Power Management Device

Abstract

To construct a mechanism for easily supplying power to a facility in need of power supply more easily.SOLUTION: A power management device disclosed therein is configured to execute: processing of setting demand facilities 23 to 25 in need of power supply and a supply facility 22 for supplying power to the demand facilities from the facilities 22 to 25 according to input from the facilities 22 to 25 registered in advance connected to a micro grid 100; and processing of supplying power to the demand facilities 23 to 25 from the supply facility 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a power management device. [Background technology]

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2020-89220 discloses a power management method for a grid-connected system that is installed at multiple locations and includes a storage battery and a charging / discharging station. The power management method disclosed in the publication acquires supply information related to the power supply at each location where the grid-connected system is installed, and then outputs the acquired supply information to a predetermined device. The supply information may be, for example, power information that a grid-connected system at one location can supply to a grid-connected system at another location in an emergency such as a disaster. In an emergency, an electric vehicle is dispatched from one location to another location, and the power of the battery of the electric vehicle is supplied to the storage battery at the other location. This power management method is said to enable efficient power management of multiple grid-connected systems. Furthermore, by dispatching an electric vehicle to a location where power is insufficient, power can be efficiently managed throughout the grid-connected system as a whole.

[0003] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-118722 discloses a local energy management method that establishes a system for sharing portable energy storage between recovery centers such as factories and surrounding evacuation shelters during disasters, ensuring power supply for the evacuation shelters and effectively utilizing the factories' distributed energy resources. The local energy management method disclosed in this publication inputs business activity information for the recovery center such as a factory, estimates the distributable energy storage capacity, and determines the amount of storage battery distribution based on a comparison with power requests from surrounding evacuation shelters. Furthermore, if the estimated amount of electricity generated by natural energy sources is higher than that of business activities, the method issues information indicating that storage battery charging is possible to the local evacuation shelters and updates the storage capacity. The power sharing is achieved by delivering and retrieving portable storage batteries. This local energy management method is said to enable effective use of natural energy. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-89220 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-118722 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present inventors would like to build a system that makes it easy to supply power to facilities that require it. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The power management device disclosed here is configured to perform the following processes in response to inputs from multiple pre-registered facilities connected to the microgrid: setting a demand facility that requires a supply of power from the multiple facilities and a supply facility that supplies power to the demand facility; and causing the supply facility to supply power to the demand facility. Such a power management device makes it easier to supply power to facilities that require it.

[0007] The input from the demand facility may include a pressure level. The process of supplying power may include determining power to be supplied to the demand facility based on the pressure level. The power management device may have registered therein a plurality of charging / discharging stations that are connected to the microgrid and that can charge / discharge electric vehicles. The power management device may be further configured to execute a process of requesting a user of a pre-registered electric vehicle that can be charged / discharged at the charging / discharging station to discharge the electric vehicle at the charging / discharging station. The process of requesting discharge may include acquiring location information of the electric vehicle and guiding the electric vehicle to a charging / discharging station determined based on the location information of the electric vehicle and the location information of the demand facility. The power management device may be configured to further perform a process of recording that an electric vehicle that has been requested to discharge has discharged at a charging / discharging station, and a process of granting an incentive to the user of the recorded electric vehicle according to the amount of discharge. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a microgrid 100 . [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the power management device 40. As shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the process executed by the power management apparatus 40. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure for discharging electricity from the electric vehicle 30 to the microgrid 100. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An embodiment of the charge / discharge management device disclosed herein will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described herein is, of course, not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described herein unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, components that perform the same function are appropriately designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted where appropriate.

[0010] Microgrid 100 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a microgrid 100. The microgrid 100 is a small-scale regional power distribution system. The microgrid 100 is configured to be able to operate power independently from a power system connected to a centralized power source. Examples of the centralized power source include large-scale power generation facilities such as thermal power plants and hydroelectric power plants operated by electric power companies. For example, the microgrid 100 receives power supply from the centralized power source under normal circumstances. In an emergency such as a disaster, the microgrid 100 is disconnected from the centralized power source and forms an independent power distribution system. The microgrid 100 includes distributed power sources. Examples of distributed power sources included in the microgrid 100 include renewable energy generating facilities such as solar power generation facilities and wind power generation facilities, power storage devices such as storage batteries installed in homes and businesses, and storage batteries installed in electric vehicles.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, a microgrid 100 includes a power distribution network 20. A business establishment 22, a hospital 23, and evacuation shelters 24 and 25 are connected to the power distribution network 20 of the microgrid 100. The power distribution network 20 of the microgrid 100 is connected to power equipment. Power equipment is a general term for various devices required for using electricity. Power equipment may include devices that generate power, convert electrical energy into other energy sources, store power, convert voltage and adjust power factors, and connect and disconnect power.

[0012] The business establishment 22 includes a power storage device 22a, a charging / discharging stand 22b, and a power management terminal 22c (see FIG. 2). The business establishment 22 may be, for example, a solar or wind power generation facility, a commercial facility, a parking lot, a car dealership, or an accommodation facility, without being limited thereto. The hospital 23 includes a power storage device 23a, a charging / discharging stand 23b, and a power management terminal 23c (see FIG. 2). The evacuation shelters 24 and 25 are facilities to which victims in the surrounding area can evacuate in the event of a disaster or other such event. While not limited thereto, public facilities such as schools, gymnasiums, and community centers may be set as the evacuation shelters 24 and 25. The evacuation shelters 24 and 25 may be appropriately set, for example, from among public facilities that can serve as evacuation shelters, depending on the area where the disaster occurs, the scale of the disaster, and the like. In this embodiment, two evacuation shelters 24 and 25 are set. The evacuation shelters 24 and 25 are equipped with power storage devices 24a and 25a, charge / discharge stands 24b and 25b, and power management terminals 24c and 25c (see FIG. 2).

[0013] The power storage devices 22a to 25a are, for example, stationary storage batteries. The power stored in the power storage devices 22a to 25a can be consumed in each of the facilities 22 to 25. The power stored in the power storage devices 22a to 25a can be supplied to other power storage devices 22a to 25a via the power distribution network 20 of the microgrid 100, thereby allowing the power to be adjusted.

[0014] The charging / discharging stations 22b to 25b are charging facilities capable of charging and discharging the electric vehicle 30, which will be described later. The charging / discharging stations 22b to 25b do not necessarily have to be provided in each of the facilities 22 to 25. The charging / discharging stations 22b to 25b may be provided in facilities where the electric vehicle 30 can be parked, such as the business office 22, the hospital 23, and the evacuation shelters 24 and 25. Although not shown in the drawings, charging / discharging stations are also provided in the homes of users who own the electric vehicles 30.

[0015] The electric vehicle 30 is a vehicle that can be connected to the power distribution network 20 of the microgrid 100. The electric vehicle 30 is equipped with an on-board battery. The electric vehicle 30 runs using power stored in the on-board battery. The electric vehicle 30 is charged via charging / discharging stations 22b to 25b. The electric vehicle 30 can also discharge power to the microgrid 100 via charging / discharging stations 22b to 25b in the facilities 22 to 25 or via a charging / discharging station in the home of the user of the electric vehicle 30. In other words, the electric vehicle 30 can discharge power stored in the on-board battery via the charging / discharging stations 22b to 25b and supply power to the facilities 22 to 25 connected to the microgrid 100. This technology is also called V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid).

[0016] The type of the electric vehicle 30 is not particularly limited as long as it is connected to the charging / discharging stations 22b to 25b and can be charged / discharged to the microgrid 100. Examples of such electric vehicles 30 include so-called plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and the like, which have a plug-in function that allows them to be connected to the charging / discharging stations 22b to 25b and be charged / discharged.

[0017] The power management terminals 22c to 25c are terminals that manage power information D22 to D25 of the respective facilities 22 to 25 (see FIG. 2). The power information D22 to D25 may include, for example, information about the amount of power stored in the power storage devices 22a to 25a and information about power charged and discharged via the charging and discharging stations 22b to 25b. The power information D22 to D25 includes information about the power required by the respective facilities 22 to 25. The information about the power required by the facilities 22 to 25 may be set based on past power usage history or may be set by the administrator of each facility 22 to 25. The information about the power required by the facilities 22 to 25 may be set, for example, separately for normal times and for emergency situations. The power management terminals 22c to 25c may be, for example, desktop or laptop personal computers or tablet terminals used by the administrator of each facility 22 to 25. The power information D22 to D25 managed by the power management terminals 22c to 25c can be transmitted to the power management apparatus 40, which will be described later. Note that the power management terminals 22c to 25c may be provided with input means for inputting the power information in each facility.

[0018] <Power management device 40> FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the power management device 40. The power management device 40 manages power within an area connected by a microgrid 100. The power management device 40 may be realized by a single computer, or may be realized by multiple computers working together. As shown in FIG. 2, the power management device 40 includes a control device 50. The configuration of the control device 50 is not particularly limited. Here, the control device 50 is, for example, a microcomputer. The control device 50 includes, for example, an I / F, a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM.

[0019] 2, the control device 50 of the power management device 40 includes a first communication unit 51, a second communication unit 52, and a storage unit 60. The control device 50 further includes a power information acquisition unit 61, a setting unit 62, a supply amount determination unit 63, a supply destination determination unit 64, an instruction unit 65, a location information acquisition unit 66, a notification unit 67, a charge / discharge stand determination unit 68, a recording unit 69, and an assignment unit 70. Each of the units 51 to 70 of the control device 50 may be realized by one or more processors, or may be incorporated into a circuit.

[0020] The first communication unit 51 is configured to be able to communicate with power management terminals 22c to 25c of the facilities 22 to 25 connected to the microgrid 100. The second communication unit 52 is configured to be able to communicate with a user terminal 35 of the electric vehicle 30, which will be described later. The power management device 40 may be connected to the business establishment 22, the hospital 23, the evacuation shelters 24 and 25, and the user terminal 35 via a communication network including, for example, the Internet.

[0021] A plurality of facilities connected to the microgrid 100 are registered in the power management device 40. In this embodiment, the power management device 40 registers the aforementioned business establishment 22, hospital 23, and evacuation shelters 24 and 25 as facilities connected to the microgrid 100, along with their location information. Information other than location information may be registered in the power management device 40. For example, information such as the sizes of the business establishment 22, hospital 23, and evacuation shelters 24 and 25, and information such as air conditioning equipment (heating, cooling, etc.) of the evacuation shelters 24 and 25 may be registered. Furthermore, homes and the like connected to the microgrid 100 may also be registered in the power management device 40. The power management device 40 is configured to be able to communicate with power management terminals 22c to 25c of these facilities via a first communication unit 51. A plurality of charging / discharging stations 22b to 25b at which an electric vehicle 30 can be charged / discharged are registered in the power management device 40. Electric vehicles 30 that can be charged / discharged at the charging / discharging stations 22b to 25b are registered in advance in the power management device 40. The electric vehicle 30 is registered together with information such as an ID that identifies the user. The location information of the facilities 22 to 25 and information about the electric vehicle 30 are stored in the storage unit 60, for example.

[0022] The power management device 40 is also configured to be able to communicate with a user terminal 35 of an electric vehicle 30 that may be connected to the power distribution network 20 of the microgrid 100. In this embodiment, the power management device 40 is configured to be able to communicate with the user terminal 35 managed by the user of the electric vehicle 30 via the second communication unit 52. The user terminal 35 may be, for example, a car navigation system installed in the electric vehicle 30, or a smartphone, tablet terminal, or desktop or laptop personal computer used by the user.

[0023] The power management device 40 is managed by an administrator also referred to as an aggregator. The administrator can manage power so as to maintain a balance between the supply and demand of power in the microgrid 100. During normal times, the power management device 40 can control the distribution of power so that power is used efficiently, for example, by adjusting the power of the power storage devices 22a to 25a in the microgrid 100. The power management device 40 can control, for example, the procurement of power from a centralized power source and the distribution of power supplied from the centralized power source in accordance with the demand and supply of power in the microgrid 100. The power management device 40 can control the power balance in accordance with the demand and supply of power, for example, by having facilities 22 to 25 with a power surplus supply power to other facilities 22 to 25 with a power shortage.

[0024] Furthermore, in an emergency such as a large-scale power outage caused by a disaster or the like, the microgrid 100 is disconnected from the power system connected to the centralized power source. At that time, the power management device 40 adjusts the power within the microgrid 100 according to priority. The power management device 40 executes various processes so that power is supplied to facilities that require a power supply. An example of the processes executed by the power management device 40 in an emergency will be described below. Note that, hereinafter, a facility that requires a power supply will also be referred to as a demand facility, and a facility that supplies power to a demand facility that requires a power supply will also be referred to as a supply facility, as appropriate.

[0025] 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of processing executed by the power management device 40. First, the power management device 40 executes processing to set a demand facility requiring a supply of power and a supply facility that will supply power to the demand facility, in response to input from a plurality of pre-registered facilities (in this embodiment, a business office 22, a hospital 23, and evacuation shelters 24 and 25) connected to the microgrid 100. In this embodiment, the processing to set the demand facility and the supply facility includes step S11 (see FIG. 3) of acquiring power information from the plurality of pre-registered facilities, and step S13 (see FIG. 3) of setting the demand facility and the supply facility based on the acquired power information.

[0026] In step S11 of FIG. 3, the power information acquisition unit 61 of FIG. 2 acquires power information D22 to D25 of the multiple facilities 22 to 25 connected to the microgrid 100. In this embodiment, the power information D22 to D25 includes information such as the power required by each of the facilities 22 to 25, the amount of power stored in the power storage devices 22 a to 25 a, and the amount of power that can be stored. The power information D22 to D25 is transmitted from the power management terminals 22 c to 25 c of the facilities 22 to 25 to the power management device 40. The power information D22 to D25 transmitted from the power management terminals 22 c to 25 c is stored in the storage unit 60. Note that the power information D22 to D25 may include, for example, the power stored in the power storage devices 22 a to 25 a and the power required until the facilities are reconnected to the centralized power source and a stable power supply is achieved. Note that the power information D22 to D25 may be acquired not only during a disaster but also during normal times. For example, the power information acquiring unit 61 may be configured to acquire the power information D22 to D25 at regular intervals and update the power information D22 to D25 stored in the storage unit 60 as needed.

[0027] Incidentally, the hospital 23 may be equipped with medical equipment to treat injured patients transported therein during a disaster. The hospital 23 may also be equipped with medical equipment that requires a continuous supply of power in order to provide medical care to hospitalized patients, etc. Therefore, even during a disaster, the hospital 23 may require more power than other facilities. Furthermore, evacuees gather at evacuation shelters 24 and 25 during a disaster. The more evacuees there are, the more power they require. Therefore, the power requirements of the evacuation shelters 24 and 25 may also be high. Residents living within the area may evacuate to the evacuation shelters 24 and 25. Therefore, the power requirements of homes, etc. may be lower. Furthermore, during a disaster, depending on the type of business 22, operations may be stopped, which may result in lower power requirements. Therefore, during a disaster, the hospital 23 and evacuation shelters 24 and 25 may require more power than homes and business 22.

[0028] Next, in step S13 of FIG. 3, the setting unit 62 of FIG. 2 sets demand facilities and supply facilities based on the power information D22 to D25 stored in the memory unit 60. In this embodiment, the setting unit 62 compares the power requirements of each of the facilities 22 to 25 included in the power information D22 to D25. The setting unit 62 sets the facility with the highest power requirement as a demand facility. The setting unit 62 sets the facility with the lowest power requirement as a supply facility. In this embodiment, the power requirements of the hospital 23 and the evacuation shelters 24 and 25 are relatively high, and the power requirement of the business office 22 is relatively low. Therefore, the setting unit 62 sets the hospital 23 and the evacuation shelters 24 and 25 as demand facilities 23 to 25, and sets the business office 22 as a supply facility 22.

[0029] The power requirements of the demand facilities 23-25 ​​may be input as needed. For example, the power situation at the hospital 23 may change between the time a disaster occurs and the time power is restored. For example, if power restoration takes longer than expected, if more power is consumed than expected, or if there is a possibility that the hospital 23's emergency power supply will be insufficient, the power requirements included in the power information D23 may be changed as needed. In this embodiment, the power management terminal 23c is configured to allow input of the power requirements of the hospital 23. The power requirements may be input, for example, by a person managing the power of the hospital 23, or may be input automatically based on the power usage history. When the power requirements of the hospital 23 are input into the power management terminal 23c, the power information D23 is updated. The power information acquisition unit 61 of the power management apparatus 40 acquires the power requirements included in the power information D23, including the updated power requirements, from the power management terminal 23c via the first communication unit 51.

[0030] The pressure level of each facility may be input for each of the demand facilities 23-25. In this embodiment, the pressure level is calculated based on the number and age distribution of evacuees. For example, the number and age distribution of evacuees evacuated to each facility may differ between the evacuation centers 24 and 25. The more evacuees evacuated to the evacuation centers 24 and 25, the higher the required power may be. Furthermore, the higher the proportion of adults among the evacuees compared to children and elderly people, the higher the required power may be. Therefore, the pressure level of each facility calculated based on the number and age distribution of evacuees may be included in the power information D24 and 25 as information related to the required power. While the calculation method of the pressure level is not particularly limited, in this embodiment, the pressure level is calculated based on the number and ages of evacuees. For example, the pressure level may be calculated by adding the value obtained by multiplying the number of people aged 0 to elementary school by 1, the value obtained by multiplying the number of people aged from junior high school students to 65 years old by 1.5, and the value obtained by multiplying the number of people aged 66 years old or older by 1.

[0031] In this embodiment, the pressure levels of the evacuation centers 24 and 25 are input to the power management terminals 24c and 25c of the respective facilities. The means for inputting the pressure levels is not particularly limited. For example, the pressure levels may be input to the power management terminals 24c and 25c by the managers of the evacuation centers 24 and 25, automatically input based on a database of residents in the target areas of the evacuation centers 24 and 25, or automatically input based on location information of devices such as smartphones owned by the evacuees. When the pressure levels of the evacuation centers 24 and 25 are input to the power management terminals 24c and 25c, they are reflected in the power information D24 and D25. The power information acquisition unit 61 of the power management apparatus 40 acquires the power information D24 and D25, including the pressure levels, from the power management terminals 24c and 25c via the first communication unit 51. The acquired power information D24 and D25 is stored in the memory unit 60.

[0032] Once the demand facilities 23-25 ​​requiring a power supply and the supply facility 22 that will supply the power are set, the power management device 40 executes a process for causing the supply facility 22 to supply power to the demand facilities 23-25. In this embodiment, the process for causing the power supply includes step S15 (see FIG. 3) of determining the power to be supplied to the demand facilities 23-25, step S17 (see FIG. 3) of determining the demand facilities 23-25 ​​to which the power will be supplied, and step S19 (see FIG. 3) of instructing the supply facility 22 to supply power.

[0033] In step S15 of Fig. 3, supply amount determination unit 63 of Fig. 2 determines the power to be supplied to each of demand facilities 23-25 ​​based on power information D22-D25 stored in memory unit 60. The power to be supplied to each of demand facilities 23-25 ​​is determined to be, for example, power that satisfies the required power included in D23-D25.

[0034] In this embodiment, the power information D24, D25 includes the pressure levels of the shelters 24, 25. Here, the power supplied to the shelters 24, 25 is determined based on the respective pressure levels. For example, if the pressure level of the shelter 24 is higher than that of the shelter 25, more power is supplied to the shelter 24 with the higher pressure level than to the shelter 25 with the lower pressure level. The supply amount determination unit 63 may determine the power to be supplied to the shelters 24, 25 according to the ratio of the pressure levels input at the power management terminals 24c, 25c.

[0035] Next, in step S17 of FIG. 3 , the supply destination determination unit 64 determines a destination of power to be supplied from the supply facility 22. In other words, the supply destination determination unit 64 determines a power distribution route. The power distribution route from the supply facility 22, which is the power supply source, to the demand facilities 23-25, which are the power supply destinations, is determined based on, for example, location information of the facilities 22-25. The location information of the facilities 22-25 is registered, for example, in the storage unit 60 of the power management device 40. The power distribution route can be determined so that the power distribution lines of the power distribution network 20 connecting the respective facilities are short. For example, if there are multiple demand facilities 23-25 ​​that require the same amount of power, the demand facility 23-25 ​​that is the closest in power distribution distance from the supply facility 22 can be preferentially determined as the power supply destination. This can reduce power distribution loss during power supply, and can efficiently allocate power. The destination of power supplied from one supply facility 22 is not limited to one, and power may be supplied to multiple demand facilities 23-25. The supply destination and supply amount of power supplied from the supply facility 22 can be determined based on the power distribution distance, the power distribution loss rate, etc. The supply destination and supply amount of power supplied from the supply facility 22 are preferably determined, for example, so as to reduce the power distribution loss throughout the microgrid 100. Note that when there is no immediate need to supply power to the demand facilities 23 to 25, the power may be temporarily stored in the power storage device 22a of the supply facility 22.

[0036] Next, in step S19 of FIG. 3, the instruction unit 65 instructs the supply facility 22 to supply power. The instruction unit 65 instructs the power management terminal 22c of the supply facility 22 to supply power based on the supply amount determined in step S15. In this embodiment, the instruction unit 65 transmits a discharge signal to the power management terminal 22c via the first communication unit 51. At the same time as transmitting the discharge signal, information on the power supply amount determined by the supply amount determination unit 63 is transmitted to the power management terminal 22c. When a control device (not shown) of the power management terminal 22c receives the discharge signal, power supply from the power storage device 22a of the supply facility 22 to the microgrid 100 begins. The power supplied to the microgrid 100 is supplied to the power supply destination determined in step S17.

[0037] In this way, the power supplied to the demand facilities 23 to 25 is secured from the supply facility 22, etc. For example, this can be covered by power stored in the power storage device 22a of the supply facility 22, renewable energy generated at the supply facility 22, etc. However, depending on the extent of the damage caused by the disaster, the time until power is restored, etc., there are cases where this power is not enough to secure the power required at the demand facilities 23 to 25.

[0038] In this embodiment, when it is expected that there will be a shortage of power supply to the demand facilities 23-25, the power stored in the onboard battery of the electric vehicle 30 is utilized. The power management device 40 further executes a process of requesting the registered user of the electric vehicle 30 to discharge at a charging / discharging station 22b-25b. In this embodiment, the power management device 40 also executes a process of recording that the electric vehicle 30 that has been requested to discharge has discharged at a charging / discharging station 22b-25b, and a process of providing an incentive to the user of the recorded electric vehicle 30 according to the amount of discharge.

[0039] 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure for discharging from the electric vehicle 30 to the microgrid 100. In this embodiment, the process of requesting discharge includes step S21 of acquiring position information of the electric vehicle 30 and step S23 of guiding the electric vehicle 30 to the charging / discharging stations 22b to 25b.

[0040] In step S21 in Fig. 4, the position information acquisition unit 66 in Fig. 2 acquires position information of the electric vehicle 30. The position information acquisition unit 66 may be configured to receive radio waves from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite, for example, to acquire the position information of the electric vehicle 30.

[0041] In step S23 of FIG. 4, the notification unit 67 of FIG. 2 notifies the user of the electric vehicle 30 of the charging and discharging stations 22b to 25b connected to the power distribution network 20 of the microgrid 100. The notification unit 67 transmits location information of the charging and discharging stations 22b to 25b to the user terminal 35 via the second communication unit 52. The location information of the charging and discharging stations 22b to 25b notified to the user terminal 35 is displayed, for example, on the screen of the user terminal 35. The user of the electric vehicle 30 is guided to the charging and discharging stations 22b to 25b by following, for example, a map displayed on the screen of the user terminal 35.

[0042] In step S23 of Fig. 4, the notification unit 67 of Fig. 2 guides the user of the electric vehicle 30 to the charging / discharging station 22b that is determined based on the location information of the electric vehicle 30 and the location information of the demand facilities 23 to 25. In this embodiment, the notification unit 67 transmits the location information of the destination charging / discharging station 22b determined by the charging / discharging station determination unit 68 of Fig. 2 to the user terminal 35. Note that here, the charging / discharging stations 23b to 25b at the hospital 23 and the evacuation centers 24 and 25 are excluded from the destination charging / discharging stations 22b so as not to interfere with the operation of emergency vehicles such as ambulances and fire engines or the rapid evacuation of evacuees.

[0043] Here, the location information of the charging / discharging station 22b notified by the notification unit 67 is determined by the charging / discharging station determination unit 68 of Fig. 2. The charging / discharging station determination unit 68 determines the destination based on the location information of the electric vehicle 30 acquired by the location information acquisition unit 66 and the location information of the demand facilities 23 to 25 that have been registered in advance. From the viewpoint of reducing power distribution loss, it is preferable that the destination charging / discharging station 22b be located close to the demand facilities 23 to 25 in terms of power distribution distance. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of reducing power consumption on the way to the destination, it is preferable that the destination charging / discharging station 22b be close to the electric vehicle 30. The charging / discharging station determination unit 68 determines the destination charging / discharging station 22b based on this location information.

[0044] The number of charging / discharging stations 22b to be guided to is not limited to one. Multiple charging / discharging stations 22b may be determined as guided stations so that the user of the electric vehicle 30 can select one. Furthermore, the charging / discharging station determination unit 68 may determine the guided charging / discharging station 22b by taking into account traffic conditions during a disaster in addition to the location information of the electric vehicle 30 and the demand facilities 23-25. For example, the charging / discharging station determination unit 68 may be configured to acquire such information so that the guided charging / discharging station 22b does not take a route where the road environment has deteriorated due to a disaster or a route where congestion has occurred. Furthermore, in order to respond to sudden fluctuations in power demand, it is preferable that, among the businesses 22 equipped with charging / discharging stations 22b, power is supplied preferentially to large-scale power storage devices 22a having many storage batteries. The charging / discharging station determination unit 68 may be configured to acquire information on the amount of storable power from the power information D22 stored in the storage unit 60.

[0045] The user of the electric vehicle 30 who has received the discharge request may discharge the electric vehicle 30 at any one of the charging and discharging stations 22b that are guided to and displayed on the user terminal 35. The electric power discharged from the electric vehicle 30 may be stored in the power storage device 22a, or may be supplied to the demand facilities 23 to 25 via the power distribution network 20. In this embodiment, an incentive is provided to the user who supplies electric power from the electric vehicle 30.

[0046] In step S25 of Fig. 4, the recording unit 69 of Fig. 2 records the discharge record of the electric vehicle 30 discharging to the charging / discharging stand 22b. In this embodiment, the recording unit 69 records the fact that the electric vehicle 30 discharged to the charging / discharging stand 22b and the amount of discharge. The discharge record of the electric vehicle 30 discharging at the charging / discharging stand 22b is detected by a control unit (not shown) of the power management terminal 22c. The discharge record is transmitted to the power management device 40 via the first communication unit 51 and recorded by the recording unit 69.

[0047] In step S27 of Fig. 4, the granting unit 70 grants an incentive to the user of the electric vehicle 30 according to the discharge record recorded by the recording unit 69. The incentive is transmitted to the user terminal 35 via the second communication unit 52. The incentive granted to the user of the electric vehicle 30 can be configured, for example, so that the greater the amount of discharge, the higher the incentive granted.

[0048] The incentive is a benefit that a user of an electric vehicle 30 that has received a discharge request can receive for supplying power from the electric vehicle 30 to the microgrid 100. The type of incentive is not particularly limited. The incentive may be, for example, points, coupons, complimentary tickets, purchase of goods, or discounts on electricity bills. Here, the points may be points that can be used to pay for charging the electric vehicle 30. The coupon may be a discount coupon for charging the electric vehicle 30. The incentive may be granted immediately after discharging from the electric vehicle 30, or may be granted, for example, after power is restored. The incentive is not limited to being transmitted to the user terminal 35, and may, for example, be linked to user information and registered so that the user can use it.

[0049] In the above-described embodiment, the power management device 40 is configured to execute a process of setting, from the plurality of facilities 22-25 in response to inputs from the plurality of pre-registered facilities 22-25 connected to the microgrid 100, the demand facilities 23-25 ​​that require a supply of power and the supply facility 22 that supplies power to the demand facilities 23-25, and a process of causing the supply facility 22 to supply power to the demand facilities 23-25. Since the facilities 22-25 are connected to the microgrid 100, it is easy to cause the supply facility 22 to supply power to the demand facilities 23-25. For example, in the event of a disaster, even if traffic conditions such as road conditions deteriorate, power can be supplied quickly via the microgrid 100.

[0050] In the above-described embodiment, the input from the demand facilities 24, 25 includes a pressure level. The process of supplying power includes determining the power to be supplied to the demand facilities 24, 25 based on the pressure level. This allows power to be supplied preferentially to the demand facilities 24, 25 that need power more. As a result, efficient power distribution within the microgrid 100 can be achieved.

[0051] In the above-described embodiment, a plurality of charging / discharging stations 22b to 25b that are connected to the microgrid 100 and capable of charging / discharging the electric vehicle 30 are registered. The power management device 40 is configured to further execute a process of requesting users of pre-registered electric vehicles 30 that can charge / discharge at the charging / discharging stations 22b to 25b to discharge the electric vehicles 30 at the charging / discharging stations 22b to 25b. Requesting discharge from the electric vehicles 30 makes it easier to secure the power supplied to the demand facilities 23 to 25.

[0052] In the above-described embodiment, the process of requesting discharge includes acquiring location information of the electric vehicle 30 and guiding the electric vehicle 30 to the charging / discharging station 22b determined based on the location information of the electric vehicle 30 and the location information of the demand facilities 23 to 25. This can reduce the power consumption of the electric vehicle 30 until it reaches the charging / discharging station 22b and the power distribution loss after discharging from the electric vehicle 30. Furthermore, traffic conditions can be taken into consideration when road conditions deteriorate or traffic congestion occurs during a disaster, for example. This can efficiently ensure the supply of power from the electric vehicle 30.

[0053] In the above-described embodiment, the power management device 40 is configured to further execute a process of recording that the electric vehicle 30 that has been requested to discharge has discharged at the charging / discharging station 22b, and a process of providing an incentive to the user of the recorded electric vehicle 30 according to the amount of discharge. This can encourage more users of electric vehicles 30 to participate in the power supply. As a result, the power required by the demand facilities 23 to 25 can be more easily secured.

[0054] In the above-described embodiment, as an example, the hospital 23 and the evacuation shelters 24, 25 are set as the demand facilities 23 to 25, and the business office 22 is set as the supply facility 22. However, this is not limited to this. For example, facilities that carry out disaster recovery work and telecommunications facilities for maintaining communications within the areas connected by the microgrid 100 may also be set as demand facilities. Furthermore, facilities such as homes may also be set as supply facilities. The settings of demand facilities and supply facilities may vary depending on the configuration of the areas connected by the microgrid, the disaster situation, etc.

[0055] The power management apparatus disclosed herein has been described in various ways. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments described herein do not limit the present invention. Furthermore, the power management apparatus disclosed herein can be modified in various ways, and the components and processes described herein can be omitted or combined as appropriate, provided that no particular problems arise. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 20 Electricity distribution network 22 Business establishments (supply facilities) 23 Hospitals (demand facilities) 24,25 Evacuation shelters (demand facilities) 22a~25a Power storage device 22b~25b Charging / Discharging Stand 22c~25c Power management terminal 30 Electric Vehicles 35 User terminals 40 Power management device 50 Control device 51 First Communications Department 52 Second Communications Department 60 Storage section 61 Power information acquisition section 62 Setting section 63 Supply amount determination section 64 Supply Destination Decision Department 65 Instruction section 66 Location information acquisition unit 67 Notification Department 68 Charging / Discharging Stand Determination Unit 69 Recording Department 70 Granting Department 100 Microgrids D22~D25 Power Information

Claims

1. A power management device that manages power in a microgrid configured to be able to adjust power between a plurality of facilities via a power distribution network, A plurality of charging / discharging stations that are connected to the power distribution network of the microgrid and capable of charging / discharging electric vehicles are registered; The charging and discharging stations are provided in each of the plurality of facilities, The power management device includes: A process of acquiring power information from a plurality of pre-registered facilities connected to the power distribution network; A process of setting a demand facility requiring a supply of power based on the power information; A process of setting a supply facility for supplying power to the demand facility based on the power information; A process of requesting a user of the electric vehicle, which is registered in advance and capable of charging and discharging at the charging and discharging station, to discharge the electric vehicle at the charging and discharging station in the supply facility; A process of supplying the electric power discharged from the electric vehicle to a charging / discharging station in the supply facility from the supply facility to the demand facility via the power distribution network; configured to run, Power management device.

2. The input from the demand facility includes a tightness level; The power management device according to claim 1 , wherein the process of supplying power includes determining an amount of power to be supplied to the demand facility via the power distribution network based on the degree of tightness.

3. The discharge request process includes: acquiring position information of the electric vehicle; guiding the electric vehicle to a destination charging / discharging station determined based on location information of the electric vehicle, location information of the demand facility, and a power distribution distance from the demand facility to the charging / discharging station; Including, The power management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the process of issuing a discharge request, a charging / discharging station in the supply facility is determined as the charging / discharging station to be guided to.

4. A process of recording that the electric vehicle that has been requested to discharge has discharged at the charging / discharging station; A process of providing an incentive to a user of the recorded electric vehicle according to the amount of discharge.

4. The power management apparatus of claim 1, further configured to:

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