are installed, for example, on the roof of the residence, and the storage battery 2CB and control unit are installed in designated locations on customer 2's premises. The power generation utilization control system 2PV is owned by the business operator, and the cost of the power generation utilization control system 2PV itself is borne by the business operator, allowing the customer to use it free of charge.

[0032] The operator management device 1 communicates with the consumer's power generation utilization control equipment 2PV via the communication network 5 to obtain necessary information, calculates the consumer's self-consumption amount, calculates the electricity charge for the calculated self-consumption amount, and charges the consumer 2. The self-consumption amount includes the amount of electricity consumed (discharged) by the consumer 2 from the battery 2CB when solar power generation is not performed, such as at night. In this embodiment, the operator charges the consumer 2 only for this self-consumption amount.

[0033] In this embodiment, the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV is configured to consume the power generated by the solar panels 2SL while simultaneously storing (charging) it in the battery 2CB, so that any surplus power that cannot be consumed is stored in the battery 2CB.

[0034] Furthermore, the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV is configured to send power to the power grid 4 when the power generated by the solar panels 2SL is too large to be stored in the battery 2CB. In this embodiment, the power sent to the power grid 4 is managed and controlled by the operator's management device 1 so that it is stored in the SG-ESS3.

[0035] Furthermore, the power generation and utilization control equipment 2PV is configured to discharge the electricity stored in the battery 2CB at night, etc., to enable consumer 2 to consume its own electricity.

[0036] Furthermore, the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV is configured to receive control signals from the operator management device 1 via the communication network 5 and to send the portion of the stored power stored in the battery 2CB that is determined to be surplus power to the power grid 4 as electricity for sale. In this case, the operator management device 1 will set the electricity to be sold when the market price of JEPX6 is high. The operator management device 1 will send a control signal to the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV to discharge the electricity sold from the battery 2CB and send it to the power grid 4.

[0037] Figure 2 shows the daily fluctuations in electricity trading prices. As shown in Figure 2, generally, electricity trading prices are low (lowest price), for example, 0.1 yen or less, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and high during the nighttime hours from 1 p.m. to 12 a.m. the following day. Therefore, in this embodiment, the business management device 1 is configured to sell electricity at JEPX6 during the time when prices are high (highest price).

[0038] In this embodiment, the operator is also responsible for maintenance management (referred to as repair management) including repair, replacement, and equipment removal of the power generation and utilization control equipment 2PV, which includes the solar panels 2SL, the storage battery 2CB, and the control unit for providing power services using them. In this embodiment, the operator's repair management is also configured to include the management of recycling of components and products for each part of the power generation and utilization control equipment 2PV. To perform repair management and recycling management, the operator's management device 1 is provided with a repair management unit 12.

[0039] The repair facility 7 is a facility for storing parts and products that are repaired and managed by the operator, and is owned or leased by the operator. In this embodiment, when parts or products constituting the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV malfunction, those parts or products are replaced with good ones, but the malfunctioning parts or products are repaired and stored in the repair facility 7. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when parts or products constituting the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV malfunction, the repaired parts or products stored in the repair facility 7 are used as replacement parts or replacement devices. In other words, in this embodiment, the parts and products constituting the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV are managed so that they can be reused while being repaired. This makes it possible to reduce the costs associated with repairs, including the cost of parts and products, and contributes to lowering the electricity charges charged to customers receiving electricity services. In addition, unused good parts and products are also stored in the repair facility 7 as replacement parts and replacement products.

[0040] The repair facility 7 is equipped with a repair management unit 71, which is connected to the repair management unit 12 of the business management device 1 via a communication network 5. The repair management unit 71 manages the history of repair items brought into and taken out of the repair facility 7, as well as the location of each repair item within the repair facility 7. Information on repair items brought into and taken out of the repair facility 7 is also transmitted to the repair management unit 12 of the business management device 1.

[0041] In this embodiment, repair items consisting of parts or products to be repaired are fitted with RF tags (hereinafter simply referred to as "tags") that generate ID (Identification) information to identify each repair item. The part type or product type to which the tag is attached can be detected by the device that reads the ID information by referring to a correspondence table between the ID information and the part or product.

[0042] Tag readers are provided in the storage areas of the repair parts facility 7, such as storage shelves and boxes for repair parts, and are connected to the repair parts management unit 71 via communication means, in this example, wireless communication means. When repair parts are brought into or taken out of the storage area, the tags are read by the tag readers. The ID information of each repair part read by the tag readers is then notified from the tag readers to the repair parts management unit 71.

[0043] The repair item management unit 71 transmits information to the business management device 1, which includes the ID of each repair item obtained from the tag reader, along with information such as the date and time of shipment / received (year, month, day, and time), the source / destination of shipment, and the storage location at the repair item facility 7.

[0044] The repair management unit 12 of the business management device 1 manages information such as the removal / receiving history, storage location, and location of the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of the customer 2 that is currently installed and used for each repair item managed at the repair facility 7, based on information received from the repair item management device unit 71.

[0045] When the repair management unit 12 of the business management device 1 detects a malfunction in the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV installed at the customer 2, it notifies the repair equipment management unit 71 of the repair equipment facility 7 of a repair instruction, which is an instruction to request inspection and repair. The repair personnel stationed at the repair equipment facility 7 receive notification of the malfunction from the repair equipment management unit 71 and perform repairs on the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV. Alternatively, the repair personnel may not be stationed at the repair equipment facility 7, but may receive the repair instruction from the business management device 1, for example, via a mobile communication terminal, go to the repair equipment facility 7, and carry out the repair instruction.

[0046] In this case, in this embodiment, in order to minimize the time during which green electricity cannot be used at customer 2, the repair personnel will repair the faulty part of the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV on the spot if it can be repaired quickly, but if it will take time, they will replace the faulty part and the product instead of repairing it on the spot. The replaced and removed parts and products will then be repaired and transported to the repair facility 7. The parts and products that are replaced in place of the faulty part and the product will be transported from the repair facility 7 by the repair personnel.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the repair management unit 12 of the business management device 1 manages the lifespan of repaired items, and when it detects the lifespan of a repaired item from information from the repaired item management unit 71, it notifies the repaired item management unit 71 of the repaired item facility 7 of a recycling instruction for that repaired item. The recycling personnel stationed at the repaired item facility 7 receive the recycling instruction through the repaired item management unit 71 and carry out the recycling process for the parts and products to be recycled. The recycling process involves separating and extracting reusable components and materials from the parts and products to be recycled and providing them for recycling. In addition, the recycling personnel may not be stationed at the repaired item facility 7, but may receive the recycling instruction from the business management device 1, for example, via a mobile communication terminal, go to the repaired item facility 7, and carry out the recycling instruction.

[0048] In this embodiment, by having the business operator manage repairs and recycling themselves, faulty parts and products are repaired and reused, and parts and products that have reached the end of their lifespan are separated and extracted into reusable components and materials for reuse, thereby saving on the costs associated with these processes. In this respect, the unit price charged to customer 2 can be made cheaper, and the unit price can be reduced the longer the usage period. As a result, it is possible to offer customers more favorable rates, and as a result, it is expected that the use of green electricity can be further promoted.

[0049] The business management device 1 then acquires weather data by accessing the Japan Meteorological Agency 8 via the communication network 5, uses this weather data to predict the amount of power generated by the solar panels 2SL installed at each customer 2, and uses the prediction results to detect faults in the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV and to determine the timing of selling electricity.

[0050] Next, we will describe an example of the configuration of each part of the power network system in this embodiment.

[0051] [Example Configuration of a 2PV Power Generation and Utilization Control System] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of a power generation utilization control system 2PV. In this embodiment, the power generation utilization control system 2PV includes a power generation system 20 using solar panels 2SL, and a power storage device unit 21 equipped with a battery 2CB.

[0052] The energy storage unit 21 is equipped with a battery management control unit (hereinafter referred to as BMS) 210, which has functions such as overcharging, over-discharging, temperature control, battery level management, and detection of the battery level (in this example, SOC (State of Charge) is used) of the battery 2CB. In this example, the energy storage capacity of the energy storage unit 21 using the battery 2CB is set to be relatively large, several times the output of the power generation equipment 20. In this embodiment, since the power generation power utilization control equipment 2PV is equipped with this battery 2CB, there is an advantage that even in the event of a disaster, the power stored in this battery 2CB can be used as self-consumption power.

[0053] The power generation equipment 20 and the energy storage unit 21 are connected to the power generation control unit 22. The power generation control unit 22 converts the DC power generated by the power generation equipment 20 into AC power, transforms it to a voltage to be sent to the power grid 4, calculates the amount of power generated by the power generation equipment 20, and also functions as a power conditioner for the power generation equipment, managing and controlling the power generation equipment 20.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the power generation control unit 22 is configured to also function as a power conditioner for the energy storage unit 21, controlling the storage and discharge of power to and from the battery 2CB of the energy storage unit 21. Specifically, during storage (charging), the power generation control unit 22 transforms the voltage of the power generated by the power generation equipment 20 or the voltage received from the power grid 4 into a voltage for storage, and converts AC power into DC power. Conversely, during discharge from the battery 2CB of the energy storage unit 21, the power generation control unit 22 converts the DC stored power of the energy storage unit 21 into AC power and transforms it into a voltage to be sent to the power grid 4.

[0055] The power generation control unit 22 is connected to the processing control unit 23, which is connected to the communication network 5 via the communication unit 24, and to the switching panel 25. The processing control unit 23 includes a transmission information generation unit 231 that generates information to be transmitted to the business management device 1 via the communication unit 24, and a reception information analysis unit 232 that analyzes the information received from the business management device 1 and, if a control signal is obtained from the business management device 1 as a result of the analysis, controls the storage or discharge of the battery 2CB of the energy storage device unit 21 using that control signal.

[0056] As will be described later, the transmission information generation unit 231 generates transmission information including the amount of power generated by the power generation equipment 20, the amount of discharge from the storage battery 2CB, the State of Charge (SOC) of the storage battery 2CB, and the amount of electricity sent to the power grid from the amount of power generated by the power generation equipment 20 (hereinafter referred to as the amount sent to the power grid), and transmits it in real time to the business operator management device 1 via the communication unit 24. In this embodiment, as will be described later, the amount of electricity sent to the power grid from the amount of power generated by the power generation equipment 20 is stored in the storage battery 3CB of the SG-ESS3 and sold when the market price is high.

[0057] The amount of power generated by the power generation equipment 20, the amount of discharge from the storage battery 2CB, and the State of Charge (SOC) of the storage battery 2CB are supplied from the power generation control unit 22 to the processing control unit 23. The amount of power sent to the power grid is calculated by the processing control unit 23 from the measurement results of the power meter 28, which are supplied to the processing control unit 23 as described later.

[0058] The switching panel 25 switches between the power line connected to the distribution board 26, which is connected to the power load device 27 of the customer 2, and the power line connected to the power grid 4 via the power meter 28. The switching is controlled by the power generation control unit 22. The power measurement results from the power meter 28 are supplied to the processing control unit 23, as described above.

[0059] In this embodiment, when the power generated by the power generation equipment 20 or the energy storage unit 21 is to be used as self-consumption, the power generation control unit 22 switches the switchboard 25 to the distribution board 26 side and controls the power generated by the power generation equipment 20 or the power discharged from the battery 2CB of the energy storage unit 21 to be supplied to the power load device 27 through the distribution board 26.

[0060] In this case, when the power generation equipment 20 is generating electricity, the power generation control unit 22 switches the switching panel 25 to the distribution board 26 side and supplies the power generated by the power generation equipment 20 to the power load device 27 for use as self-consumption. When the power generated by the power generation equipment 20 is not consumed by the consumer, the power generation control unit 22 controls the power generated by the power generation equipment 20 to be stored in the storage battery 2CB. Furthermore, when the amount of self-consumption is small and there is a surplus of power generated by the power generation equipment 20, the power generation control unit 22 controls the surplus power to be stored in the storage battery 2CB as well. In this embodiment, the power generation control unit 22 may store power in the storage battery 2CB while supplying power to the power load device 27 as self-consumption.

[0061] In this embodiment, the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 2CB is transmitted in real time from the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV to the business management device 1. From this SOC information, the business management device 1 can detect that the SOC of the battery 2CB of customer 2 is showing a value corresponding to a full charge, and that a state of surplus power has been generated where storage is not possible. When such a state of surplus power is detected, the business management device 1 sends a control signal via the communication network 5 to the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of customer 2, instructing it to send the surplus power through the power grid 4, and also sends a control signal via the communication network 5 to the SG-ESS3, instructing it to receive power from the power grid 4 and store it in the battery 3CB.

[0062] In the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV, information from the operator's management device 1 is received by the communication unit 24, and the received information analysis unit 232 of the processing control unit 23 analyzes it. When it recognizes the aforementioned control signal, it supplies it to the power generation control unit 22. Based on this control signal, the power generation control unit 22 switches the switching panel 25 to the power meter 28 side, and sends the power generated by the power generation equipment 20 to the power grid 4. The amount of power measured by the power meter 28 at this time is the amount sent to the power grid as described above, and the measurement result of the power meter 28 at this time is supplied to the processing control unit 23.

[0063] As described above, at this time, SG-ESS3 is controlled by a control signal from the business management device 1 to store electricity from the power grid 4 in the battery 3CB, so the surplus electricity sent from the consumer 2 is stored in the battery 3CB of SG-ESS3.

[0064] Alternatively, the power generation control unit 22 may not send surplus power to the power grid 4 based on a control signal from the business management device 1, but rather detect the generation of surplus power based on the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 2CB from the energy storage device unit 21, switch the switch 25 to the power meter 28 side, and send the power to the power grid 4.

[0065] In this case, the operator management device 1 can detect the occurrence of excess power that cannot be stored in the battery 2CB based on the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 2CB. Therefore, it supplies a control signal to the SG-ESS 3 to store power from the power grid 4 in the battery 3CB of the SG-ESS 3, in synchronization with the power distribution from the power utilization control equipment 2PV to the power grid 4.

[0066] The above describes the daytime control while the power generation equipment 20 is generating power. At night, the power generation control unit 22 checks the amount of charge stored in the battery 2CB based on the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 2CB in the energy storage unit 21, and controls the discharge of the battery 2CB to obtain the amount of power that the consumer 2 will consume at night. The power generation control unit 22 then switches the switching panel 25 to the distribution board 26 side and supplies the discharged power from the battery 2CB to the power load device 27 for use as self-consumption.

[0067] In this embodiment, the business management device 1 monitors the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 2CB in the customer's energy storage unit 21 during the night, recognizes the weather conditions for tomorrow based on weather forecast data from the Japan Meteorological Agency 8, and if it determines that the remaining charge of the battery 2CB is above a predetermined value, and that the weather tomorrow will be sunny and sufficient power generation can be expected from the solar panels 2SL, it supplies a control signal to the customer's power utilization control equipment 2PV to send the surplus power stored in the battery 2CB to the power grid 4 as power for sale. In this case as well, the business management device 1 refers to the market price of JEPX 6 and sends a control signal to sell power during times when prices are high, as described above.

[0068] In the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of customer 2, the communication unit 24 receives the control signal from the business management device 1, the received information analysis unit 232 of the processing control unit 23 extracts it, and sends it to the power generation control unit 22. Based on this control signal, the power generation control unit 22 switches the switching panel 25 to the power meter 28 side and controls the energy storage unit 21 to discharge stored power from the battery 2CB. As a result, any surplus stored power from the battery 2CB installed at customer 2 can be sold.

[0069] In this embodiment, the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV has a function to generate an error code that identifies the part where a malfunction has occurred when a malfunction occurs in the power generation equipment 20, energy storage unit 21, power generation control unit 22, processing control unit 23, communication unit 24, switching panel 25, etc. that constitute the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV, and transmit it to the operator management device 1 via the communication network.

[0070] [SG-ESS3 Configuration Example] Next, an example configuration of SG-ESS3 will be described. Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of SG-ESS3. SG-ESS3 includes a power storage unit 31 equipped with a battery 3CB. The power storage unit 31 is equipped with a BMS 310 that has functions such as overcharging, over-discharging, temperature control, battery level management, and detection of the battery level (SOC) of the battery 3CB. In this example, the power storage capacity of the power storage unit 31 using the battery 3CB is relatively large, for example, 7-8 MWh.

[0071] The energy storage unit 31 is connected to the processing control unit 33 via the SG-PCS 32. During discharge, the SG-PCS 32 converts the DC stored energy from the energy storage unit 31 into AC power and transforms it into a voltage to be sent to the power grid 4. Conversely, during storage (charging), it transforms the voltage received from the power grid 4 into a voltage for storage and converts AC power into DC power.

[0072] The processing control unit 33 is connected to the communication network 5 via the communication unit 34 and is also connected to the power grid 4. The processing control unit 33 comprises a transmission / reception information processing unit 331, a smart meter function unit 332, and a charge / discharge control unit 333 as processing function units.

[0073] The transmission and reception information processing unit 331 of the processing control unit 33 generates information to be transmitted to the business operator management device 1 via the communication unit 34, and also analyzes the control information CTL received from the business operator management device 1 via the communication unit 34 and processes it to send to the charge / discharge control unit 333.

[0074] The smart meter function unit 332 receives SOC information of the battery 3CB from the BMS 310 of the energy storage unit 31 and passes it to the transmission / reception information processing unit 331. The transmission / reception information processing unit 331 transmits the SOC information to the operator management device 1 via the communication unit 34.

[0075] When the control signal CTL received by the transmission / reception information processing unit 331 from the business operator management device 1 is a control instruction to transmit the stored power from the energy storage unit 31 through the power grid 4, the charge / discharge control unit 333 controls the SG-PCS 32 and the energy storage unit 31 to discharge the stored power from the battery 3CB and transmit it through the power grid 4.

[0076] Furthermore, when the control signal CTL received by the transmission / reception information processing unit 331 from the business operator management device 1 is a control instruction to store (charge) power from the power grid 4 in the battery 3CB, the charge / discharge control unit 333 controls the power received from the power grid 4 to be supplied to the SG-PCS 32, and also controls the SG-PCS 32 and the power storage device unit 31 to perform the operation of storing (charging) power in the battery 3CB.

[0077] [Example of the configuration of the repair parts management device unit 71] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the repair parts management device unit 71 of the repair parts facility 7. As mentioned above, the repair parts facility 7 is provided with n (n is an integer of 2 or more) storage locations 701, 702, ..., 70n, which consist of storage shelves and storage boxes for storing repair parts. Each storage location 701, 702, ..., 70n is equipped with tags attached to the repair parts and tag readers RD1 and RD2, which in this example read the ID information of each repair part from the tags by contactless communication. Tag reader RD1 is used when repair parts are brought into the repair parts facility 7, and tag reader RD2 is used when repair parts are removed from the repair parts facility 7.

[0078] As shown in Figure 5, the repair parts management device unit 71 is configured such that a management processing unit 711, which is for example equipped with a computer, is connected to n pairs of tag readers RD1 and RD2, each of the n storage locations 701, 702, ..., 70n, a communication unit 712, an instruction display unit 713, and an instruction sound emission unit 714. The pairs of tag readers RD1 and RD2 and the management processing unit 711 are wirelessly connected. Of course, a wired connection is also possible.

[0079] The communication unit 712 is for communicating with the business management device 1 via the communication network 5. The instruction display unit 713 is for notifying repair and recycling instructions from the business management device 1 to repair and recycling personnel via the display screen using display images and messages. The instruction display unit 713 is also for notifying repair and recycling instructions from the business management device 1 to repair and recycling personnel via voice through the speaker.

[0080] The management processing unit 711 includes, as processing function means, a stored item management unit 7111, a stored item information storage unit 7112, a repair item transmission information generation unit 7113, a repair instruction reception processing unit 7114, a recycling instruction reception processing unit 7115, and a date and time information generation unit 7116.

[0081] The storage item management unit 7111 is for controlling the operation of each part in the management processing unit 711.

[0082] The stored item information storage unit 7112 stores the identification information of tag readers RD1 and RD2, information indicating whether it is tag reader RD1 for loading or tag reader RD2 for loading, and correspondence information between pairs of tag reader RD1 and RD2 identification information and each of the n storage locations 701, 702, ..., 70n. When the stored item information storage unit 7112 receives information from tag reader RD1 or RD2, it determines from the identification information of the tag reader RD1 or RD2 whether the received information is from tag reader RD1 for loading or tag reader RD2 for loading, and also determines which storage location the information is from.

[0083] When the storage item information storage unit 7112 receives information from the tag reader RD1 for receiving items, it stores the ID information of the repair item included in the information from the tag reader RD1 and the date and time information (information of the receiving date) obtained from the date and time information generation unit 7116 in the storage item management memory (not shown in the figure), associating them with the information of the recognized storage location.

[0084] Furthermore, when the stored item information storage unit 7112 receives information from the tag reader RD2 for unloading, it deletes the ID information of the repair item included in the information from the tag reader RD2 from the information stored in the stored item management memory that is associated with the recognized storage location information. In this case, the information being unloaded may also be written to the stored item management memory, associated with the ID information of the repair item included in the information from the tag reader RD2 that is associated with the recognized storage location information in the stored item management memory.

[0085] The stored item information storage unit 7112 also passes the recognized storage location information, information on whether it is the inbound tag reader RD1 or the outbound tag reader RD2, the repair item ID information, and the date and time information to the repair item transmission information generation unit 7113.

[0086] The repair item transmission information generation unit 7113 generates transmission information including the information received from the stored item information storage unit 7112, and transmits it to the business management device 1 via the communication unit 712 and the communication network 5.

[0087] The repair instruction receiving processing unit 7114 analyzes the repair instruction information sent from the business management device 1 to recognize the storage location of parts and products of the same type as those to be repaired, as well as the location of the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of customer 2 that requires repair due to a malfunction. The repair instruction receiving processing unit 7114 then generates display information to show the storage locations of parts and products of the same type as those to be repaired, as well as the address of customer 2, and audio information to be broadcast as an audible message.

[0088] The generated display information is supplied to the instruction display unit 713 for display on the display. The generated sound emission information is supplied to the instruction sound emission unit 714 for sound emission by the speaker. This display information and sound emission information is provided to the repair personnel. The repair personnel confirm the repair instructions from the display information and sound emission information, and then transport the necessary parts and products from the repair facility 7 to the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of the customer 2 to be repaired.

[0089] The recycling instruction receiving processing unit 7115 analyzes the recycling instruction information sent from the business management device 1 to recognize the parts and products to be recycled, and also refers to the storage location of those parts and products to be recycled by referring to the storage item management memory. The recycling instruction receiving processing unit 7115 then generates display information to show the information of the parts and products to be recycled and their storage locations, as well as audio information to emit as sound.

[0090] The generated display information is supplied to the instruction display unit 713 for display on the display. The generated sound output information is supplied to the instruction sound output unit 714 for sound output by the speaker. This display information and sound output information is provided to the recycling officer. The recycling officer confirms the recycling instructions from the recycling instruction information, display information, and sound output information received on their mobile terminal, and then separates and extracts the repaired items into reusable parts and materials and performs the recycling process.

[0091] The management processing unit 711 also has the function of managing repaired parts and products and appropriately supplying reusable parts and products. For example, it records inventory information of new parts or equipment and repaired parts and products, and controls the supply of parts and products. Specifically, it is configured to evaluate the suitability of repaired parts and products and to supply parts and products that meet the criteria preferentially. For example, if the inventory of repaired parts and products exceeds a predetermined threshold, it controls the supply to prioritize the supply of repaired parts and products, thereby suppressing the use of new parts and products. This can reduce the cost of parts and products.

[0092] [Example configuration of the management device 1 for business users] Figure 6 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the business management device 1. As shown in Figure 6, in this embodiment, the business management device 1 is configured such that a communication unit 13 connected to a communication network 5 is connected to the power management control unit 11 and the repair management unit 12, and a date and time information generation unit 14 is also connected. The date and time information generation unit 14 generates year, month, day and time information.

[0093] The power management control unit 11 includes, as functional means, a management information storage unit 110, a self-consumption calculation management unit 111, a billing charge calculation management unit 112, a SOC storage management unit 113, a storage and discharge control unit 114, and a power sales management unit 115, as well as a charge unit price memory 116.

[0094] The rate unit memory 116 stores rate unit price (yen / kWh) information, which is used to calculate the charge for the amount of electricity consumed by customer 2. In this embodiment, a fixed rate unit price is set for each predetermined period, and the rate unit price for each period becomes cheaper as the contract period lengthens, that is, as the usage period of the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV lengthens, and this is stored in the rate unit price memory 116.

[0095] Figure 7 shows an example of the unit price stored in this unit price memory 116. In this example, the unit price starting from the start date of use of the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV is set at 36.0 yen / kWh for the first 10 years, 25.0 yen / kWh for the period from 11 to 20 years, and 17.0 yen / kWh for the period from 21 to 30 years. The start date of use of the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV may be the contract start date or the connection date, which is the date on which the actual use of electricity is disclosed.

[0096] The unit price is determined as follows. In this embodiment, in order to encourage customer 2 to seek the conclusion of the electricity service contract with the operator, the operator installs the power generation equipment free of charge, and not only carries out repair and maintenance work at the operator's expense, but also sets a low charge for the amount of electricity consumed by customer 2.

[0097] In other words, in this embodiment, the operator sets a low unit price that forms the basis for calculating the charge for consumer 2's self-consumption by considering factors that contribute to the cost and installation costs of the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV. In this case, factors that contribute to the cost and installation costs of the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV include subsidies from the national and local governments for the installation of green power facilities, investment funds from investors (including crowdfunding), profits from the sale of surplus electricity, and others. The operator sets a low unit price by considering these factors.

[0098] When determining the unit price, not only factors that make it inexpensive should be considered, but also the burden on the business operator. In this embodiment, an inexpensive unit price is set by considering three factors: repair costs, repairs performed by the business operator themselves, and burden reduction through recycling. In this embodiment, the business operator also performs the repairs themselves and also handles recycling, thereby reducing the burden, which also contributes to setting an inexpensive unit price.

[0099] In this embodiment, as described above, replaced parts or products are repaired free of charge and managed as reusable parts or products after repair, thus streamlining the reuse of parts and products in the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV. This not only reduces the costs associated with manufacturing and procuring new parts and products, but also allows for the effective use of resources while maintaining equipment reliability by evaluating the suitability of repaired parts and products and reusing those that meet appropriate standards, thereby suppressing the excessive use of new parts and products. As a result, in this embodiment, in addition to reducing repair costs, the operator itself handles the repair and recycling of parts and products, thereby reducing the total cost burden and enabling the setting of low unit prices.

[0100] In this embodiment, the service provider not only sets the unit price low, but also reduces it according to the elapsed time since the start of electricity use, as shown in Figure 7, in order to make it easier for customer 2 to enter into a contract for the service provider's electricity service and to further promote the installation of green power generation facilities such as solar power generation facilities.

[0101] The management information storage unit 110 stores customer information, contract information, power generation equipment information (product management information), etc. For customer information, each customer (consumer 2) is assigned a unique customer ID, and the customer name, power generation equipment installation location information, etc. are stored in association with this customer ID. For contract information, the contract period (in 10-year increments in this example), contract start and end dates, contract renewal information, etc. are stored for each customer (each customer ID).

[0102] The power generation equipment information includes ID information generated from tags attached to each product of the power generation and power utilization control equipment 2PV (solar panels 2SL, storage batteries 2CB, replaceable parts and products of the power generation and power control unit 22 and processing control unit 23, switchboard 25, etc.), as well as product name, model number, software version, etc. The management information storage unit 110 also stores information about the installation location of the power generation and power utilization control equipment 2PV, the installation completion date, and the start date of power generation utilization (coordination date) as power generation equipment information. Furthermore, product status (operating status of the product (operating, under maintenance, scheduled for replacement)) is also stored as power generation equipment information.

[0103] The self-consumption calculation and management unit 111 uses information sent from the power generation equipment 2PV of each customer 2 via the communication network 5, including the amount of power generated by the power generation equipment 20, the amount of power discharged by the storage battery 2CB, and the amount of power sent to the power grid, to calculate the self-consumption for each customer. Here, the self-consumption is: (Self-consumption) = (Power generation from power generation equipment 20) + (Discharge amount from storage battery 2CB) - (Power grid transmission amount) ... (Equation 1) The amount is calculated by (formula 1). The self-consumption calculation management unit 111 calculates the amount of self-consumption of each customer 2 by (formula 1), and passes it to the billing fee calculation management unit 112 after accumulating the amount for a predetermined billing period, for example, one month.

[0104] The billing calculation management unit 112 uses the self-consumption amount of each customer 2 from the self-consumption amount calculation management unit 111 and the unit price stored in the unit price memory 116 to calculate the billing amount for each customer 2 for a predetermined period. This billing amount information becomes the electricity billing information for customer 2. In this case, the billing calculation management unit 112 detects the contract period and the elapsed period from the start date of electricity use for each customer 2 by referring to the stored information in the management information storage unit 110. Then, it retrieves the unit price for each customer 2's billing during the detected contract period and the elapsed period from the start date of electricity use from the unit price memory 116 and uses it for billing calculation.

[0105] In this example, the system determines whether the billing period to be charged falls within the first 10 years, the 11-20 year period, or the 21-30 year period, and then calculates the charge using the rate for that period.

[0106] The SOC memory management unit 113 stores and manages information on the SOC of the battery 2CB that is sent in real time from the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of each customer 2 via the communication network 5, as well as information on the SOC of the battery 3CB that is sent from SG-ESS3 via the communication network 5, in association with their respective identification information.

[0107] When the storage and discharge control unit 114 recognizes from the date and time information from the date and time information generation unit 14 that it is daytime and the solar panel 2SL is capable of generating electricity, and when it determines that the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 2CB of the power utilization control equipment 2PV of customer 2, which is managed by the SOC memory management unit 113, has exceeded a predetermined threshold, it sends a control signal to the power utilization control equipment 2PV of customer 2 to send generated power to the power grid 4, and also sends a control signal to the SG-ESS3 to store power from the power grid 4.

[0108] As described above, this allows the surplus power generated by the power utilization control equipment 2PV of customer 2 when the power generation is large to be sent from the power utilization control equipment 2PV to the power grid 4, and that power sent to the power grid to be stored in SG-ESS3.

[0109] The power sales management unit 115, based on the date and time information from the date and time information generation unit 14, determines that during nighttime hours when customer 2 does not consume electricity, the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 2CB of customer 2's power generation utilization control equipment 2PV, which is managed by the SOC memory management unit 113, has not changed and no self-consumption has occurred, and based on weather forecast data, it is determined that sufficient energy storage is possible for the following day. If the unit determines that the SOC of the battery 2CB includes surplus power, it decides to sell the surplus portion of the stored power in the battery 2CB.

[0110] The power sales management unit 115 then sells the surplus of the stored electricity that it has decided to sell to JEPX6 when the market price is high. Once the power sales contract is completed, the power sales management unit 115 passes the identification information of the battery 2CB of the customer 2 that will be selling the electricity to the storage and discharge control unit 114.

[0111] The storage and discharge control unit 114 receives identification information for the storage battery 2CB, recognizes the storage battery 2CB that should be discharged for sale, generates a control signal to discharge the surplus electricity from the recognized storage battery 2CB and send it to the power grid 4, and transmits this signal to the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of the consumer 2 equipped with the storage battery 2CB via the communication network 5. As a result, the business operator can sell the surplus electricity stored in the consumer 2's storage battery 2CB and make a profit. This also helps to set a low unit price.

[0112] The power sales management unit 115 also refers to the State of Charge (SOC) of the SG-ESS3 battery 3CB, which is managed by the SOC memory management unit 113. When it determines that the SOC exceeds a predetermined threshold and that there is power available for sale stored in the battery 3CB, it sells that available power to JEPX6 when the market price is high. After the power sales contract is completed, the power sales management unit 115 passes the identification information of the SG-ESS3 battery 3CB to be sold to the storage and discharge control unit 114.

[0113] The storage and discharge control unit 114 receives identification information for the storage battery 3CB, recognizes the storage battery 3CB that should be discharged for sale, generates a control signal to discharge the surplus electricity from the recognized storage battery 3CB and send it to the power grid 4, and transmits this signal to the SG-ESS3 equipped with the storage battery 3CB via the communication network 5. This allows the operator to sell the electricity stored in the storage battery 3CB of the SG-ESS3 and make a profit. This also helps to set a low unit price.

[0114] Next, the repair management unit 12 will be described. As shown in Figure 6, the repair management unit 12 includes, as functional means, a repair information storage management unit 120, a fault determination unit 121, a repair instruction generation unit 122, a repair product life determination unit 123, and a recycling instruction generation unit 124, as well as a life memory 125.

[0115] The lifespan memory 125 stores the lifespan for each component and product type, which is recognized by using a correspondence table between the ID information of the tags attached to each component or product and the component or product type.

[0116] The repair information storage and management unit 120 stores power generation equipment information (product management information) from the information stored in the management information storage unit 110. In addition, for parts and products that make up the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of each customer 2, if they are replaced by repair, the unit rewrites the identification information of the replaced parts and products and stores the date and time of replacement, thereby storing the repair history.

[0117] The fault detection unit 121 determines which part of the power generation equipment has malfunctioned based on the error code sent from the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of the customer 2. In addition, for the power generation equipment 20, the fault detection unit 121 determines that a malfunction has occurred if it determines that there is a significant difference between the amount of power generated sent from the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV and the amount of power generated predicted based on weather data obtained from the Japan Meteorological Agency 8.

[0118] The repair instruction generation unit 122 generates repair instruction information, including information about the installation location and fault location (including information about the parts or products to be repaired) of the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of the customer 2, which the fault determination unit 121 has determined to have a fault, and transmits it to the repair facility 7. As described above, the processing management unit 711 of the repair facility 7 generates display information and sound emission information corresponding to this repair instruction information and notifies the repair personnel of the repair instruction through the instruction display unit 713 and the instruction sound emission unit 714.

[0119] When the repair technician receives this repair instruction through the instruction display unit 713 and instruction sound emission unit 714 connected to the processing management unit 711, they recognize the location of the faulty power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of customer 2, and if there is information about the faulty part (including information about the parts or products to be repaired), they recognize the faulty part and transport replacement parts or products for the parts or products to be repaired from the repair facility 7. Then, the repair technician goes to the location of the faulty power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of customer 2 and performs the repair process.

[0120] In this repair process, the repair technician will perform the repair if it can be done quickly, and if the repair is likely to take a long time, they will replace the faulty part or product. In this embodiment, the repair technician will take the replaced faulty part or product back to the repair facility 7, repair it to make it a good product, and then store it in a designated storage location according to the type of part or product. At this time of storage, the tags of the parts and products will be read by the incoming tag reader RD1. Parts and products that the repair technician has taken out of the repair facility 7 but were not used for replacement in the repair will be returned to their original storage location. At this time as well, the tags of the parts and products will be read by the incoming tag reader RD1.

[0121] As described above, in this embodiment, the repair person removes the necessary parts and products for replacement from the repair facility 7 as part of the repair preparation, and after the repair process is completed, the replaced parts and products, as well as the parts and products that were removed but not used for replacement, are brought back into the repair facility 7. The management processing unit 711 of the repair facility 7 then sends the ID information of the parts and products read by the tag readers RD1 and RD2 during removal and delivery, along with information on whether they were delivered or removed, to the repair management unit 12 of the business management device 1.

[0122] The repair information storage management unit 120 of the repair management unit 12 refers to the ID information of parts and products that have been transported out of and transported into the repair facility 7, which it has received after sending a repair instruction, and also refers to the ID information of parts and products of the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of customer 2 that is the target of repair, which is stored in the storage unit of the repair information storage management unit 120, to determine whether the parts and products transported to the repair facility 7 have been replaced. If the repair information storage management unit 120 determines that the faulty parts and products have been replaced, it associates the ID information of the replaced parts and products with the replacement date and time, which consists of date and time information obtained from the date and time information generation unit 14, and adds it to the information of the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of customer 2.

[0123] Thus, the storage unit of the repair information storage management unit 120 stores information about the components of each customer's power generation utilization control equipment 2PV, including the repair history. Therefore, the operator can use the information stored in the repair information storage management unit 120 for the maintenance of each customer's power generation utilization control equipment 2PV.

[0124] Next, when the repair part life determination unit 123 receives ID information of parts or products delivered from the repair part facility 7, it determines whether the part or product with the ID information has reached the end of its lifespan or is nearing the end of its lifespan. The received ID information and the repair part life determination unit 123 refer to the life memory 125 based on the part type or product type of the determination result to determine whether the part or product brought to the repair part facility 7 has reached the end of its lifespan or is nearing the end of its lifespan.

[0125] In this case, the determination of whether a part has reached the end of its lifespan or is nearing the end of its lifespan is made as follows in this embodiment. First, the repair part lifespan determination unit 123 uses the ID information of the received parts and products to determine the corresponding part type or product type by referring to a correspondence table between the ID information of the parts and products and the part type or product type. Then, the repair part lifespan determination unit 123 obtains the lifespan corresponding to the determined part type or product type from the lifespan memory 125. Next, it refers to the information on the repair history of the components in the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of each customer 2, which is stored in the memory of the repair information storage management unit 120, and detects the usage period from the usage history of the parts and products with the received ID information. Then, based on the detected usage period, it determines whether the parts and products delivered to the repair facility 7 have reached the end of their lifespan or are nearing the end of their lifespan.

[0126] The repair part life determination unit 123, if it determines that a part or product brought to the repair part facility 7 has reached the end of its lifespan or is nearing the end of its lifespan, passes the determination result to the recycling instruction generation unit 124. The recycling instruction generation unit 124 generates recycling instruction information, including the ID information of the part or product, and transmits it to the repair part facility 7 via the communication unit 13 and the communication network 5. As described above, the processing management unit 711 of the repair part facility 7 generates display information and sound information corresponding to this recycling instruction information and notifies the recycling personnel of the recycling instruction via the instruction display unit 713 and the instruction sound generation unit 714.

[0127] When the recycling officer receives a recycling instruction through the instruction display unit 713 and the instruction sound emission unit 714, they perform the recycling process as described above.

[0128] [Effects of the Embodiment] As explained above, with the power network system of this embodiment, consumers can not only have the power generation equipment 20 and the power utilization control equipment 2PV, including the energy storage unit 21, installed free of charge, but also enjoy the benefit of low rates for self-consumption of electricity. As a result, they willingly contract for the power services provided by the business operator. This has the effect of promoting the spread of solar power generation equipment.

[0129] In this embodiment of the power network system, the inclusion of the SG-ESS3 provides the advantage that any surplus electricity generated by the power generation equipment 20 can be stored in the SG-ESS3 and sold when market prices are high.

[0130] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the power network system, there is a mechanism in place for the operator to be responsible for the repair of the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV installed at the customer's location, which has the advantage of not burdening the customer with the cost of repairs. In addition, in this embodiment of the power network system, the repair mechanism involves repairing and reusing faulty parts and products, which reduces the costs associated with repairs, and these savings can be used to lower the cost of electricity consumed by the customer.

[0131] Furthermore, this embodiment of the power network system includes a mechanism to recycle parts and products that have been reused in repairs when they reach the end of their lifespan, thus minimizing wasted costs, and these savings can be used to lower the cost of electricity consumed by consumers.

[0132] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the power network system, existing contributing factors such as subsidies from the national and local governments and investment funds from investors through crowdfunding are utilized to determine the unit price of electricity consumed by consumers themselves, making it possible to reduce the cost of electricity consumed by consumers themselves.

[0133] [Modified versions of the above embodiments] In the above embodiment, surplus electricity generated by the power generation equipment 20 using solar panels 2SL is stored in SG-ESS3 and used later as electricity to be sold. However, it is also possible to use the electricity to be sold at the time it is generated without storing it in SG-ESS3.

[0134] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes a repair technician repairing a faulty part or product, it is also possible to have a repair technician at the repair facility 7 and have that technician perform the repair.

[0135] Furthermore, although the repair management unit 12 is provided in the management device 1 for business operators, it may also be provided in the repair facility 7.

[0136] Furthermore, in order to manage the delivery and removal of repair parts to and from the repair facility 7, RF tabs are attached to parts and products and configured to be read by a tag reader. However, this is not limited to this, and two-dimensional barcodes or the like may also be used.

[0137] [Other embodiments or modifications] In the power network system of this embodiment, the business operator management device 1 manages the power grid transmission power, which is green power sent from the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of the contracted customer 2 to the power grid 4, as described above, and also centrally manages the storage and discharge of green power in SG-ESS3. In this case, the business operator management device 1 can also manage the power grid transmission power, which is green power from the power generation utilization control equipment 2PV of each customer 2, and the stored power and discharged power, which are green power in SG-ESS3, by creating ledger data, for example.

[0138] In this case, the ledger data will include information related to green electricity, such as information to identify the power source and other attribute information, as information that enables tracking. Green electricity is electricity with high environmental value that does not produce CO2, and it is possible to obtain environmental value certificates such as attributed renewable energy certificates. Therefore, the ledger data for such high-environmental-value green electricity will be managed using a process that is difficult to tamper with, for example, by using blockchain technology, to ensure security.

[0139] In this case, for example, one example of proof of environmental value is an attributed renewable energy certificate. By pre-registering the attribute information necessary for issuing the certificate, such as the ID and location of the consumer's 2 power generation utilization control equipment 2PV and SG-ESS3, with the issuing authority of the attributed renewable energy certificate, it becomes possible to obtain attributed renewable energy certificates for the green electricity managed in the ledger by the business management device 1, and to use them for trading the environmental value of that green electricity.

[0140] Furthermore, the business management device 1 can, for example, sell the environmental value of the green electricity it manages on a green electricity trading platform. The profits from this sale can also be used to reduce the cost of self-consumption for consumers.

[0141] Since the operator owns the 2PV power generation and utilization control equipment, the operator also owns the environmental value generated by the equipment. Furthermore, the environmental value certificate used for trading the environmental value of green electricity is not limited to attributed renewable energy certificates; it may also include untracked environmental value certificates, carbon credits, or digital certificates using blockchain technology. Trading the environmental value of green electricity may also include transactions based on direct contracts. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0142] 1...Management device for business users, 2...Consumer, 2SL...Solar panel, 2CB, 3CB...Rechargeable battery, 3...Grid energy storage device, 4...Power grid, 5...Communication network, 6...Japan Electric Power Exchange, 7...Repair facility, 8...Japan Meteorological Agency, 11...Power management control unit, 12...Repair management unit, 71...Repair management unit, 112...Charging fee calculation management unit, 114...Storage and discharge control unit, 115...Electricity sales control unit, 116...Rate unit memory, 121...Fault detection unit, 122...Repair instruction generation unit, 123...Repair product lifespan determination unit, 124...Recycling instruction generation unit, 125...Lifespan memory

Claims

1. A power generation utilization control system is installed free of charge on the customer's premises, which supplies the portion of the electricity generated by the green power generation equipment that is consumed by the customer, and transmits the surplus to the power grid. A business operator that owns the power generation and utilization control equipment, including the aforementioned green power generation equipment, and operates the power service provider, and a business operator management device connected to the power generation and utilization control equipment via communication means, A power network system comprising, The aforementioned power generation and utilization control equipment is A transmission means for transmitting the amount of electricity generated by the green power generation equipment and the amount of electricity consumed by the business operator to the business operator management device via the communication means, Power transmission means for sending the surplus power to the power grid, Equipped with, The aforementioned management device for business operators is A start date storage unit stores the date on which the customer began using electricity, in association with the customer's identification information. A rate storage unit stores rate units for electricity charges for self-consumption at predetermined intervals, determined considering factors contributing to the costs and installation costs of the aforementioned power generation utilization control equipment, and which are reduced rate units according to the elapsed time since the start date of electricity use. A means for calculating the electricity charges for the self-consumed portion of the customer for each billing period, which is calculated from the acquired amount of electricity consumed by the self and the unit price for the predetermined period to which the billing period belongs, obtained from the unit price storage unit. The system includes a billing mechanism that generates electricity billing information for the customer based on the electricity charges for self-consumption calculated by the billing calculation mechanism. A power network system characterized by the following features.

2. The factors contributing to the costs and installation costs of the aforementioned power generation and utilization control equipment are one or more combinations of the following: selling surplus electricity, subsidies from the national or local government, and investment funds from investors. The power network system according to feature 1.

3. The aforementioned green power generation facility is a solar power generation facility. The power network system according to feature 1.

4. The aforementioned power generation utilization control equipment is equipped with a battery and is configured to store any surplus power generated by the green power generation equipment in the battery. The portion of electricity discharged from the aforementioned battery and used by the aforementioned consumer is included in the portion used for self-consumption. The power network system according to feature 1.

5. The said business operator owns a battery connected to the power grid, and the business operator's management device is configured to control the charging and discharging of the battery via communication means. The aforementioned management device for the business operator acquires and monitors information on electricity trading prices at a wholesale electricity exchange that conducts electricity buying and selling transactions via a communication network, and controls the device to purchase electricity from the wholesale electricity exchange and store it in the storage battery when the electricity trading price is low (at the lowest price), and to sell the electricity in the storage battery and send out the amount of electricity sold from the storage battery when the electricity trading price is high. The power network system according to feature 1.

6. The aforementioned power generation utilization control equipment is composed of replaceable parts or products, The aforementioned management device for business operators is A fault detection means for detecting a fault in the power generation power utilization control equipment based on information obtained from the power generation power utilization control equipment via the communication means, A means for outputting an instruction for inspection and repair request for the power generation and power utilization control equipment in which a fault has been detected by the fault detection means, A repair item management means for managing the parts or products that were replaced by a worker who received the inspection and repair request without performing the repair at the work site, in a designated facility after the repair has been completed. Equipped with, The replacement part or product used to replace the replaced part or product is one that is managed at the designated facility by the repair parts management means. The power network system according to feature 1.

7. The aforementioned repair item management means is: An operation history storage unit that stores the operation history, including the period of use and the repair date, for the parts or products managed at the aforementioned designated facility, A means for sending a recycling instruction to separate and extract reusable components or materials and reuse them when a component or product is determined to have reached the end of its service life based on the operation history stored in the operation history storage unit, The power network system according to claim 6, characterized by comprising:

8. The system includes a means for managing repaired items, which involves repairing, free of charge, any parts or products that were replaced by a worker who received the aforementioned inspection and repair request without performing the repair at the work site, and managing the repaired items at a designated facility after the repair. The aforementioned repair item management means is: A conformity assessment method that evaluates the suitability of repaired parts or products and designates only parts or products that meet the standards for reuse, A management means for recording identification information of repaired parts or products and managing usage history, The power network system according to claim 6, characterized by comprising:

9. The aforementioned management device for businesses includes means for managing information on the history of the transmission of green electricity to the power grid, along with information that can prove the environmental value of the green electricity, based on blockchain technology. The power network system according to feature 1.

10. A power generation utilization control system is installed free of charge on the customer's premises, which supplies the portion of the electricity generated by the green power generation equipment that is consumed by the customer, and transmits the surplus to the power grid. A business operator that owns the power generation and utilization control equipment, including the aforementioned green power generation equipment, and operates the power service provider, and a business operator management device connected to the power generation and utilization control equipment via communication means, Equipped with, The aforementioned power generation and utilization control equipment is A transmission means for transmitting the amount of electricity generated by the green power generation equipment and the amount of electricity consumed by the business operator to the business operator management device via the communication means, Power transmission means for sending the surplus power to the power grid, A management device for business operators in a power network system comprising: A start date storage unit stores the date on which the customer began using electricity, in association with the customer's identification information. A rate storage unit stores rate units for electricity charges for self-consumption at predetermined intervals, determined considering factors contributing to the costs and installation costs of the aforementioned power generation utilization control equipment, and which are reduced rate units according to the elapsed time since the start date of electricity use. A means for calculating the electricity charges for the self-consumed portion of the customer for each billing period, which is calculated from the acquired amount of electricity consumed by the self and the unit price for the predetermined period to which the billing period belongs, obtained from the unit price storage unit. The system includes a billing mechanism that generates electricity billing information for the customer based on the electricity charges for self-consumption calculated by the billing calculation mechanism. A management device for businesses characterized by the following features.

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