Charge / discharge control device, charge / discharge control method and program

Abstract

A charge / discharge control device (1) comprises: a power consumption amount acquisition unit (10) that acquires a power consumption amount of a housing complex (100); a power amount storage unit (20) that stores first history information including a power consumption amount history; a power amount prediction unit (30) that predicts a future first power consumption amount of the housing complex (100); a storage battery information storage unit (40) that stores second history information including a storage battery information history relating to charge / discharge of a storage battery (111) included in an electric vehicle (110); a charge / discharge control setting unit (50) that, in a case where it is predicted, on the basis of the first power consumption amount, that power will be tight in a future first period, sets a discharge lower limit value indicating a battery level at which discharge, for supplying power from the storage battery (111) to the housing complex (100) in the first period, is to be stopped, on the basis of the second history information; and a charge / discharge planning unit (60) that creates a charge / discharge plan including the discharge in the first period.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a charge / discharge control device, a discharge lower limit value setting device, a charge / discharge control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In apartment complexes, there is a service that allows the management company or management association to enter into a high-voltage bulk power receiving contract with an electric power company, resulting in cheaper electricity rates than if each unit had an individual electricity contract. With a high-voltage bulk power receiving contract, the lower the maximum demand for electricity (for example, the average power every 30 minutes), the lower the electricity bill. If the maximum demand for electricity exceeds the contracted power, the price of the contracted power for a specified period (for example, the next fiscal year) will increase, which can result in a large electricity bill burden.

[0003] Therefore, a technology has been proposed that utilizes electric vehicles (EVs) owned by residents of an apartment complex to prevent the peak value of total power consumption (for example, maximum power demand) of the entire apartment complex from exceeding the contracted power.For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a device that references discharge permission information set in advance by the user (owner) of the electric vehicle when it is predicted that the peak value of total power consumption of the entire apartment complex (for example, maximum power demand) will exceed the contracted power, and controls the discharge of the storage battery of the electric vehicle that is capable of discharging. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-180548 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the device of Patent Document 1, when a user sets the discharge lower limit value as discharge permission information, there is no indication of what value the discharge lower limit value should be set to, so the discharge lower limit value may not be set appropriately.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention provides a charge / discharge control device, a discharge lower limit value setting device, a charge / discharge control method, and a program that can assist in setting a more appropriate discharge lower limit value. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A charge / discharge control device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a charge / discharge control device that controls the charging and discharging of an electric vehicle in an apartment building having charging and discharging equipment, and includes: a first acquisition unit that acquires the amount of power consumption of the apartment building; a first memory unit that stores first historical information including a history of the amount of power consumption of the apartment building; a prediction unit that predicts a first future amount of power consumption in the apartment building based on the first historical information; a second acquisition unit that acquires storage battery information related to the charging and discharging of a storage battery possessed by the electric vehicle; a second memory unit that stores second historical information including the history of the storage battery information; a setting unit that, when it is predicted that power will be tight in a first future period based on the first amount of power consumption, sets a discharge lower limit value based on the second historical information, indicating the remaining battery level at which discharging to supply power from the storage battery possessed by the electric vehicle during the first period to the apartment building is stopped during the first period; and a creation unit that creates a charge / discharge plan that includes the discharging during the first period based on the first amount of power consumption and the discharge lower limit value.

[0008] A discharge lower limit setting device according to one aspect of the present invention is a discharge lower limit setting device that sets a discharge lower limit used in a charge / discharge control device that controls the charging and discharging of electric vehicles in an apartment building having charging and discharging equipment, and is equipped with: a setting unit that, when the charge / discharge control device predicts that power will be tight during a certain period in the future, sets a discharge lower limit that indicates the remaining battery level at which discharging to supply power from the storage battery of the electric vehicle to the apartment building during the certain period based on history information including history of storage battery information related to the charging and discharging of the storage battery of the electric vehicle; and an output unit that outputs the set discharge lower limit to the charge / discharge control device.

[0009] A charge / discharge control method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a charge / discharge control method for controlling the charging and discharging of an electric vehicle in an apartment building having charging / discharging equipment, which method acquires the amount of power consumption of the apartment building, predicts a first future amount of power consumption of the apartment building based on first historical information including a history of the acquired amount of power consumption of the apartment building, acquires storage battery information related to the charging and discharging of a storage battery possessed by the electric vehicle, and if it is predicted that power will be tight in a first future period based on the first amount of power consumption, sets a discharge lower limit value indicating the remaining battery level at which discharging to supply power from the storage battery possessed by the electric vehicle for the first period based on second historical information including the history of the storage battery information, and creates a charge / discharge plan including the discharging for the first period based on the first amount of power consumption and the discharge lower limit value.

[0010] A program according to one aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute the above-described charge / discharge control method. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to realize a charge / discharge control device or the like that can assist in setting a more appropriate lower limit value for discharge. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a charge / discharge control system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the transmission and reception of each piece of information according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of first history information according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the discharge lower limit value according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the charge / discharge control device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the details of the operation of step S105 shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a first example of information displayed on the display unit of the user's information terminal. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a second example of information displayed on the display unit of the user's information terminal. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing another example of the operation of the charge / discharge control device according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a third example of information displayed on the display unit of the user's information terminal. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a fourth example of information displayed on the display unit of the user's information terminal. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] The embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, components, component placement and connection configurations, steps, and step order shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components not described in the independent claims are described as optional components.

[0015] Furthermore, each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily an exact illustration. Therefore, for example, the scales of the figures do not necessarily match. Furthermore, in each figure, substantially the same components are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted or simplified.

[0016] Furthermore, in this specification, terms indicating relationships between elements such as "identical," as well as numerical values and numerical ranges, are not expressions that only express a strict meaning, but are expressions that also include a substantially equivalent range, for example, a difference of about several percent (or about 10%).

[0017] Furthermore, in this specification, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" do not refer to the number or order of components unless otherwise specified, but are used for the purpose of avoiding confusion and distinguishing between components of the same type.

[0018] (Embodiment) Hereinafter, a charge / discharge control system including a charge / discharge control device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0019] [1. Configuration of charge / discharge control system] First, the configuration of the charge / discharge control system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 4. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the charge / discharge control system according to this embodiment. In the following, it is assumed that the manager of an apartment building 100 has concluded a high-voltage bulk power receiving contract with an electric power company, and that at least one of the residents owns an electric vehicle 110.

[0020] 1, the charge / discharge control system includes a charge / discharge control device 1, each piece of equipment provided in an apartment building 100, and a meter information acquisition unit 200. The meter information acquisition unit 200 may be provided in the apartment building 100.

[0021] The charge / discharge control device 1 is an information processing device that controls the charging and discharging of an electric vehicle 110 in an apartment building 100 that has charging and discharging facilities, and, for example, supports a user U who is a resident of the apartment building 100 in setting a more appropriate lower discharge limit value. The lower discharge limit value will be described later with reference to FIG. 4, and indicates the remaining battery level of the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 at which discharging is stopped when discharging is performed to supply power from the storage battery 111 to the apartment building 100.

[0022] If a high value is set as the discharge lower limit, there is a possibility that discharge control will not be possible to keep it below the contracted power. Also, if a low value is set as the discharge lower limit, there is a possibility that the user U will run out of power when using the electric vehicle 110 after discharge. Therefore, the charge / discharge control device 1 supports the user U in setting an appropriate discharge lower limit by using, for example, the usage history of the electric vehicle 110 owned by the user U.

[0023] The charge / discharge control device 1 includes a power consumption acquisition unit 10, a power amount accumulation unit 20, a power amount prediction unit 30, a battery information accumulation unit 40, a charge / discharge control setting unit 50, a charge / discharge planning unit 60, and a charge / discharge control unit 70.

[0024] The power consumption amount acquiring unit 10 acquires the amount of power consumption (information indicating the amount of power consumption) of the apartment building 100 via the meter information acquiring unit 200. The power consumption amount acquiring unit 10 acquires, for example, the amount of power consumption of the entire apartment building 100. As the amount of power consumption, the acquired amount of power is the amount of power consumed by charging / discharging equipment (or charging equipment) installed in the apartment building 100, and electrical appliances installed in the common area 120 and the private area 130. The power consumption amount acquiring unit 10 is configured to include a communication circuit (communication module), and acquires the amount of power consumption from the meter information acquiring unit 200 via communication.

[0025] The power consumption amount acquiring unit 10 may acquire the power consumption amount directly from each electrical appliance in the apartment building 100. The power consumption amount acquiring unit 10 is an example of a first acquiring unit.

[0026] The power amount accumulation unit 20 accumulates the amount of power consumption for a predetermined period acquired by the power consumption amount acquisition unit 10. It can also be said that the power amount accumulation unit 20 stores information including the history of the amount of power consumption of the apartment building 100. The predetermined period is not particularly limited, but may be several months or several years. The power amount accumulation unit 20 is realized, for example, by a hard disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like. Furthermore, the power amount accumulation unit 20 is an example of a first storage unit, and the information including the history of the amount of power consumption is an example of first history information. Hereinafter, the information including the history of the amount of power consumption will also be referred to as first history information.

[0027] The power amount prediction unit 30 predicts the amount of power consumption to be consumed in the apartment building 100 in the future based on the first history information stored in the power amount accumulation unit 20. "Future" may be any time from the present time onwards, for example, the next day. Hereinafter, an example will be described in which the power amount prediction unit 30 predicts the amount of power consumption for the next day, but the target period for prediction is not limited to the next day. In addition, the power amount prediction unit 30 predicts the amount of power consumption (maximum power demand) of the entire apartment building 100 for each predetermined period (for example, 30 minutes).

[0028] An example of a method by which the power amount prediction unit 30 predicts the power consumption will be described later, but the method is not particularly limited. The power amount prediction unit 30 is an example of a prediction unit, and the power consumption predicted by the power amount prediction unit 30 is an example of a first power consumption amount. Hereinafter, the power consumption predicted by the power amount prediction unit 30 will also be referred to as a first power consumption amount.

[0029] The storage battery information accumulation unit 40 acquires and accumulates storage battery information related to the charging and discharging of the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110. The storage battery information accumulation unit 40 accumulates storage battery information for a predetermined period for each electric vehicle 110 or for each user U. It can also be said that the storage battery information accumulation unit 40 stores information including the history of storage battery information. The predetermined period is not particularly limited, and may be several months or several years. The storage battery information accumulation unit 40 is realized by, for example, a hard disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like. Furthermore, the storage battery information accumulation unit 40 is an example of a second memory unit, and the information including the history of storage battery information is an example of second history information. Hereinafter, the information including the history of storage battery information will also be referred to as second history information.

[0030] The battery information may be acquired from the electric vehicle 110 using a telematics system or the like, or may be acquired from the charging / discharging equipment through communication. The battery information accumulation unit 40 may have, for example, a communication circuit (communication module). The battery information accumulation unit 40 may function as the acquisition unit and the second acquisition unit.

[0031] The storage battery information accumulation unit 40 may store, as the second history information, identification information of the electric vehicle 110 owned by the user U of the apartment complex 100, and identification information of the user U, in association with the history of storage battery information. If there are multiple electric vehicles 110 in the apartment complex 100, the storage battery information accumulation unit 40 may store, for each of the multiple electric vehicles 110, identification information of the electric vehicle 110 and identification information of the user U in association with the history of storage battery information, as the second history information.

[0032] When it is predicted that power will be tight in a certain time period in the future based on the first history information, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 performs processing for setting (determining) a discharge lower limit value for that time period based on the second history information. The charge / discharge control setting unit 50 acquires setting information related to the setting of the discharge lower limit value from the user U, and sets the discharge lower limit value based on the acquired setting information. The charge / discharge control setting unit 50 sets a discharge lower limit value for each predetermined period (e.g., 30 minutes) in that time period. Furthermore, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 sets a discharge lower limit value individually for each electric vehicle 110 or each user U. Note that the time period here refers to a time period on the next day for which the power amount prediction unit 30, which will be described later, determines Yes in step S104.

[0033] The charge / discharge control setting unit 50 only needs to set the discharge lower limit value based on the second history information, and does not necessarily need to acquire the setting information from the user U. The charge / discharge control setting unit 50 is an example of a setting unit.

[0034] The charge / discharge planning unit 60 creates a charge / discharge plan for charging and discharging the electric vehicle 110 based on the first power consumption predicted by the power amount prediction unit 30 and the discharge lower limit value set by the charge / discharge control setting unit 50. The charge / discharge plan includes discharging from the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 to the apartment building 100 during a time period when power is predicted to be tight. For example, when power is predicted to be tight during a time period based on the first power consumption and the contracted power, the charge / discharge planning unit 60 creates a charge / discharge plan by causing the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 to discharge an amount of power required based on the first power consumption and the contracted power, so that the power consumption during that time period is equal to or less than the contracted power. The charge / discharge plan includes information such as how much to discharge during which time period, the required number of electric vehicles 110, and the order in which to discharge electric vehicles 110 when there are multiple electric vehicles 110 to be discharged. The charge / discharge planning unit 60 is an example of a creating unit.

[0035] The charge / discharge control unit 70 issues charge / discharge control commands to the charge / discharge equipment based on the charge / discharge plan created by the charge / discharge planning unit 60. The charge / discharge control unit 70 generates charge / discharge control information for charging or discharging the storage battery 111 based on the charge / discharge plan, and outputs the generated charge / discharge control information to, for example, the charge / discharge equipment to which the storage battery 111 is connected.

[0036] The charge / discharge control device 1 as described above may be realized by a device installed within the premises of the apartment building 100, or may be realized by a device installed outside the premises of the apartment building 100, or may be realized by a combination of devices installed inside and outside the premises.

[0037] The charge / discharge control device 1 does not necessarily have to include the battery information accumulation unit 40 and the charge / discharge control setting unit 50. In this case, the battery information accumulation unit 40 and the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may be realized as a discharge lower limit value setting device separate from the charge / discharge control device 1.

[0038] The apartment complex 100 is a single building divided into multiple dwelling units, each of which is an independent residence, and has common areas 120 used jointly by the residents and private areas 130 corresponding to each dwelling unit. The common areas 120 include an entrance and hallways. Electricity-consuming devices are installed in the common areas 120 and private areas 130. For example, elevators, lighting devices, cameras, etc. are installed in the common areas 120, and home appliances, etc. are installed in the private areas 130. In this way, multiple electricity-consuming devices are installed in the apartment complex 100.

[0039] Furthermore, the residents of the apartment complex 100 own electric vehicles 110, and charging / discharging equipment (chargers) (not shown) for charging / discharging the electric vehicles 110 is installed in the apartment complex 100. The number of charging / discharging equipment is not particularly limited, but may be one or more. Furthermore, the charging / discharging equipment may be included in the common area 120.

[0040] The electric vehicle 110 is an example of an electric vehicle, and is owned by a user U of the apartment complex 100. The electric vehicle 110 has a storage battery 111 and is capable of charging and discharging. The electric vehicle 110 may also be equipped with an electric device whose power consumption can change depending on weather information. The electric device is, for example, an air conditioner (car air conditioner), but is not limited to this. There is no particular limit to the number of electric vehicles 110 included in the charge / discharge control system.

[0041] The electric vehicle of the charge / discharge control system is not limited to the electric car 110, but may be any vehicle that has a storage battery and can be charged / discharged using charging / discharging equipment provided in the apartment complex 100. The electric vehicle may be, for example, a hybrid car, a plug-in hybrid car, an electric motorcycle, an electric bicycle, or the like.

[0042] The charging / discharging equipment is installed within the premises of the apartment building 100, and charges / discharges the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 according to instructions from the charging / discharging control device 1.

[0043] The meter information acquisition unit 200 acquires the amount of power consumed by the entire apartment building 100, measured by a power measurement device (for example, a meter set at a high-voltage power receiving point) installed on the premises of the apartment building 100. Here, the amount of power consumed by the entire apartment building 100 refers to the amount of power consumed by all facilities on the premises of the apartment building 100, and includes the amount of power consumed in each of the private areas 130, the amount of power consumed in the common area 120, and the amount of power supplied to charging and discharging facilities. In addition, the power measurement device may measure the amount of power charged and discharged in the storage battery 111 of each electric vehicle 110 for each electric vehicle 110.

[0044] The power metering device measures the amount of power using a current transformer (not shown) for measuring the power flowing through the power line. The power metering device periodically transmits the measured amount of power to the meter information acquiring unit 200. Here, "periodically transmitting" means repeatedly transmitting at predetermined intervals. This interval does not have to be constant and can be arbitrarily determined by the manager of the apartment complex 100, etc.

[0045] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing transmission and reception of each piece of information according to the present embodiment.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 2, the charge amount, discharge amount, SOC (State Of Charge) of the storage battery 111, and the mileage of the electric vehicle 110 are output from a charging / discharging facility (not shown) to the storage battery information accumulation unit 40 and the charging / discharging control setting unit 50.

[0047] The charge amount, discharge amount, SOC, and mileage are examples of storage battery information, and the storage battery information may include at least one of them. The storage battery information is transmitted from a charging / discharging facility to which the electric vehicle 110 is connected, but may also be transmitted by the electric vehicle 110 via a wireless communication unit. The discharge amount and SOC are examples of information indicating the remaining battery capacity of the storage battery 111, and the mileage is an example of information indicating the mileage.

[0048] The information terminal 300 is a smartphone, tablet terminal, or the like carried by the user U, and is communicably connected to the charge / discharge control device 1 and the electric vehicle 110. The information terminal 300 has a display unit 310 such as a liquid crystal display, and a reception unit (not shown) such as buttons, a touch panel, and a microphone.

[0049] The charge / discharge control setting unit 50 calculates a recommended lower limit discharge value based on the second history information, and notifies the information terminal 300 of the calculated recommended lower limit discharge value.

[0050] The display unit 310 of the information terminal 300 displays the recommended lower discharge limit value, and the reception unit receives an operation on the recommended lower discharge limit value from the user U. The reception unit receives, for example, information indicating the remaining battery level to be set as the lower discharge limit value. Setting information indicating the received information is output from the information terminal 300 to the charge / discharge control setting unit 50. The setting information may include information indicating acceptance of the recommended lower discharge limit value, or may include a value for the lower discharge limit value desired by the user U.

[0051] Then, information based on the discharge lower limit value set in the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 is output to the charging / discharging facility to which the electric vehicle 110 is connected or to the electric vehicle 110. Note that, although Fig. 2 shows information based on the discharge lower limit value being directly output from the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 to the electric vehicle 110 (or the charging / discharging facility to which the electric vehicle 110 is connected), in reality, the information based on the discharge lower limit value is output from the charge / discharge control device 1.

[0052] The setting information may include a charge timer setting value instead of or in addition to the discharge lower limit value. The charge timer setting value is a setting value for setting the time and percentage of remaining battery charge required for charging, and includes the remaining battery charge and the limit date and time for charging to the desired remaining battery charge. The limit date and time is, for example, the date and time after discharging during a time period when power is tight. The charge timer setting value is output from the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 to the electric vehicle 110.

[0053] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the second history information according to the present embodiment. Fig. 3 shows the history (time-series data) of storage battery information stored in storage battery information storage unit 40 for one electric vehicle 110.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 3, the second history information includes the date, time, remaining battery power (corresponding to SOC), and mileage.

[0055] The date and time indicate the date and time when the remaining battery power and the traveled distance were measured.

[0056] The remaining battery capacity indicates the remaining battery capacity of the storage battery 111 at the time of measurement. For example, the remaining battery capacity indicates the percentage of the remaining battery capacity of the storage battery 111 at the current time, where a fully charged state is 100% and a fully discharged state is 0%.

[0057] The travel distance indicates the cumulative value of the travel distance of the electric vehicle 110 at the time of measurement.

[0058] For example, since the remaining battery charge at 7:00 on 3 / 2 was 80% and the remaining battery charge at 1:30 on 3 / 5 was 40%, it can be seen that the electric vehicle 110 consumes an average of 13% of its power per day. Furthermore, since the mileage at 7:00 on 3 / 2 was 6,500 km and the mileage at 1:30 on 3 / 5 was 6,600 km, it can be seen that the average mileage per day of the electric vehicle 110 is 33 km. The mileage and the remaining battery charge can also be seen to be the electricity consumption of the electric vehicle 110. It can also be seen that charging was performed between 1:00 and 7:00 on 3 / 2 and between 1:30 and 7:00 on 3 / 5, meaning that the electric vehicle 110 was not used during these periods.

[0059] Note that the calculation of the power consumption amount is not limited to the average power consumption amount for one day, and the power consumption amount for one day, such as the most frequent value or the median value, may be calculated.

[0060] The travel distance may be calculated from the history of the travel route of the electric vehicle 110, or may be calculated from the odometer value or the latitude and longitude values of a GPS (Global Positioning System). The travel route, the odometer value, and the latitude and longitude values of a GPS are examples of information indicating the travel distance.

[0061] As described above, the second history information may include a history of information indicating the remaining battery level and information indicating the mileage. The second history information may also include information such as calendar information and weather information. The calendar information includes information on the day of the week (e.g., whether it is a weekday or a public holiday), public holidays, and New Year's holiday information. The weather information includes information on temperature, humidity, and weather.

[0062] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the discharge lower limit value according to the present embodiment.

[0063] 4, the discharge lower limit is the remaining battery charge (%) that is the threshold value for stopping discharge to supply power from the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 to the apartment building 100, where a fully charged state is 100% and a completely discharged state is 0%. The discharge lower limit is, for example, the remaining battery charge that is estimated to allow the electric vehicle 110 to travel the next day if used normally (at normal power consumption) (the remaining battery charge that is estimated not to cause a power shortage the next day). Note that the discharge lower limit is not limited to being expressed as a percentage, and may be expressed as the remaining power charge (kWh).

[0064] The discharge lower limit value in this specification is different from the discharge lower limit value that is preset in the electric vehicle 110. The preset discharge lower limit value is, for example, a discharge lower limit value that is commonly set for the vehicle type of the electric vehicle 110.

[0065] [2. Operation of the charge / discharge control device] Next, the operation of the charge / discharge control device 1 configured as above will be described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 5 to 11. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation (charge / discharge control method) of the charge / discharge control device 1 according to this embodiment.

[0066] 5, the power consumption amount acquiring unit 10 acquires the amount of power consumption of the apartment building 100 from the meter information acquiring unit 200 (S101). The power consumption amount acquiring unit 10 acquires the amount of power consumption periodically, for example.

[0067] Next, the power amount accumulation unit 20 accumulates the amount of power consumption acquired in step S101 (S102). For example, the power amount accumulation unit 20 adds the amount of power consumption acquired in step S102 to the first history information. The power amount accumulation unit 20 may further add calendar information, weather information, etc. to the first history information in association with the amount of power consumption.

[0068] Next, the power amount prediction unit 30 predicts the power consumption (first power consumption) for a future target period in the apartment building 100 based on the first history information (S103). In this embodiment, the power amount prediction unit 30 predicts the power consumption for every 30 minutes of the next day.

[0069] The power consumption prediction unit 30 predicts the amount of power consumption for a target period based on, for example, past power consumption when the target period and environmental information were the same or similar. Environmental information includes, for example, but is not limited to, calendar information, weather information, etc. For example, the power consumption prediction unit 30 may predict the amount of power consumption using at least one of calendar information and weather information.

[0070] If the next day is a weekday, the power consumption prediction unit 30 may, for example, extract the power consumption amounts for the most recent few weekdays (e.g., the same day of the week) from the first history information and predict the power consumption amount for the target period based on the extracted power consumption amounts, or may extract the power consumption amounts for past weekdays in the same month or week from the first history information and predict the power consumption amount for the target period based on the extracted power consumption amounts. The power consumption amount for the target period may also be calculated as a statistical value of multiple past power consumption amounts. The statistical value may be, for example, an average value, but may also be a maximum value, minimum value, mode value, median value, etc., or a value obtained by calculating a predetermined value from these values.

[0071] Next, the power amount prediction unit 30 determines whether the predicted value of the power consumption predicted in step S103 (power consumption prediction value) exceeds the contracted power (S104). The power amount prediction unit 30 performs the determination in step S104 every 30 minutes on the following day.

[0072] In step S104, an example was described in which the judgment is made using the contracted power, but the judgment is not limited to using the contracted power and may also be made based on the upper limit of power consumption set by the manager of the apartment building 100.

[0073] The charge / discharge control setting unit 50 acquires a charge / discharge control value for each of the time periods for which the power amount prediction unit 30 has determined Yes in step S104 (which are time periods every 30 minutes on the following day, and are an example of a first period) (S105). The charge / discharge control value is a discharge lower limit value approved by the user U or a discharge lower limit value input by the user U. The charge / discharge control value is also a discharge lower limit value used to create a charge / discharge plan. The processing of step S105 will be described later. The charge / discharge control setting unit 50 outputs the acquired charge / discharge control value to the charge / discharge plan unit 60. Note that a Yes determination in step S104 means that a power shortage is predicted, and the first period is a time period during which a power shortage is predicted.

[0074] Next, the charge / discharge planning unit 60 creates a charge / discharge plan for the next day based on the charge / discharge control value acquired in step S105 (S106), and outputs the plan to the charge / discharge control unit 70. The charge / discharge planning unit 60 creates a charge / discharge plan to suppress charging and to discharge the electric vehicles 110 during the time period when the predicted power consumption value exceeds the contracted power. If there are multiple electric vehicles 110, the charge / discharge planning unit 60 creates a charge / discharge plan based on the charge / discharge control values of each of the multiple electric vehicles 110 so that the power consumption during the first period is equal to or less than the contracted power.

[0075] The charge / discharge planning unit 60 may identify electric vehicles 110 that will not be used during the first period from the daily usage history of each of the multiple electric vehicles 110, and create a charge / discharge plan to prioritize discharging of the identified electric vehicles 110. Furthermore, the charge / discharge planning unit 60 may create a charge / discharge plan to discharge each of the one or more electric vehicles 110 that are connected to the charging / discharging equipment before the start of the first period in accordance with the discharge lower limit value.

[0076] Next, the charge / discharge control unit 70 generates charge / discharge control information for controlling the charge / discharge equipment installed in the apartment building 100 based on the charge / discharge plan, and outputs the information to the charge / discharge equipment or the electric vehicle 110 (storage battery 111) connected to the charge / discharge equipment (S107). The charge / discharge control information includes a command value (chargeable amount) for suppressing charging and a command value (lower discharge limit or discharge amount) for discharging.

[0077] Next, the specific processing of step S105 shown in Fig. 5 will be described with reference to Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the details of the operation (charge / discharge control method) of step S105 shown in Fig. 5. The processing shown in Fig. 6 is executed for each electric vehicle 110. Furthermore, steps S201 and S202 shown in Fig. 6 are processes that are executed periodically, and are executed regardless of the determination result of step S104.

[0078] 6, the storage battery information accumulation unit 40 acquires storage battery information of the storage battery 111 (S201) and accumulates the acquired storage battery information (S202). When multiple electric vehicles 110 exist in the apartment complex 100, the storage battery information accumulation unit 40 acquires storage battery information including identification information of the electric vehicles 110 (or storage batteries 111) and accumulates the storage battery information for each electric vehicle 110.

[0079] Next, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50, triggered by the determination of Yes in step S104 (see FIG. 5), extracts the history of storage battery information (second history information) when the environmental information is the same as or similar to the first period for which the determination of Yes in step S104 was made, and calculates the discharge lower limit value for the first period based on the extracted second history information (S203).

[0080] The charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may predict (calculate) the amount of power consumed by the electric vehicle 110 in one day (for example, the average amount of power consumed in one day) based on the second history information, and may calculate the lower discharge limit value based on the predicted amount of power. The lower discharge limit value may be calculated as a statistical value of multiple past amounts of power consumption in the electric vehicle 110. The statistical value is, for example, an average value, but may also be a maximum value, minimum value, mode value, median value, etc., or a value obtained by calculating a predetermined value from any of these values. The amount of power consumed in one day is an example of the second amount of power consumption.

[0081] Furthermore, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may predict (calculate) the amount of power consumed by the electric vehicle 110 in a second period after the discharge in the first period based on the second history information, and calculate the discharge lower limit value based on the predicted amount of power. The second period is, for example, the period from the discharge in the first period until the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 is charged (for example, until the time when charging is predicted). The time when the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 is charged after the discharge in the first period may be predicted from the second history information or may be predicted from schedule information indicating the planned use of the electric vehicle 110. The amount of power consumed in the second period is an example of a second power consumption amount.

[0082] The charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may further predict a second amount of power consumption when the electric vehicle 110 uses an air conditioner. For example, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may calculate the amount of power consumption to be consumed by the air conditioner on the next day from weather information for the next day and the air conditioner's power consumption (e.g., catalog values), and add this to the amount of power consumption calculated based on the second history information, thereby predicting the second amount of power consumption when the air conditioner is used. Furthermore, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may calculate the amount of power consumption to be consumed by the air conditioner during a second period from weather information for the second period and the air conditioner's power consumption (e.g., catalog values), and add this to the amount of power consumption calculated based on the second history information, thereby predicting the second amount of power consumption when the air conditioner is used. In this case, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 functions as a third acquisition unit that acquires weather information for the target period (e.g., the following day, the 1st) or the second period.

[0083] If the second history information includes a mileage greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may predict the amount of power consumed in one day or the second period based on the second history information excluding the mileage. The predetermined distance may be set in advance based on a past average value, for example, or may be set in advance by the user U. In this way, if the mileage is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may determine that the mileage is a singular value and predict the amount of power consumed in one day or the second period without using the mileage. A singular value refers to, for example, the mileage when the electric vehicle 110 is being driven in an unusual manner, such as for leisure. The mileage here refers to the distance traveled by the electric vehicle 110 during a predetermined period. The predetermined period is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, one hour, a second period, or one day.

[0084] The charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may also use, for example, at least one of calendar information and weather information to predict the amount of power consumed in one day or the second period.

[0085] If there are a plurality of first periods for which the determination in step S104 is Yes on the following day, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may individually calculate the discharge lower limit value for each of the plurality of first periods.

[0086] Next, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 notifies the user U of the electric vehicle 110 of the calculated lower limit discharge value (S204). If there are multiple electric vehicles 110 in the apartment complex 100, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 notifies each of the users U of the multiple electric vehicles 110 of the lower limit discharge value of the electric vehicle 110 owned by that user U. The charge / discharge control setting unit 50 outputs information indicating the lower limit discharge value to the information terminal 300 of the user U via, for example, a communication unit (not shown). The communication unit is configured to include, for example, a wireless communication circuit (wireless communication module).

[0087] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a first example of information displayed on the display unit 310 of the information terminal 300 of the user U. Fig. 7 shows a screen on which the information notified to the user U in step S204 is displayed.

[0088] As shown in Fig. 7, the value of the average daily power consumption and the recommended lower discharge limit value are displayed on the display unit 310. In the example of Fig. 7, an example is shown in which the average daily power consumption is 18% and the recommended lower discharge limit value is 20%. The display unit 310 may further display a selection option (for example, display of "No" and "Yes", or a numeric keypad) to prompt the user U to input whether or not to set the lower discharge limit value to 20% (whether or not to use the recommended lower discharge limit value as the charge / discharge control value).

[0089] 6 again, next, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 acquires a discharge lower limit value (S205). The charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may acquire the discharge lower limit value notified to the user U in step S204 as the discharge lower limit value to be used in creating a charge / discharge plan. In other words, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may automatically acquire the discharge lower limit value (remaining battery capacity) calculated in step S203 as the discharge lower limit value (charge / discharge control value) to be used in creating a charge / discharge plan.

[0090] Furthermore, when a selection display is displayed on the display unit 310, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may acquire the discharge lower limit value based on the selection result (notification result) of the user U. When the selection result of the user U indicates acceptance of the notified discharge lower limit value, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 acquires the discharge lower limit value notified to the user U in step S204 as the discharge lower limit value (charge / discharge control value) to be used in creating the charge / discharge plan. When the selection result of the user U indicates that a value different from the notified discharge lower limit value is to be used in creating the charge / discharge plan, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 acquires the different value as the discharge lower limit value to be used in creating the charge / discharge plan.

[0091] Next, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 sets a charge / discharge control value based on the discharge lower limit value acquired in step S205 (S206), and outputs the charge / discharge control value to the charge / discharge planning unit 60. In this embodiment, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 sets the discharge lower limit value acquired in step S205 as the charge / discharge control value. It can also be said that the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 determines the discharge lower limit value acquired in step S205 as the charge / discharge control value. In addition, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 functions as an output unit.

[0092] As described above, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 uses the second history information to set the discharge lower limit value, and therefore can set an appropriate discharge lower limit value for each user, for each calendar information, etc. Note that the discharge lower limit value may change for a single electric vehicle 110 depending on the time period, the calendar information, the weather information, etc.

[0093] In step S204, in addition to the notification of the discharge lower limit value, information inquiring whether or not to make a discharge reservation for the first period may be transmitted.

[0094] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a second example of information displayed on the display unit 310 of the information terminal 300 of the user U. Fig. 8 shows a screen on which the information further transmitted to the user U in step S204 is displayed.

[0095] As shown in Fig. 8, the display unit 310 may further display a message indicating that discharge control will be performed during a first period ("tomorrow from XX to △" in Fig. 8), a message inquiring whether or not a discharge reservation is possible, and a selection display (display of "No" and "Yes" in Fig. 8). The display unit 310 may also display the contents of a benefit to be offered when a discharge reservation is made. For example, when a user U makes a discharge reservation, a benefit may be given to the user U or the electric vehicle 110 owned by the user.

[0096] The charge / discharge planning unit 60 may then create a charge / discharge plan based on the acquired inquiry result about whether or not to make a discharge reservation. The charge / discharge planning unit 60 may create a charge / discharge plan so that the electric vehicle 110 that has made a discharge reservation is given priority for discharging.

[0097] Next, another example of the operation of the charge / discharge control device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 9 to Fig. 11. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing another example of the operation (charge / discharge control method) of the charge / discharge control device 1 according to the present embodiment. Note that the processing of steps S101 to S107 shown in Fig. 9 is the same as that in Fig. 5, and therefore the description will be omitted or simplified.

[0098] As shown in Fig. 9, after creating a charge / discharge plan (S106), the charge / discharge planning unit 60 determines whether the value obtained by subtracting the charge / discharge control amount from the predicted power consumption amount is less than the contracted power (S301). The charge / discharge planning unit 60 determines whether the power consumption amount in the first period has become less than the contracted power by discharging up to the discharge lower limit value. Note that the charge / discharge control amount here is the total value of the dischargeable amount in the first period for each of one or more electric vehicles 110. The dischargeable amount is calculated as the difference between the remaining battery charge of the storage battery 111 immediately before the first period and the discharge lower limit value.

[0099] If the charge / discharge planning unit 60 determines that the value obtained by subtracting the charge / discharge control amount from the predicted power consumption amount is less than the contracted power (yes in S301), the charge / discharge control unit 70 proceeds to step S107, and generates charge / discharge control information based on the charge / discharge plan created in step S106, as in FIG. 5, and outputs the information to the charge / discharge facility or the electric vehicle 110 connected to the charge / discharge facility (S107).

[0100] Furthermore, when the charge / discharge planning unit 60 determines that the value obtained by subtracting the charge / discharge control amount from the predicted power consumption amount is not less than the contracted power (no in S301), it transmits a request to change the discharge lower limit value to the information terminal 300 of the user U (S302). The charge / discharge planning unit 60 inquires whether the discharge lower limit value for the first period may be set to a value lower than the discharge lower limit value set based on the second history information. For example, the charge / discharge planning unit 60 may inquire preferentially of a user U of an electric vehicle 110 that is predicted to be used less frequently during the first period based on the second history information, or may inquire preferentially of a user U who has made a discharge reservation. Furthermore, the charge / discharge planning unit 60 may inquire of each user U of a plurality of electric vehicles 110. Furthermore, when the charge / discharge planning unit 60 agrees to set the discharge lower limit value to a lower value, the charge / discharge planning unit 60 may grant a benefit to the electric vehicle 110, and the content of the benefit may be displayed on the display unit 310.

[0101] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a third example of information displayed on the display unit 310 of the information terminal 300 of the user U. Fig. 10 shows a screen on which the information transmitted to the user U in step S302 is displayed.

[0102] As shown in Fig. 10, a message indicating that discharge control will be performed and a message requesting that the discharge lower limit be set to a lower value are displayed on the display unit 310. Fig. 10 shows an example of a case where a request is made to lower the discharge lower limit to 10% (e.g., from 20% to 10%). The display unit 310 may further display a selection display that prompts the user U to input whether or not to change the discharge lower limit to 10%.

[0103] 9 again, next, when the user U changes the discharge lower limit value, for example, when the charge / discharge planning unit 60 receives a reply from the user U agreeing to lower the discharge lower limit value (yes in S303), the charge / discharge planning unit 60 updates the charge / discharge plan based on the changed discharge lower limit value (S304). The charge / discharge planning unit 60 updates the charge / discharge plan so as to increase the discharge amount of the electric vehicle 110 whose discharge lower limit value has been changed.

[0104] Furthermore, the charge and discharge planning unit 60 may further update (create) the charge and discharge plan so as to prioritize charging of the electric vehicle 110 that is discharging below the discharge lower limit value set based on the second history information (the electric vehicle 110 determined as "yes" in step S303) after the first period. Furthermore, when there are two or more electric vehicles 110 that are discharging below the discharge lower limit value set based on the second history information, the charge and discharge planning unit 60 may update (create) the charge and discharge plan so as to prioritize charging of the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 that has been used less after the first period among the two or more electric vehicles 110 compared to the storage batteries 111 of the other electric vehicles 110. The charging here refers to charging the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 that is discharging below the discharge lower limit value to the discharge lower limit value of the electric vehicle 110, but may also refer to, for example, fully charging or charging to a predetermined remaining battery level.

[0105] For example, if three electric vehicles 110 scheduled to depart at 7:00, 10:00, and 12:00 the following day are to be discharged below the lower discharge limit between 18:00 of the current day and midnight the following day, the electric vehicles 110 scheduled to depart at 7:00, 10:00, and 12:00 the following day will be charged in this order after midnight the following day. By charging the three electric vehicles 110 after they have discharged below the lower discharge limit, the possibility of charging them to at least the lower discharge limit can be increased, that is, the possibility of running out of power can be reduced.

[0106] Furthermore, for example, when there are two or more electric vehicles 110 that are discharging below the lower discharge limit value set based on the second history information, the charge / discharge planning unit 60 may update (create) the charge / discharge plan so as to prioritize charging of the electric vehicle 110 that discharged the most below the lower discharge limit value or the electric vehicle 110 that has the least remaining battery power after discharging.

[0107] Furthermore, the charge / discharge planning unit 60 may create a charge / discharge plan so as to prohibit charging of an electric vehicle 110 with a low degree of urgency from the current time until the first time period. An electric vehicle 110 with a low degree of urgency is an electric vehicle 110 with a remaining battery capacity equal to or greater than a reference remaining capacity. If the current remaining battery capacity of the electric vehicle 110 can be acquired and the remaining battery capacity is equal to or greater than the reference remaining capacity, the charge / discharge planning unit 60 may create a charge / discharge plan so as not to charge the electric vehicle 110 from the current time until the first time period.

[0108] Then, the charge / discharge control unit 70 generates charge / discharge control information based on the updated charge / discharge plan and outputs the generated charge / discharge control information (S107). When prohibiting charging of an electric vehicle 110 with a low degree of urgency, the charge / discharge control information may include a command value indicating a reference remaining amount for determining whether the degree of urgency is low. The reference remaining amount may be a value common to multiple electric vehicles 110, or may be a value individual to each of the multiple electric vehicles 110. The reference remaining amount is set in advance.

[0109] As a result, for example, if electric vehicle A, which is almost fully charged, and electric vehicle B, which has a low battery level, are connected to the charging / discharging equipment and only one of them can be charged, it becomes possible to charge electric vehicle B without charging electric vehicle A. By controlling the discharge of electric vehicle B during the first period, it becomes easier to alleviate the power shortage during the first period.

[0110] Furthermore, if there is no change in the discharge lower limit value from the user U (no in S303), the charge / discharge planning unit 60 outputs charge / discharge control information based on the charge / discharge plan created in step S106 (S107), as in FIG. 5.

[0111] Furthermore, if the determination in step S301 is no, in addition to or instead of step S302, information urging the user U to charge the electric vehicle 110 may be transmitted to the information terminal 300 of the user U.

[0112] Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a fourth example of information displayed on the display unit 310 of the information terminal 300 of the user U. Fig. 11 shows a screen on which the information transmitted to the user U in step S302 is displayed.

[0113] As shown in FIG. 11, in addition to the information shown in FIG. 7, information urging the user to charge by the first period may be displayed. "XX tomorrow" shown in FIG. 11 means the start time of the first period. The display unit 310 may further display a selection display for prompting the user U to input whether or not to charge. Then, in step S304, the charge / discharge plan may be updated based on the selection result of whether or not to charge. When the charge / discharge planning unit 60 acquires a selection result indicating that one electric vehicle 110 will be charged, the charge / discharge plan may be updated based on the discharge amount of the electric vehicle 110 based on the remaining battery level after charging (for example, a fully charged state), and the charge / discharge plan may be updated based on the discharge amount.

[0114] Note that information encouraging charging of the electric vehicle 110 may be preferentially transmitted to the information terminal 300 of the user U of the electric vehicle 110 having a small value obtained by subtracting the lower discharge limit value from the current remaining battery charge. Also, information indicating the time required to charge the electric vehicle 110 to the subtracted value, time periods when the charging / discharging equipment is not in use, etc. may be displayed on the display unit 310.

[0115] [3. Effects, etc.] As described above, the charge / discharge control device 1 according to this embodiment is a charge / discharge control device that controls charging and discharging of an electric vehicle 110 (an example of an electrically powered vehicle) in an apartment building 100 having a charge / discharge facility. The charge / discharge control device 1 includes a power consumption amount acquisition unit 10 (an example of a first acquisition unit) that acquires the amount of power consumed by the apartment building 100, an energy amount accumulation unit 20 (an example of a first storage unit) that stores first history information including a history of the amount of power consumed by the apartment building 100, an energy amount prediction unit 30 (an example of a prediction unit) that predicts a first future energy consumption amount in the apartment building 100 based on the first history information, and a storage battery information accumulation unit 4 that acquires storage battery information related to charging and discharging of a storage battery 111 included in the electric vehicle 110 and stores second history information including a history of the acquired storage battery information. 0 (an example of a second acquisition unit, a second memory unit), a charge / discharge control setting unit 50 (an example of a setting unit) that sets a discharge lower limit value indicating the remaining battery level at which discharging to supply power from the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 to the apartment building 100 during the first period based on the second history information when it is predicted that power will be tight during a first period in the future based on the first power consumption amount, and a charge / discharge planning unit 60 (an example of a creation unit) that creates a charge / discharge plan including the discharging during the first period based on the first power consumption amount and the discharge lower limit value.

[0116] This allows the charge / discharge control device 1 to set the discharge lower limit value according to the second history information, thereby helping to set a more appropriate discharge lower limit value.

[0117] Furthermore, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may predict a second amount of power consumption that the electric vehicle 110 will consume in one day based on the second history information, and set the discharge lower limit value based on the predicted second amount of power consumption.

[0118] This allows the charge / discharge control device 1 to assist in setting a more appropriate discharge lower limit value that will prevent the electric vehicle 110 from running out of power during one day including the first period (for example, the next day).

[0119] In addition, the storage battery information includes information indicating the remaining battery capacity of the storage battery 111 and information indicating the travel distance of the electric vehicle 110, and the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may predict the second power consumption amount based on second history information including a history of the information indicating the remaining battery capacity and the information indicating the travel distance.

[0120] As a result, the charge / discharge control device 1 uses the history of the remaining battery charge and the mileage, and can therefore more accurately predict the amount of power consumed in a day by the electric vehicle 110. This leads to improved accuracy in calculating the discharge lower limit value.

[0121] In addition, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may predict a second amount of power consumption to be consumed by the electric vehicle 110 in a second period after the discharge in the first period based on the second history information, and set the discharge lower limit value based on the predicted second amount of power consumption.

[0122] This allows the charge / discharge control device 1 to assist in setting a more appropriate discharge lower limit value that will prevent the electric vehicle 110 from running out of power during the second period.

[0123] The second period is a period from the time when the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 is discharged in the first period until the time when the storage battery 111 is charged.

[0124] This allows the charge / discharge control device 1 to assist in setting a more appropriate discharge lower limit value that will prevent the electric vehicle 110 from running out of power between the end of discharge and the next charge.

[0125] In addition, the storage battery information includes information indicating the remaining battery capacity of the storage battery 111 and information indicating the travel distance of the electric vehicle 110, and the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may predict the second power consumption amount based on second history information including a history of the information indicating the remaining battery capacity and the information indicating the travel distance.

[0126] As a result, the charge / discharge control device 1 uses the history of the remaining battery charge and the travel distance, and can therefore more accurately predict the amount of power consumed by the electric vehicle 110 during the second period, which leads to improved accuracy in calculating the discharge lower limit value.

[0127] Furthermore, when the second history information includes a travel distance that is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 predicts the second amount of power consumption based on the second history information excluding the travel distance.

[0128] As a result, the charge / discharge control device 1 uses the second history information excluding the singular value, and thus can more accurately predict the second power consumption. Since the second power consumption is used to set the discharge lower limit, the charge / discharge control device 1 can help set a more accurate discharge lower limit as a more appropriate discharge lower limit.

[0129] Furthermore, the electric vehicle 110 is equipped with an air conditioner, and the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 predicts the second amount of power consumption when the air conditioner of the electric vehicle 110 is used.

[0130] This allows the discharge lower limit value to be calculated taking into account the use of the air conditioner, so the charge / discharge control device 1 can help set a more appropriate discharge lower limit value when it is predicted that the air conditioner will be used in summer, for example.

[0131] Furthermore, the system further includes a charge / discharge control setting unit 50 (an example of a third acquisition unit) that acquires weather information, and the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 further predicts the amount of power consumed by the air conditioner based on the weather information.

[0132] This allows for more accurate prediction of air conditioner power consumption based on weather information, which leads to improved accuracy in calculating the lower discharge limit.

[0133] Furthermore, the power amount predicting unit 30 predicts the first power consumption amount further based on calendar information.

[0134] This allows the power amount prediction unit 30 to predict the first amount of power consumption required for the target period according to calendar information such as the day of the week in the target period, whether the target period includes a public holiday, etc. For example, improvement in the prediction accuracy of the first amount of power consumption can be expected.

[0135] In addition, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may calculate a recommended value for the discharge lower limit value based on the second history information, notify the user U of the electric vehicle 110 of the calculated recommended value, and set the discharge lower limit value based on the notification result obtained from the user U.

[0136] As a result, the charge / discharge control device 1 can notify the user U of the recommended value of the discharge lower limit calculated based on the second history information as an index for setting the discharge lower limit. Therefore, when the user U sets the discharge lower limit, the charge / discharge control device 1 can help the user U to set a more appropriate discharge lower limit.

[0137] Furthermore, the charge / discharge control setting unit 50 may calculate the remaining battery capacity at which discharging should be stopped based on the second history information, and set the calculated remaining battery capacity as the lower limit of discharge.

[0138] As a result, the charge / discharge control device 1 automatically sets the discharge lower limit value based on the second history information, thereby helping to set a more appropriate discharge lower limit value.

[0139] Furthermore, information indicating the mileage is acquired from the odometer value or the latitude and longitude values of the GPS.

[0140] This makes it possible to easily obtain information indicating the distance traveled based on the odometer value or the latitude and longitude values of the GPS.

[0141] Furthermore, if it is predicted that the electric vehicle 110 will be used infrequently during the first period, the charge / discharge planning unit 60 inquires of the user U of the electric vehicle 110 as to whether it is acceptable to set the discharge lower limit value to a value lower than the value set based on the second history information, and creates a charge / discharge plan based on the obtained inquiry result.

[0142] As a result, for example, if the amount of power consumed does not fall below the contracted power even after charge / discharge control is performed, the shortfall can be compensated for by lowering the discharge lower limit. Therefore, the charge / discharge control device 1 can help set a more appropriate discharge lower limit from the viewpoint of more reliably keeping the amount of power consumed in the first period below the contracted power.

[0143] In addition, if there are multiple electric vehicles 110 and there are two or more electric vehicles 110 that are discharging below the discharge lower limit value set based on the second history information, the charge / discharge planning unit 60 creates a charge / discharge plan such that priority is given to charging the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 that has been used for the earliest time after the first period among the two or more electric vehicles 110.

[0144] This allows the electric vehicle 110, which is used for a short time, to ensure that it has enough remaining battery power before use, thereby preventing the electric vehicle 110 from running out of power.

[0145] Furthermore, the charge / discharge planning unit 60 creates a charge / discharge plan so as to prohibit charging of electric vehicles 110 with a low degree of urgency from the present time until the first period.

[0146] This allows electric vehicles 110 with a high degree of urgency to be charged more reliably within the first period.

[0147] Furthermore, the charge / discharge planning unit 60 inquires of the user U of the electric vehicle 110 whether or not it is acceptable to discharge the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 during the first period, and creates a charge / discharge plan based on the acquired inquiry result.

[0148] This makes it possible to secure electric vehicles 110 that will reliably discharge during the first period, thereby improving the accuracy of discharge control.

[0149] Furthermore, the system further includes a charge / discharge control unit 70 that issues charge / discharge control commands to the charge / discharge equipment based on the charge / discharge plan.

[0150] This allows the charge / discharge control device 1 to control the charge / discharge equipment and the like in accordance with a charge / discharge plan created using a more appropriately set lower limit value for discharge.

[0151] In addition, the apartment building 100 has multiple charging and discharging facilities and is capable of charging and discharging multiple electric vehicles 110, and the charging and discharging control setting unit 50 sets a discharge lower limit value for each of the multiple electric vehicles 110 and creates a charging and discharging plan based on the set discharge lower limit values for each of the multiple electric vehicles 110.

[0152] This allows the charge / discharge control device 1 to assist in setting a more appropriate lower discharge limit value for each of the electric vehicles 110. Furthermore, the created charge / discharge plan can more reliably alleviate the power shortage in the first period.

[0153] Furthermore, the discharge lower limit setting device according to the present embodiment is a discharge lower limit setting device that sets a discharge lower limit used in a charge / discharge control device 1 that controls charging and discharging of an electric vehicle 110 in an apartment building 100 having charging and discharging facilities. The discharge lower limit setting device includes a charge / discharge control setting unit 50 (an example of a setting unit) that sets a discharge lower limit indicating a remaining battery level at which discharging for supplying power from the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 to the apartment building 100 during a certain period of time when the charge / discharge control device 1 predicts that power will be tight during that certain period of time, based on history information including history of storage battery information related to charging and discharging of the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110, and an output unit (for example, realized by the charge / discharge control setting unit 50) that outputs the set discharge lower limit to the charge / discharge control device 1.

[0154] This allows the discharge lower limit value to be set in accordance with the history information including the history of the storage battery information, thereby enabling the discharge lower limit value setting device to assist in setting a more appropriate discharge lower limit value.

[0155] Furthermore, the charge / discharge control method according to the present embodiment is a charge / discharge control method for controlling charging and discharging of the electric vehicle 110 in the apartment building 100 having charging / discharging facilities. The charge / discharge control method acquires the amount of power consumption of the apartment building 100 (S101), predicts a first future amount of power consumption of the apartment building 100 based on first history information including the acquired history of power consumption of the apartment building 100 (S103), acquires storage battery information related to charging and discharging of the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 (S201), and when it is predicted that power will be tight in a first future period based on the first amount of power consumption, sets a discharge lower limit indicating the remaining battery level for stopping discharging from the storage battery 111 of the electric vehicle 110 for supplying power to the apartment building 100 for the first period based on second history information including the history of the storage battery information (S206), and creates a charge / discharge plan including discharging for the first period based on the first amount of power consumption and the discharge lower limit (S106). The above-described charge / discharge control method is executed by the charge / discharge control device 1. The program according to the present embodiment is a program for causing a computer to execute the above-described charge / discharge control method.

[0156] This provides the same effects as the charge / discharge control device 1 described above.

[0157] (Other embodiments) While the charge / discharge control device according to one or more aspects has been described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. As long as it does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention, various modifications conceivable by those skilled in the art to the present embodiments and configurations constructed by combining components of different embodiments may also be included in the present invention.

[0158] For example, in the above embodiment, the power amount prediction unit predicts the power consumption for the next day, but the power amount prediction unit may predict the power consumption for the current day or the day after that. Also, in the above embodiment, the charge / discharge planning unit creates a charge / discharge plan for the next day, but the charge / discharge planning unit may create a charge / discharge plan for the current day or the day after that.

[0159] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a benefit is given when a discharge reservation is made, but a benefit may also be given to an electric vehicle that is connected to the charging / discharging equipment during the first period.

[0160] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a request to lower the discharge lower limit value is made when the result of the determination in step S301 in FIG. 8 is no, but a request to lower the discharge lower limit value may be made regardless of the determination result of step S301.

[0161] Furthermore, the storage battery information or the second history information in the above-described embodiments may be acquired via an application service provided by an automobile manufacturer, for example.

[0162] Furthermore, the remaining battery charge of the electric vehicle immediately before the start of the first period in the above-described embodiment can be predicted, for example, based on the second history information. For example, the amount of power consumed by the electric vehicle from the present time until immediately before the start of the first period may be calculated based on the second history information, and the remaining battery charge of the electric vehicle immediately before the start of the first period may be calculated based on the present remaining battery charge and the calculated amount of power.

[0163] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the average power for every 30 minutes is used as the maximum demand power in a high-voltage bulk power receiving contract, but this is not limited to every 30 minutes, and the time may be determined appropriately depending on, for example, the contract details, etc. Furthermore, the predetermined period is not limited to 30 minutes.

[0164] In addition, in the above embodiment, "power shortage" means that the predicted power consumption value exceeds the contracted power, but it may also include a case where the difference between the predicted power consumption value and the contracted power is less than a predetermined value even if the predicted power consumption value does not exceed the contracted power.

[0165] The acquiring unit, the second acquiring unit, the third acquiring unit, and the output unit in the above-described embodiment may be realized by a communication unit (not shown) included in the charge / discharge control device. The communication unit is configured to include a communication circuit (communication module).

[0166] The division of functional blocks in the block diagram is an example, and multiple functional blocks may be realized as a single functional block, one functional block may be divided into multiple blocks, or some functions may be moved to another functional block.Furthermore, the functions of multiple functional blocks having similar functions may be processed in parallel or in time-sharing by a single piece of hardware or software.

[0167] Although the charge / discharge control device according to the above embodiment is implemented as a single device, it may be implemented by multiple devices. When the charge / discharge control device is implemented by multiple devices, the components of the charge / discharge control device may be distributed among the multiple devices in any manner. For example, the battery information accumulation unit and the charge / discharge control setting unit may be implemented by different devices (e.g., different server devices) from the power consumption amount acquisition unit, the energy amount accumulation unit, the energy amount prediction unit, and the charge / discharge planning unit. Also, some or all of the functions of the battery information accumulation unit and the charge / discharge control setting unit may be implemented by the electric vehicle. For example, the charge / discharge control setting unit may acquire a lower discharge limit set by a processing unit of the electric vehicle based on second history information of the battery of the electric vehicle. Also, when the charge / discharge control device is implemented by multiple devices, the communication method between the multiple devices is not particularly limited and may be wireless communication or wired communication. Also, wireless communication and wired communication may be combined between the devices.

[0168] In addition, the general or specific aspects of the charge / discharge control device according to the above embodiments may be realized by a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a non-transitory recording medium such as a computer-readable CD-ROM, or may be realized by any combination of a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a recording medium.

[0169] Furthermore, each component described in the above embodiments may be implemented as software or, typically, as an LSI, which is an integrated circuit. These components may be individually integrated into a single chip, or some or all of them may be integrated into a single chip. While LSI is used here, it may also be referred to as an IC, system LSI, super LSI, or ultra LSI depending on the level of integration. Furthermore, the integration method is not limited to LSI; it may be implemented using a dedicated circuit (a general-purpose circuit that executes a dedicated program) or a general-purpose processor. It is also possible to use a field programmable gate array (FPGA), which can be programmed after LSI fabrication, or a reconfigurable processor, which allows the connection or settings of circuit cells within an LSI to be reconfigured. Furthermore, if an integrated circuit technology that can replace LSI emerges due to advances in semiconductor technology or a derivative technology, that technology may naturally be used to integrate the components.

[0170] A system LSI is an ultra-multifunctional LSI manufactured by integrating multiple processing units on a single chip, and is specifically a computer system consisting of a microprocessor, ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. Computer programs are stored in the ROM. The system LSI achieves its functions when the microprocessor operates in accordance with the computer program.

[0171] Another aspect of the present invention may be a computer program that causes a computer to execute each of the characteristic steps included in the charge / discharge control method shown in any one of FIG. 5, FIG. 6, and FIG.

[0172] Furthermore, for example, the program may be a program to be executed by a computer. Another aspect of the present invention may be a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium on which such a program is recorded. For example, such a program may be recorded on a recording medium and distributed or circulated. For example, the distributed program may be installed in a device having another processor, and the program may be executed by the processor, thereby causing the device to perform each of the above processes.

[0173] (Addendum) (Technology 1) A charge / discharge control device that controls charging and discharging of electric vehicles in an apartment building having charge / discharge facilities, a first acquisition unit that acquires the amount of power consumption of the apartment building; a first storage unit that stores first history information including a history of the amount of power consumption of the apartment building; a prediction unit that predicts a first future amount of power consumption in the apartment building based on the first history information; a second acquisition unit that acquires storage battery information related to charging and discharging of a storage battery included in the electric vehicle; a second storage unit that stores second history information including a history of the storage battery information; a setting unit that, when it is predicted that there will be a shortage of power in a first future time period based on the first power consumption amount, sets a discharge lower limit value indicating a remaining battery level at which discharging for supplying power to the apartment building from the storage battery of the electric vehicle during the first time period is stopped based on the second history information; a creation unit that creates a charge / discharge plan including the discharge during the first period based on the first power consumption amount and the discharge lower limit value. Charge and discharge control device.

[0174] (Technology 2) The setting unit predicts a second amount of power consumption that the electric vehicle will consume in one day based on the second history information, and sets the discharge lower limit value based on the predicted second amount of power consumption. The charge / discharge control device according to technology 1.

[0175] (Technology 3) the storage battery information includes information indicating a remaining battery charge of the storage battery and information indicating a travel distance of the electric vehicle, The setting unit predicts the second power consumption amount based on the second history information including a history of information indicating the remaining battery level and information indicating the travel distance. The charge / discharge control device according to technique 2.

[0176] (Technology 4) The setting unit predicts a second amount of power consumption to be consumed by the electric vehicle in a second period after discharging in the first period based on the second history information, and sets the discharge lower limit value based on the predicted second amount of power consumption. The charge / discharge control device according to technology 1.

[0177] (Technology 5) The second period is a period from the discharge in the first period until the storage battery of the electric vehicle is charged. The charge / discharge control device according to technique 4.

[0178] (Technology 6) the storage battery information includes information indicating a remaining battery charge of the storage battery and information indicating a travel distance of the electric vehicle, The setting unit predicts the second power consumption amount based on the second history information including a history of information indicating the remaining battery level and information indicating the travel distance. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of claims 4 to 5.

[0179] (Technology 7) When the second history information includes a travel distance that is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, the setting unit predicts the second power consumption amount based on the second history information excluding the travel distance. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of the preceding claims.

[0180] (Technology 8) The electric vehicle is equipped with an air conditioner, The setting unit predicts the second power consumption amount when the electric vehicle uses the air conditioner. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of the second to seventh aspects.

[0181] (Technology 9) Further, a third acquisition unit for acquiring weather information is provided, The setting unit further predicts the amount of power consumed by the air conditioner based on the weather information. The charge / discharge control device according to technique 8.

[0182] (Technology 10) The prediction unit further predicts the first power consumption amount based on calendar information. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of the first to ninth aspects.

[0183] (Technology 11) The setting unit calculates a recommended value for the discharge lower limit value based on the second history information, notifies a user of the electric vehicle of the calculated recommended value, and sets the discharge lower limit value based on a notification result obtained from the user. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of the first to tenth aspects.

[0184] (Technology 12) The setting unit calculates the remaining battery capacity at which the discharging is to be stopped based on the second history information, and sets the calculated remaining battery capacity to the lower discharge limit value. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects.

[0185] (Technology 13) The information indicating the traveled distance is obtained from an odometer value or a latitude and longitude value of a GPS (Global Positioning System). The charge / discharge control device according to any one of techniques 3, 6, and 7.

[0186] (Technology 14) When it is predicted that the electric vehicle will be used infrequently during the first period, the creation unit inquires of a user of the electric vehicle as to whether or not it is acceptable to set the discharge lower limit value to a value lower than the value set based on the second history information, and creates the charge and discharge plan based on an acquired inquiry result. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of the first to thirteenth aspects.

[0187] (Technology 15) There are a plurality of the electric vehicles, When there are two or more electric vehicles that are to be discharged below the discharge lower limit value set based on the second history information, the creation unit creates the charge and discharge plan such that, among the two or more electric vehicles, the storage battery of the electric vehicle that has been used for a shorter time after the first period is preferentially charged. The charge / discharge control device according to technology 14.

[0188] (Technology 16) The creation unit creates the charge / discharge plan so as to prohibit charging of the electric vehicle with a low degree of urgency from the present time to the first period. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects.

[0189] (Technology 17) The creation unit inquires of a user of the electric vehicle whether or not it is okay to discharge the storage battery of the electric vehicle during the first period, and creates the charge / discharge plan based on an acquired inquiry result. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects.

[0190] (Technology 18) Further, a charge / discharge control unit that issues a charge / discharge control command to the charge / discharge equipment based on the charge / discharge plan is provided. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of the first to seventeenth aspects.

[0191] (Technology 19) the housing complex has a plurality of the charging / discharging facilities, and a plurality of the electric vehicles can be charged / discharged; The setting unit sets a discharge lower limit value for each of the plurality of electric vehicles, and creates the charge / discharge plan based on the set discharge lower limit values for each of the plurality of electric vehicles. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of the first to eighteenth aspects.

[0192] (Technology 20) 1. A discharge lower limit value setting device for setting a discharge lower limit value used in a charge / discharge control device that controls charging / discharging of electric vehicles in an apartment building having charge / discharge facilities, a setting unit that, when the charge / discharge control device predicts that power will be tight in a certain future period, sets a discharge lower limit value indicating a remaining battery level at which discharging for supplying power from the storage battery of the electric vehicle to the apartment building during the certain future period based on history information including history of storage battery information related to charging and discharging of the storage battery of the electric vehicle; an output unit that outputs the set discharge lower limit value to the charge / discharge control device; Discharge lower limit setting device.

[0193] (Technology 21) A charge / discharge control method for controlling charge / discharge of an electric vehicle in an apartment building having a charge / discharge facility, comprising: The amount of power consumption of the apartment building is acquired, predicting a first future amount of power consumption in the apartment building based on first history information including the acquired history of power consumption in the apartment building; acquiring storage battery information relating to charging and discharging of a storage battery included in the electric vehicle; when it is predicted that power will be tight during a first future time period based on the first power consumption amount, setting a discharge lower limit value indicating a remaining battery level at which discharging for supplying power to the apartment building from the storage battery of the electric vehicle during the first future time period is stopped based on second history information including a history of the storage battery information; A charge / discharge plan including the discharge during the first period is created based on the first power consumption amount and the discharge lower limit value. Charge and discharge control method.

[0194] (Technology 22) A program for causing a computer to execute the charge / discharge control method described in Technology 21. [Explanation of symbols]

[0195] 1. Charge / discharge control device 10 Power consumption acquisition part (1st acquisition part) 20 Electric energy storage unit (first storage unit) 30 Power consumption prediction unit (prediction unit) 40 Storage battery information storage unit (second storage unit, acquisition unit, second acquisition unit) 50 Charge / discharge control setting unit (setting unit, output unit, third acquisition unit) 60 Charging and Discharging Planning Department (Creation Department) 70 Charge / discharge control unit 100 apartment complex 110 Electric vehicles (electric vehicles) 111 Storage battery U User

Claims

1. A charge / discharge control device that controls charging and discharging of electric vehicles in an apartment building having charge / discharge facilities, a first acquisition unit that acquires the amount of power consumption of the apartment building; a first storage unit that stores first history information including a history of power consumption of the apartment building; a prediction unit that predicts a future first amount of power consumption in the apartment building based on the first history information; a second acquisition unit that acquires storage battery information related to charging and discharging of a storage battery included in the electric vehicle; a second storage unit configured to store second history information including a history of the storage battery information; a setting unit that, when it is predicted that there will be a shortage of power in a first future time period based on the first power consumption amount, sets a discharge lower limit value indicating a remaining battery level at which discharging for supplying power to the apartment building from the storage battery of the electric vehicle during the first time period is stopped based on the second history information; a creation unit that creates a charge / discharge plan including the discharging in the first period based on the first power consumption amount and the discharge lower limit value, When it is predicted that the electric vehicle will be used infrequently during the first period, the creation unit inquires of a user of the electric vehicle as to whether or not it is acceptable to set the discharge lower limit value to a value lower than the value set based on the second history information, and creates the charge and discharge plan based on an acquired inquiry result. Charge and discharge control device.

2. The setting unit predicts a second amount of power consumption that the electric vehicle will consume in one day based on the second history information, and sets the discharge lower limit value based on the predicted second amount of power consumption. The charge / discharge control device according to claim 1 .

3. the storage battery information includes information indicating a remaining battery charge of the storage battery and information indicating a travel distance of the electric vehicle, The setting unit predicts the second power consumption amount based on the second history information including a history of information indicating the remaining battery level and information indicating the travel distance. The charge / discharge control device according to claim 2 .

4. The setting unit predicts a second amount of power consumption to be consumed by the electric vehicle in a second period after discharging in the first period based on the second history information, and sets the discharge lower limit value based on the predicted second amount of power consumption. The charge / discharge control device according to claim 1 .

5. The second period is a period from the discharge in the first period until the storage battery of the electric vehicle is charged. The charge / discharge control device according to claim 4 .

6. the storage battery information includes information indicating a remaining battery charge of the storage battery and information indicating a travel distance of the electric vehicle, The setting unit predicts the second power consumption amount based on the second history information including a history of information indicating the remaining battery level and information indicating the travel distance. The charge / discharge control device according to claim 4 .

7. When the second history information includes a travel distance that is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, the setting unit predicts the second power consumption amount based on the second history information excluding the travel distance. The charge / discharge control device according to claim 3 or 6.

8. The electric vehicle is equipped with an air conditioner, The setting unit predicts the second power consumption amount when the electric vehicle uses the air conditioner. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of claims 2 to 6.

9. Further, a third acquisition unit for acquiring weather information is provided, The setting unit further predicts the amount of power consumed by the air conditioner based on the weather information. The charge / discharge control device according to claim 8.

10. The prediction unit further predicts the first power consumption amount based on calendar information. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

11. The setting unit calculates a recommended value for the discharge lower limit value based on the second history information, notifies a user of the electric vehicle of the calculated recommended value, and sets the discharge lower limit value based on a notification result obtained from the user. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

12. The setting unit calculates the remaining battery capacity at which the discharging is to be stopped based on the second history information, and sets the calculated remaining battery capacity to the lower discharge limit value. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

13. The information indicating the traveled distance is acquired from an odometer value or a latitude and longitude value of a GPS (Global Positioning System). The charge / discharge control device according to claim 3 or 6.

14. There are a plurality of the electric vehicles, When there are two or more electric vehicles that are to be discharged below the discharge lower limit value set based on the second history information, the creation unit creates the charge and discharge plan such that, among the two or more electric vehicles, the storage battery of the electric vehicle that has been used for a shorter time after the first period is preferentially charged. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

15. The creation unit creates the charge / discharge plan so as to prohibit charging of the electric vehicle with a low degree of urgency from the present time to the first period. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

16. The creation unit inquires of a user of the electric vehicle about whether or not it is acceptable to discharge the storage battery included in the electric vehicle during the first period, and creates the charge / discharge plan based on an acquired inquiry result. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

17. Further, a charge / discharge control unit that issues a charge / discharge control command to the charge / discharge equipment based on the charge / discharge plan is provided. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

18. the housing complex has a plurality of the charging / discharging facilities, and a plurality of the electric vehicles can be charged / discharged; The setting unit sets a discharge lower limit value for each of the plurality of electric vehicles, and creates the charge / discharge plan based on the set discharge lower limit values for each of the plurality of electric vehicles. The charge / discharge control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

19. A charge / discharge control method for controlling charge / discharge of an electric vehicle in an apartment building having a charge / discharge facility, comprising: The amount of power consumption of the apartment building is acquired, predicting a first amount of future power consumption in the apartment building based on first history information including the acquired history of power consumption in the apartment building; acquiring storage battery information relating to charging and discharging of a storage battery included in the electric vehicle; when it is predicted based on the first power consumption that a power shortage will occur in a first period in the future, set a discharge lower limit value indicating a remaining battery level at which discharging for supplying power from the storage battery of the electric vehicle to the apartment building during the first period is stopped based on second history information including a history of the storage battery information; creating a charge / discharge plan including the discharge during the first period based on the first power consumption amount and the discharge lower limit value; In creating the charge / discharge plan, if it is predicted that the electric vehicle will be used less frequently during the first period, a user of the electric vehicle is inquired as to whether or not it is acceptable to set the discharge lower limit value to a value lower than the value set based on the second history information, and the charge / discharge plan is created based on an acquired inquiry result. Charge and discharge control method.

20. A program for causing a computer to execute the charge / discharge control method according to claim 19.

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