Energy management device, energy management system, and energy management method

Abstract

To suppress stop and reactivation of a fuel cell.SOLUTION: An energy management device for managing energy of a plurality of facilities includes a processor for executing a program and a storage device for storing the program, and can access a controller for controlling a heat electricity supply device for supplying power to a power load device in each facility of the plurality of facilities and supplying heat to a heat load device in the facility. The processor acquires a power generation plan based on time series power demand and time series power generation amounts of the heat electricity supply devices in the respective facilities and, on the basis of the power generation plan, controls a controller of a first facility of the plurality of facilities so as to execute, in a control object period, at least one of stopping the heat electricity supply device in the first facility, charging a secondary cell in the first facility, and supplying power from the heat electricity supply device in the first facility to the power load device in a second facility of the plurality of facilities.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an energy management device, an energy management system, and an energy management method for managing energy. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there have been energy systems equipped with cogeneration facilities, as described in the following Patent Documents 1 to 3. For example, the energy system of Patent Document 1 and The energy management device is a device that manages the power generation amount of a cogeneration facility and the heat supply amount from a heat storage facility in an energy system, and includes: a load prediction unit that predicts the load power and load heat amount at predetermined intervals; an operation priority determination unit that determines at predetermined intervals one of a first mode that prioritizes power generation based on the power generation price, heat recovery price, and power purchase price corresponding to the load power and load heat amount predicted by the load prediction unit, a second mode that determines the power generation amount according to the heat storage amount, and a third mode that prioritizes power purchase; a power generation amount determination unit that determines at predetermined intervals the power generation amount according to the determination result of one of the first to third modes by the operation priority determination unit; and a heat supply amount determination unit that determines the heat supply amount at predetermined intervals based on the predicted heat storage amount.

[0003] Furthermore, the power supply system of Patent Document 2 is a power supply system that supplies power from a fuel cell and the storage device to a load, and the power generation state of the fuel cell changes between a maximum power generation state in which the maximum power is generated and a power generation stop state in which power generation is stopped, depending on the charging and discharging of the storage device, and when the fuel cell is in the maximum power generation state, if the state in which the power consumption of the load is less than the maximum power generation power of the fuel cell continues for a predetermined period of time, the fuel cell is put into a power generation stop state.

[0004] In addition, the energy supply system of Patent Document 3 has first and second cogeneration systems, first and second steam accumulators, and first and second gas boilers provided in each of the first and second areas where the power demand and heat demand can be grasped individually, and transmits and receives the electricity generated by the first and second cogeneration systems between the two areas A1 and A2 via a power transmission line.The system calculates the operating rates of the first and second cogeneration systems and controls their operation based on the power demand and heat demand grasped in database 7, the heat storage amounts in the first and second steam accumulators, and the power generation efficiencies of the first and second cogeneration systems. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-042420 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-103275 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-070647 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] To promote the reduction of CO2 emissions across society, it is necessary to decarbonize energy sources and quickly realize a "hydrogen society" that uses renewable energy to produce hydrogen, enabling the storage and distribution of energy. In this case, the realization and widespread adoption of technology that can efficiently utilize hydrogen will be a challenge.

[0007] For example, in cold regions, where fossil fuel consumption for heat sources accounts for a large proportion, it is necessary to bridge the gap between using fluctuating renewable energy as an energy source and driving a constantly operating heat source. Specifically, it is necessary to simultaneously solve two issues: "energy conversion from electricity to heat" and "shifting the time from peak renewable energy supply to peak heat demand." In a hydrogen society, this can be achieved by combining hydrogen production from renewable energy with distributed heat and power supply at consumer facilities.

[0008] However, because electricity and heat are supplied by independent infrastructures, mismatches in supply and demand can occur. Examples of mismatches in supply and demand include: (1) While there is a surplus of variable renewable energy during the day, electricity consumption is high in the evening. (2) Gas consumption is high in winter. There is.

[0009] Furthermore, distributed power sources using fuel cells, particularly SOFCs (Solid Oxide Fuel Cells), have various characteristics, such as highly efficient power generation, a high-temperature heat source of around 700°C, the ability to adjust the heat-to-power ratio, and compatibility with multiple fuels, including not only 100% hydrogen but also hydrocarbon fuels such as methane and ethanol. In this way, SOFCs have desirable characteristics for a smooth transition from natural gas infrastructure to hydrogen infrastructure while avoiding excessive investment.

[0010] On the other hand, technical constraints include limitations on the adjustment of the heat-to-power ratio, and the need to preheat to a sufficiently high temperature (over 600°C) before power generation can begin. Furthermore, because they are made of ceramic materials such as yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ), they are vulnerable to rapid heating and cooling, which poses a challenge when applying them to thermoelectric power supply.

[0011] As a result, when energy demand fluctuates greatly, there will be an excess of either heat or electricity. For example, if the electricity demand per household in a house is 4MWh / day and the heat demand is 15MWh / day, there will tend to be an excess of electricity during times when the occupants are not present. On the other hand, matching the electricity demand will result in a heat shortage, and matching the heat demand will result in an excess of electricity.

[0012] Furthermore, shutting down a fuel cell can be difficult, making its operation challenging. For example, SOFCs require 8 to 24 hours to heat up from room temperature to operating temperature (700°C), making rapid heating impossible. Furthermore, repeated start-stop cycles cause accumulated deterioration (up to a few thousand cycles), so continuous operation without fluctuations is desirable.

[0013] An object of the present invention is to suppress the stopping and restarting of a fuel cell. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] An energy management device according to one aspect of the invention disclosed in the present application is an energy management device that manages energy in a plurality of facilities, and includes a processor that executes a program and a storage device that stores the program, and further includes a thermoelectric power supply device that supplies power to a power load device in each of the plurality of facilities and supplies heat to a heat load device in the facility, and a control device that controls the thermoelectric power supply device, wherein the processor acquires a power generation plan based on a time-series power demand in each of the facilities and a time-series power generation amount of the thermoelectric power supply device, and controls the control device of the first facility based on the power generation plan to perform at least one of stopping the thermoelectric power supply device of a first facility among the plurality of facilities, charging a secondary battery in the first facility, and supplying power from the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility to the power load device of a second facility among the plurality of facilities during a control target period. Regarding the control of charging the secondary battery in the first facility, if the first facility is in a power surplus state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the first facility and the second facility is not in a power shortage state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the second facility, the control device of the first facility is controlled so as to charge the secondary battery in the first facility during the control period. , characterized by: [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to a representative embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the shutdown and restart of a fuel cell. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the examples. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the system configuration of an energy system. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram (part 1) showing a graph of changes in peak electricity demand over time. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram (part 2) showing a graph of changes in peak electricity demand over time. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a first operation example of the energy management system. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a second operation example of the energy management system. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a third operation example of the energy management system. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a fourth operation example of the energy management system. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a fifth operation example of the energy management system. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing the operation of the fuel cell. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart (first half) illustrating an example of an energy management processing procedure performed by the energy management system. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart (second half) illustrating an example of an energy management processing procedure performed by the energy management system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The energy management system is a system that manages the energy of distributed heat sources, primarily fuel cells, which are a promising means of distributed heat and power supply. In a configuration in which multiple fuel cells and power loads (or secondary batteries) exist under a power distribution network 104, when the power load of a facility in a certain demand sector is reduced, this energy management system supplies power to loads in other demand sectors, charges the secondary batteries, and if a fuel cell must be shut down, it is shut down in rotation with fuel cells in other facilities in the same or different demand sectors, thereby avoiding frequent shutdowns and restarts of the fuel cell. A demand sector is a group of facilities with a common demand profile.

[0018] The demand profile includes, for example, peak electricity demand and the location of facilities. For example, a group of facilities in the same area that share a common peak time period belong to the same demand sector. The power load may be, for example, a stationary generator in a city block, or a railway, hybrid electric vehicle (EV), or fuel cell vehicle (FCV).

[0019] This energy management system makes it possible to avoid operating conditions that tend to deteriorate fuel cells, such as frequent start-stops and long-term operation under high loads, by controlling the operation of multiple units in coordination.In addition, electrode deterioration and thermal shock caused by sudden heating can be avoided to the extent that load fluctuations are suppressed.

[0020] The energy management system will operate the SOFC system rationally, assuming that the device characteristics themselves are given. The target for introducing the energy management system is, for example, an area where electricity and city gas are widely used as urban infrastructure, but where the introduction of a heat grid is not suitable.

[0021] Furthermore, heat can only be used on-site. Steam and hot water piping have large heat losses and are only viable in small areas such as buildings or densely populated areas. For example, if the heat demand line density (the amount of heat demand per pipe length) is 0.5 MWh / m·year or less, heat loss exceeds 20%. When the heat demand line density or heat demand density is low, it is advantageous to deliver heat using gas or electricity and convert it on-site. Furthermore, because the thermal time constant of buildings is generally very long, it is best not to stop the heat supply for heating.

[0022] On the other hand, electricity can be shared between demand sectors via the power distribution network. For example, the service industry has high power demand during the day and residential demand in the evening, so the time difference in power peaks between these demand sectors can be utilized. If the surplus power cannot be absorbed by the demand sectors, it can be used to charge electric vehicles (EVs), etc., thereby increasing power demand. Furthermore, if an electric water heater or heat pump is available, it can be operated to store heat. The energy management system according to this embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] <Energy Systems> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the system configuration of an energy system. The energy system 100 is composed of, for example, a power grid 101 which is a power supply source, a substation facility 102, and an energy management system 103. The energy management system 103 is composed of an energy management device 130 and a group of energy facilities in multiple facilities F1 to Fn. In FIG. 1, as an example, the multiple facilities F1 to Fn include facilities Fi and Fj (i is an integer satisfying 1≦i≦n, j (≠i) is an integer satisfying 1≦j≦n, and n is an integer equal to or greater than 2). Note that, here, as an example, the facilities Fi and Fj belong to different sectors. For example, the facility Fi is a house in a residential area, and the facility Fj is an office in a commercial district.

[0024] The energy management device 130 performs overall control of power interchange and heat supply of the control devices 135-i and 135-j via a network 106 such as the Internet, a local area network (LAN), or a wide area network (WAN).

[0025] The facility Fi has fuel cells 131-i, secondary batteries 132-i, power load devices 133-i, and thermal load devices 134-i, which are heat source supply devices. Similarly, the facility Fj has fuel cells 131-j, secondary batteries 132-j, power load devices 133-j, and thermal load devices 134-j, which are heat source supply devices. When there is no need to distinguish between the facilities Fi and Fj, they will be simply referred to as facility F. Furthermore, when there is no need to distinguish between the fuel cells 131-i and 131-j, the secondary batteries 132-i and 132-j, the power load devices 133-i and 133-j, the thermal load devices 134-i and 134-j, and the control devices 135-i and 135-j, the sub-numbers will be omitted and they will be referred to as fuel cells 131, secondary batteries 132, power load devices 133, thermal load devices 134, and control devices 135.

[0026] The fuel cell 131 is a battery that generates electricity by extracting electric power from the chemical energy of fuel (gas) supplied from the city gas pipe 105 or a fuel tank through an electrochemical reaction. Examples of fuel that can be used include hydrogen, hydrocarbons (e.g., methane or propane), and alcohol. The fuel cell 131 is connected to the city gas pipe 105, the power distribution network 104, and a heat load device 134 in the facility F. The fuel cell 131 can supply electric power to a power load device 133 in the facility F or another facility F, and can also supply heat to a heat load device in the facility F. The other facility F may be in the same demand sector or a different demand sector.

[0027] In FIG. 1, fuel cell 131-i of facility Fi Fj The fuel cell 131-i of the facility Fi supplies heat to the heat load device 134-i of the facility Fi, and the fuel cell 131-i of the facility Fi supplies heat to the heat load device 134-i of the facility Fi. j1 shows an example in which heat is supplied from a fuel cell 131-j to a heat load device 134-j of a facility Fj.

[0028] The secondary battery 132 is a battery that can be repeatedly used by charging. The secondary battery 132 may be a battery-powered electric vehicle (BEV). The secondary battery 132 is connected to the power grid 104.

[0029] The power load device 133 is a facility that operates by power supply, such as an electrically operated air conditioning system, home appliances, lighting equipment, and security equipment. The power load device 133-i of the facility Fi operates by consuming, for example, 0.3 to 1 kW of power.

[0030] The thermal load device 134 is a facility that operates using heat supplied by the waste heat of the fuel cell 131, and corresponds to, for example, a water heater or a heating facility. The thermal load device 134-i of the facility Fi operates by constantly consuming, for example, 1.5 kW of power.

[0031] The control device 135 controls the power interchange and heat supply within the facility F and interchanges power with other facilities F in response to instructions from the energy management device 130.

[0032] Electric power from the power system 101 is supplied via a substation 102 to a power distribution network 104, which supplies fuel cells 131, secondary batteries 132, and power load devices 133 at each facility. Fuel from the heat supply source is supplied to the fuel cells 131 via city gas piping 105.

[0033] <Example of computer hardware configuration> FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer (energy management device 130 and control device 135). The computer 200 includes a processor 201, a storage device 202, an input device 203, an output device 204, and a communication interface (communication IF) 205. The processor 201, the storage device 202, the input device 203, the output device 204, and the communication IF 205 are connected via a bus 206. The processor 201 controls the computer 200. The storage device 202 serves as a working area for the processor 201. The storage device 202 is a non-transitory or temporary recording medium that stores various programs and data. Examples of the storage device 202 include a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a hard disk drive (HDD), and a flash memory. The input device 203 inputs data. Examples of the input device 203 include a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, a numeric keypad, a scanner, and a microphone. The output device 204 outputs data. Examples of the output device 204 include a display, a printer, and a speaker. The communication IF 205 connects to the network 106 and transmits and receives data.

[0034] <Time difference in peak electricity demand between different demand sectors> Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram (part 1) showing a graph of changes in power demand peaks over time. Here, a residential area and a commercial district in the same area are taken as examples of different demand sectors. (a) shows a composite waveform 301 obtained by adding together a waveform 302 showing changes in power demand peaks over time in the residential area and a waveform 303 showing changes in power demand peaks over time in the commercial district. (b) shows waveform 302 showing changes in power demand peaks over time in the residential area. (c) shows waveform 303 showing changes in power demand peaks over time in the commercial district.

[0035] Referring to (b) and (c), there are differences in peak electricity demand between different demand sectors. The hourly electricity demand fluctuates in accordance with the lifestyle cycle of local residents at facility Fi in a residential area. Furthermore, electricity demand at industrial and service facilities Fj increases during the daytime, while electricity demand at facility Fi in a residential area increases in the evening and at night, so waveforms 302 and 303 are complementary curves. At night, there is a tendency for overall electricity demand to decrease at both facility Fi in a residential area and facility Fj in a commercial district.

[0036] When looking at the power demand for the entire region based on the composite waveform 301 in (a), there are some fluctuations, but the power demand peaks are averaged out. In the case shown in Figure 3, peaks can be handled by sharing power between facilities within the region, making it possible to get by with the introduction of small-capacity heat and power supply facilities.

[0037] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram (part 2) showing a graph of changes in peak power demand over time. The operation of the energy management system 103 during the shaded time periods is shown in FIGS. 5 to 9. For example, (A) daytime time period TZ1 is the time period when power demand in commercial districts reaches its peak, and the operation of the energy management system 103 during time period TZ1 will be described later in FIG. 5. (B) evening to night time period TZ2 is the time period when power demand in residential areas reaches its peak, and the operation of time period TZ2 will be described later in FIG. 6. (C) and (D) late-night time period TZ3 will be described later in FIG. 6.

[0038] <Example of operation of the energy management system 103> The operation of the energy management system 103 during the time periods TZ1 to TZ3 shown in Fig. 4 will be described using Fig. 5 to Fig. 9. Fig. 5 to Fig. 9 will be described taking as examples a facility Fi (a residence) in a residential area and a facility Fj (an office) in a commercial district.

[0039] Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation example 1 of the energy management system 103. Fig. 5 shows an operation example of the energy management system 103 in time period TZ1 of Fig. 4(A). The energy management device 130 controls the control device 135-i so that it behaves as follows. It is assumed that the fuel cells 131-i and 131-j supply heat to the thermal load devices 134-i and 134-j, respectively.

[0040] Assume that the energy management device 130 designates a fuel cell 131-i in a facility Fi (a residence) in a residential area as the power source, and a power load device 133-j in a facility Fj (an office) in a commercial district where power demand peaks during time slot TZ1 as the power destination. In this case, when the power load of the power load device 133-i in the facility Fi falls below a threshold during time slot TZ1, the control device 135-i supplies power from the fuel cell 131-i in the facility Fi to the power load device 133-j of the facility Fj. This allows power to be lent from the facility Fi, which does not have a power demand peak during time slot TZ1, to the facility Fj, which does have a power demand peak during time slot TZ1.

[0041] Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation example 2 of the energy management system 103. Fig. 6 shows an operation example of the energy management system 103 in time period TZ2 in Fig. 4(B). The energy management device 130 controls the control device 135-j to behave as follows. It is assumed that the fuel cells 131-i and 131-j supply heat to the thermal load devices 134-i and 134-j, respectively.

[0042] Assume that the energy management device 130 designates the fuel cell 131-j of a facility Fj (office) in a commercial district as the power source, and designates the power load device 133-i of a facility Fi (residence) in a residential area where power demand peaks during time slot TZ2 as the power destination. In this case, when the power load of the power load device 133-j in the facility Fj falls below a threshold during time slot TZ2, the control device 135-j supplies power from the fuel cell 131-j in the facility Fj to the power load device 133-i of the facility Fi. This allows power to be lent from the facility Fj, which does not have a power demand peak during time slot TZ2, to the facility Fi, which does have a power demand peak during time slot TZ2.

[0043] Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation example 3 of the energy management system 103. Fig. 7 shows an operation example of the energy management system 103 in time period TZ3 of Fig. 4(C). The energy management device 130 controls the control devices 135-i and 135-j so that they behave as follows. It is assumed that the fuel cells 131-i and 131-j supply heat to the thermal load devices 134-i and 134-j, respectively.

[0044] When the power load of the power load device 133-i in the facility Fi (residence) in a residential area falls below a threshold during a time period TZ3 when there are no peak power demands, the control device 135-i charges the secondary battery 132-i from the fuel cell 131-i in the facility Fi. Similarly, when the power load of the power load device 133-j in the facility Fj falls below a threshold during a time period TZ3 when there are no peak power demands, the control device 135-j charges the secondary battery 132-j from the fuel cell 131-j in the facility Fj. In this way, charging the secondary battery during a time period outside of peak power demands makes it possible to prepare for future peak power demands. Furthermore, continuous use of the fuel cell 131 reduces frequent stopping and restarting of the fuel cell 131, thereby suppressing deterioration of the fuel cell 131.

[0045] Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a fourth operation example of the energy management system 103. Fig. 8 shows an operation example of the energy management system 103 in the time period TZ3 in Fig. 4(C), and for example shows the state next to the operation example in Fig. 7. When the secondary battery 132 is not needed (fully charged or not present) in the time period TZ3, the energy management device 130 controls the control devices 135-i and 135-j to behave as follows.

[0046] Assume that the energy management device 130 calculates the no-power period for each facility F and designates the fuel cell 131-j of facility Fj (office) in a commercial district as a period to be shut down. The no-power period is a period during which the power demand (i.e., the planned power generation amount) is equal to or less than a predetermined power demand threshold. If the predetermined power demand threshold is, for example, 1 MW, then in FIG. 4C, time period TZ3 is the no-power period.

[0047] In this case, the energy management device 130 prepares a restart plan in advance based on the length of the period when no power is required and notifies the control device 135-j, and in accordance with the restart plan P1, the control device 135-j of the facility Fj (office) in the commercial district controls the fuel cell 131-j to shut down.

[0048] Specifically, for example, if the period during which no power is needed in the facility Fj (for example, A in FIG. 10, which will be described later) is equal to or shorter than a first predetermined time TH1, the control device 135-j controls the fuel cell 131-j to perform a warm-keeping operation in accordance with the restart plan P1. The warm-keeping operation is a power generation stopping method in which the fuel cell 131 is operated without generating power. H 1 is a preset time, for example, 6 hours.

[0049] Furthermore, if the period during which no power is needed in the facility Fj (for example, B in FIG. 10) is longer than the first predetermined time TH1 and is equal to or shorter than the second predetermined time TH2, the control device 135-j stops the operation of the fuel cell 131-j (power generation is stopped) in accordance with the restart plan P2. In this case, the control device 135-j restarts the fuel cell 131-j before the end of the period during which no power is needed, in accordance with the restart plan P2, so that steady operation at 700°C is resumed after the end of the period during which no power is needed. H 2 is a preset time, for example, 12 hours.

[0050] Furthermore, if the period during which power is not required at the facility Fj (for example, C in FIG. 10, which will be described later) is longer than the second predetermined time TH2 and equal to or shorter than the third predetermined time TH3, the control device 135-j stops operation of the fuel cell 131-j in accordance with the restart plan P3. This restart plan P3 is a plan to restart the fuel cell 131-j by utilizing the heat remaining after the operation of the fuel cell 131-j is stopped. In this case, if power is required at the facility Fj while the operation of the fuel cell 131-j is stopped, the energy management device 130 controls to interchange power from the secondary battery of the facility Fj or the fuel cell (stopped alternative device) of a nearby facility F.

[0051] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a fifth operation example of the energy management system 103. FIG. 9 shows an operation example in which the operation of the fuel cell 131-i of a facility Fi (residence) in a residential area is completely stopped due to a long period of absence (>third predetermined time TH3) of residents of the facility Fi. For example, in response to a request from a resident of the facility Fi, the energy management device 130 instructs the control device 135-i to completely stop the operation of the fuel cell 131-i. A complete stop includes stopping the operation of the fuel cell 131-i and stopping the supply of fuel to the fuel cell 131-i. An on-off valve (not shown) is provided on the fuel supply side of the fuel cell 131, and the control device 135-i closes the on-off valve. As a result, the heat supply to the heat load device 134-i is also stopped, and the on-off valve is opened when the heat supply is to be resumed. The control of FIGS. 8 and 9 will now be described in detail with reference to FIG. 10.

[0052] FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing the operation of the fuel cell 131. (A) is a timing chart showing the operation of the fuel cell 131-j to be stopped in FIGS. 8 and 9, and (B) is a timing chart showing the operation of the fuel cell 131-i (alternative fuel cell) of another facility Fi that replaces the fuel cell 131-j in FIG. 8. In (A) and (B), the horizontal axis represents time and the vertical axis represents temperature.

[0053] The period [ta, tb] is the power generation period. The power generation period is a period during which the fuel cell 131 maintains a temperature at which power generation is possible (for example, 700°C). Here, assuming that the period [tb, tc] is the power-unnecessary period A (≤ the first predetermined time TH1) of the facility Fj, the fuel cell 131-j enters the heat retention operation. As a result, the temperature temporarily decreases as indicated by the dotted line, but the operation stop and restart of the fuel cell 131-j become unnecessary. During the power-unnecessary period, the fuel supply is stopped and the temperature of the fuel cell 131 decreases. Also, the period [tc, td] is the power generation period.

[0054] In (A), here, assuming that the period [td, te] is the power-unnecessary period B (the first predetermined time TH1 < B ≤ the second predetermined time TH2) of the facility Fj, the operation of the fuel cell 131-j is stopped and the temperature of the fuel cell 131-j decreases. Then, according to the restart plan P2 of the energy management device 130, the fuel cell 131 is restarted, for example, from time tx and reaches 700°C at time te. The period [te, tf] is the power generation period. That is, the energy management device 130 controls the control device 135-j so that the operation of the fuel cell 131-j is stopped during the power-unnecessary period B and the fuel cell 131-j is restarted before the end of the power-unnecessary period B so that the temperature of the fuel cell 131-j becomes 700°C at the end of the power-unnecessary period B.

[0055] Also, assuming that the period [td, tf] is the power-unnecessary period C (the second predetermined time TH2 < C ≤ the third predetermined time TH3) of the facility Fj, the operation of the fuel cell 131-j is stopped and the temperature of the fuel cell 131-j decreases. In this case, the energy management device 130 formulates a restart plan P3 within the range where restart can be achieved by the residual heat of the fuel cell 131-j.

[0056] For example, if temperature Tx is within a range where fuel cell 131-j can be restarted using the residual heat, energy management device 130 creates restart plan P3 for fuel cell 131-j starting from time tx. As a result, the temperature of fuel cell 131-j reaches 700°C at time te, even though it is during period C where no power is needed for facility Fj. Therefore, the period [te, tf] becomes a power generation period. In other words, energy management device 130 controls control device 135-j to stop operation of fuel cell 131-j during period B where no power is needed and restart fuel cell 131-j by the end of period C where no power is needed, so that the temperature of fuel cell 131-j reaches 700°C by the end of period C where no power is needed.

[0057] Furthermore, the energy management device 130 selects the fuel cell 131-i of the facility Fi as a stopped alternative device so that the fuel cell 131-i of the facility Fi can supply power to the facility Fj during the power-unnecessary period C. As a result, power is supplied from the fuel cell 131-i (stopped alternative device) to the power load device 133 of the facility Fj whose fuel cell 131-j has stopped operating. In this way, the power burden is shifted to the fuel cell 131-i of the facility Fi.

[0058] Furthermore, facility Fi may also experience a power-free period C during the period [td, tf]. In this case, if the operation of the fuel cells 131 at facilities Fi and Fj is stopped during the same period [td, te], power generation will cease for the entire region during the period [td, tf]. For this reason, when the power-free periods C overlap, the energy management device 130 alternately stops the operation of the fuel cells 131 so that the periods during which the operation of the fuel cells 131 is stopped do not overlap as much as possible. For example, the energy management device 130 formulates a restart plan P3 for stopping and restarting fuel cell 131-j during the period [td, te] and has the control device 135-j execute it, and formulates a restart plan P4 for stopping and restarting fuel cell 131-i during the period [te, tf] and has the control device 135-i execute it.

[0059] Then, during the period [td, te], power is supplied from the fuel cell 131-i (shutdown alternative device) to the power load device 133 of the facility Fj where the operation of the fuel cell 131-j has been stopped, and during the period [te, tf], power is supplied from the fuel cell 131-j (shutdown alternative device) to the power load device 133 of the facility Fi where the operation of the fuel cell 131-i has been stopped. In this way, power can be exchanged on a shift basis. Note that although an example of the power burden being exchanged between the two facilities Fi and Fj has been described here, this can also be realized for three or more facilities. In this case, it is only necessary that the operation shutdown periods of the fuel cells 131 of the power exchange source and the power exchange destination do not overlap.

[0060] The energy management device 130 counts the number of past shutdowns for each fuel cell 131 and selects a fuel cell 131 to serve as a shutdown replacement device based on the number of past shutdowns. Specifically, for example, the energy management device 130 selects a fuel cell 131 with the smallest number of past shutdowns as a shutdown replacement device. This prevents specific fuel cells 131 from being selected as shutdown replacement devices intensively, making it possible to suppress deterioration of the fuel cells 131.

[0061] Furthermore, the period [tf, t0] is the power generation period. Time t0 is the temperature drop start time. The period after time t0 is the power-unnecessary period D (>third predetermined time TH3). In this case, the energy management device 130 instructs the control device 135 to stop the operation of the fuel cell 131 according to the shutdown plans P5 and P6 from the energy management device 130. When the temperature drop rate is controlled to be constant according to the shutdown plan P5, the temperature T st is expressed by the following formula (1).

[0062]

number

[0063] In equation (1), t end is the time when the fuel cell 131 is completely stopped, and is expressed by equation (2). hotis the power generation temperature of the fuel cell 131. T0 is the outside air temperature. ΔT is the temperature drop rate. On the other hand, when the fuel cell 131 is shut down, if the temperature is not controlled by the shutdown plan P6 and the heat is naturally released, the temperature T st is expressed by the following equation (3).

[0064]

number

[0065] In equation (3), τ is the thermal time constant [seconds], which is expressed by equation (4). p is the specific heat capacity [Jkg -1 K -1 ]. m st is the mass [kg] of the fuel cell 131. st is the heat transfer coefficient [Wm -2 K -1 ]. A st is the surface area [m 2 ]. Note that equation (3) is for natural heat dissipation, so the time when the shutdown is completed t end is the temperature T of the fuel cell 131 st and the outside air temperature T0 is determined appropriately by solving equation (3) so that the temperature difference ε [K] is sufficiently small.

[0066] <Energy management processing> Fig. 11 is a flowchart (first half) showing an example of an energy management processing procedure by the energy management system 103. The processing in Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 described later is executed, for example, once every 24 hours. Specifically, it is executed, for example, on the day before the control target day. However, the timing at which the processing in Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 described later is executed, or which day is to be the control target day, can be arbitrarily set by the administrator who uses the energy management device 130.

[0067] The energy management device 130 executes a power generation capacity calculation process (step S1101) and an operation planning process (step S1102). The power generation capacity calculation process (step S1101) and the operation planning process (step S1102) are processes that can be realized by existing techniques.

[0068] First, in the power generation capacity calculation process (step S1101), the energy management device 130 acquires meteorological information from an external weather site and distributes it to the control devices 135 of the facilities Fi and Fj (step S1111). Next, the energy management device 130 predicts the amount of power generated by renewable energy (photovoltaic power generation energy or wind power generation energy) (step S1112), and calculates the amount of power generated by the power distribution network 101 from the power system 101 as shown in FIG. 4 all The body's power demand is predicted (step S1113).

[0069] The control device 135-i of the facility Fi also receives the weather information for the next day delivered from the energy management device 130, and predicts the heat demand of the facility Fi for the next day based on the weather for the next day and resident information (information on how many people will be staying at the facility Fi and at what time of day on the next day) (step S1131). The resident information is assumed to be registered in advance in the control device 135-i. The control device 135-i of the facility Fi plans the thermal output of the fuel cell 131-i in the facility Fi for each hour of the next day (step S1132), calculates the upper and lower limits of the power generation amount of the fuel cell 131-i in the facility Fi for the next day based on the heat-to-power ratio adjustment capacity specific to the fuel cell 131, and transmits these together with the heat demand and thermal output to the energy management device 130 (step S1133).

[0070] The control device 135-j of the facility Fj receives the weather information for the next day distributed from the energy management device 130, and predicts the heat demand of the facility Fj for the next day based on the weather information for the next day, the building thermal characteristics of the facility Fj, the operation plan for the facility Fj for the next day, and the event schedule for the facility Fj for the next day (step S1141). It is assumed that the facility conditions, operation plan, and event schedule are registered in advance in the control device 135-j.

[0071] The facility conditions include heat capacity and thermal resistance. Heat capacity is data indicating how many megajoules of heat are required to raise the room temperature of the facility F by 1 degree. Thermal resistance is a coefficient indicating how many megajoules of heat are released from the facility F through the walls into the outside air when the temperature difference between the temperature inside the facility F and the outside air is 1 degree. The control device 135-j of the facility Fj plans the thermal output of the fuel cell 131-j in the facility Fj for each hour of the next day (step S1132), calculates the upper and lower limits of the power generation amount of the fuel cell 131-j in the facility Fj for the next day based on the heat-to-power ratio adjustment capability specific to the fuel cell 131-j, and transmits these to the energy management device 130 along with the heat demand and thermal output (step S1133).

[0072] The thermoelectric ratio adjustment capability is a capability specific to the fuel cell 131 for adjusting the ratio (thermoelectric ratio) between the amount of heat generated and the amount of power generated by the fuel cell 131. Specifically, for example, a setting pattern for the thermoelectric ratio is determined for each fuel cell 131, and the control device 135 can control the amount of heat generated and the amount of power generated by adjusting the thermoelectric ratio of the fuel cell 131.

[0073] In the power generation capacity calculation process (step S1101), the energy management apparatus 130 calculates the upper and lower limits of the total amount of power generation of the facilities Fi and Fj (step S1114), thereby completing the power generation capacity calculation process (step S1101).

[0074] Next, the energy management device 130 executes an operation planning process (step S1102). In the operation planning process (step S1102), the energy management device 130 calculates the amount of renewable energy power generation and the amount of power generated by the power distribution network 10 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. of 4 An optimization problem that maximizes overall efficiency is solved using the power demand and the upper and lower limits of the sum of the power generation amounts of the fuel cells 131 in facility F, and a power generation plan for facilities Fi and Fj for the next day is tentatively determined (step S1121). This power generation plan includes restart plans P1 to P4 and shutdown plans P5 and P6 as shown in FIG.

[0075] The energy management device 130 calculates the power surplus or shortage of the facilities Fi, Fj for the next day based on the difference between the provisionally determined power generation plan of the facilities Fi, Fj for the next day and the upper and lower limits of the power generation amount of the fuel cells 131 of the facilities Fi, Fj for the next day (step S1122).

[0076] Next, the energy management device 130 extracts facilities for which the power surplus or shortage cannot be adjusted by adjusting the heat-to-power ratio (step S1123). Specifically, for example, the energy management device 130 extracts facilities F that generate excess power even after adjusting the heat-to-power ratio of the fuel cell 131, and facilities F for which the power shortage cannot be resolved even after adjusting the heat-to-power ratio of the fuel cell 131.

[0077] Next, the energy management device 130 selects a facility F that has a surplus capacity for adjusting the heat-to-power ratio, and plans the amount of power to be exchanged (step S1124). Specifically, for example, the energy management device 130 selects a facility F that was not extracted in step S1123 but whose power generation amount will increase by adjusting the heat-to-power ratio. Then, based on the surplus power generation amount in the facility F that is generating excess power in step S1123 and the surplus power generation amount in the facility F that has a surplus power generation capacity in step S1124, the energy management device 130 formulates a power exchange plan that indicates how much power to exchange the next day for the facility F whose power shortage has not been resolved in step S1123. This power exchange plan also includes charging the secondary battery 132 of the facility F itself if there is no facility F whose power shortage has not been resolved. The power exchange plan is included in the power generation plan. This ends the operation planning process (step S1102).

[0078] 12 is a flowchart (second half) showing an example of the energy management processing procedure by the energy management system 103. The energy management device 130 determines whether the excess power has been resolved (step S1200). Specifically, for example, if at least one of the facilities F that is generating excess power and the facilities F that have power generation capacity spare lends power to a facility that is in a power shortage, and the power shortage is resolved, if there is still excess power generation, the excess power has not been resolved (step S1200: No), whereas if there is no excess power generation, the excess power has been resolved (step S1200: Yes). If step S1200: Yes is selected, the process proceeds to step S1202 without executing the shutdown planning process (step S1201).

[0079] If step S1200: No, the energy management apparatus 130 executes shutdown planning processing (step S1201). In the shutdown planning processing (step S1201), the energy management apparatus 130 selects a facility F with insufficient power demand from the power generation plan of the facility F assumed in step S1121 as a facility F to be shut down (step S1211). A facility F with insufficient power demand is a facility that has a period in which power is not required and the power demand on the next day will be equal to or less than a predetermined power demand threshold.

[0080] Next, the energy management device 130 identifies the power generation suspension period of the facility F to be shut down selected in step S1211 (step S1212). If the power no-power period of the facility F with insufficient power demand is equal to or shorter than the first predetermined time TH1, the power generation suspension period of the facility F to be shut down is identified as the power no-power period A. Therefore, the fuel cell 131-j enters the heat retention operation.

[0081] Furthermore, if the power-free period of a facility F with insufficient power demand is longer than the first predetermined time TH1 and equal to or shorter than the second predetermined time TH2, the power generation suspension period of the facility F to be shut down is identified as power-free period B. Furthermore, if the power-free period of a facility F with insufficient power demand is longer than the second predetermined time TH2 and equal to or shorter than the third predetermined time TH3, the power generation suspension period of the facility F to be shut down is identified as power-free period C, which includes power-free period B and a power generation period E for supplying power to other facilities Fi. Furthermore, if the period during which no power is needed for the facility F with insufficient power demand is longer than the third predetermined time TH3, step S1213 is executed.

[0082] Next, if the power generation suspension time specified in step S1212 is too long (for example, if it is longer than the third predetermined time TH3), the energy management device 130 extracts nearby facilities with low predicted power generation for the next day (for example, below a predetermined predicted power generation threshold) (step S1213). Note that nearby means facilities that exist within a predetermined distance from the facility F to be suspended for which the power generation suspension time specified in step S1212 is too long, regardless of whether they belong to the same demand sector or a different demand sector.

[0083] Next, only when step S1213 is executed, the energy management device 130 calculates the stop time during which the decrease in the power generation temperature of the fuel cells 131 of both the facility F to be stopped and the neighboring facility F falls within the allowable range (step S1214). Specifically, for example, the energy management device 130 calculates the power generation temperature T st The time t when the decrease in end In addition, the energy management device 130 calculates the power generation temperature T st The time t when the temperature drops to normal (for example, 20°C) end Calculate.

[0084] Then, the energy management apparatus 130 transmits the shutdown time information (the power generation shutdown period in step S1212 and the shutdown completion time in step S1214) as a shutdown plan to the control device 135-i of the shutdown target facility Fi (step S1215). As a result, the control device 135-i of the shutdown target facility Fi schedules and sets the power generation shutdown operation of the fuel cell 131 (step S1230). This ends the shutdown plan processing (step S1201).

[0085] After that, when the shutdown planning process (step S1201) is executed, the energy management device 130 modifies the operation plan of each facility F so as to satisfy the execution result of the shutdown planning process (step S1201), and checks the consistency (step S1202). The operation plan includes at least the power generation plan out of the power generation plan and the shutdown plan.

[0086] Then, the energy management device 130 transmits the operation plan for the fuel cell 131 to each facility F (step S1203). As a result, the control devices 135-i and 135-j of the facilities Fi and Fj execute the received operation plan to cause the fuel cell 131 to generate electricity and heat.

[0087] In this way, in a configuration in which multiple fuel cells 131 and power load devices 133 (or secondary batteries 132) exist under the power distribution network 104, the energy management system 103 of this embodiment supplies power to the power load devices 133 in other demand sectors and charges the secondary batteries 132 when the power load device 133 of facility F in a certain demand sector is reduced, and if it is necessary to stop the fuel cell 131, stops the heat supply to the fuel cell 131 in turn, thereby avoiding frequent stopping or restarting the fuel cell 131.

[0088] Furthermore, the energy management device 130 may control a group of facilities (sites) that are densely packed in a certain area and are connected by hot water pipes and steam pipes, by regarding them as one facility. For example, a public facility or university campus made up of multiple buildings, a group of buildings in a central city area such as in front of a station, or condominiums and apartments may be controlled as one facility by being considered as a site.

[0089] As described above, according to this embodiment, operating conditions that are likely to deteriorate the fuel cell 131, such as frequent start-stops of the fuel cell 131 and long-term operation under high load, can be avoided by appropriate operation control, for example, operation control through cooperation between multiple fuel cells 131. Furthermore, by suppressing frequent start-stops and restarts of the fuel cell 131, load fluctuations on the fuel cell 131 are reduced, and electrode deterioration of the fuel cell 131 and thermal shock due to sudden heating can be avoided.

[0090] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes various modifications and equivalent configurations within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to configurations including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, part of the configuration of one embodiment may be replaced with the configuration of another embodiment. Furthermore, the configuration of another embodiment may be added to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, part of the configuration of each embodiment may be added to, deleted from, or replaced with other configurations.

[0091] Furthermore, the aforementioned configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be realized in part or in whole in hardware, for example by designing them as integrated circuits, or may be realized in software by having a processor interpret and execute a program that realizes each function.

[0092] Information such as programs, tables, files, etc. that realize each function can be stored in storage devices such as memory, hard disks, SSDs (Solid State Drives), or recording media such as IC (Integrated Circuit) cards, SD cards, and DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs).

[0093] In addition, the control lines and information lines shown are those that are considered necessary for the explanation, and do not necessarily show all the control lines and information lines that are necessary for implementation. In reality, it can be considered that almost all components are interconnected. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] F1~Fn Facilities 100 Energy Systems 101 Power system 102 Substation equipment 103 Energy Management System 104 Power distribution network 105 City gas piping 106 Network 130 Energy Management Device 131 Fuel Cell 132 Secondary battery 133 Power load equipment 134 Heat load equipment 135 Control device 200 computers 201 processor 202 Storage Devices

Claims

1. An energy management device that manages energy for a plurality of facilities, a processor for executing a program and a storage device for storing the program, the processor being accessible to a control device for controlling a thermoelectric power supply device that supplies power to a power load device in each of the plurality of facilities and supplies heat to a heat load device in the facility; The processor: obtaining a power generation plan based on a time-series power demand in each of the facilities and a time-series power generation amount of the heat and power supply device; controlling the control device of the first facility based on the power generation plan so as to perform at least one of stopping the thermoelectric power supply device of a first facility among the plurality of facilities, charging a secondary battery in the first facility, and supplying power from the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility to the power load device of a second facility among the plurality of facilities during a control target period; Regarding the control of charging the secondary battery in the first facility, when the first facility is in a power surplus state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the first facility and the second facility is not in a power shortage state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the second facility, the control device of the first facility is controlled so as to charge the secondary battery in the first facility during the control period. An energy management device characterized by:

2. An energy management device that manages energy for multiple facilities, a processor for executing a program and a storage device for storing the program, the processor being accessible to a control device for controlling a thermoelectric power supply device that supplies power to a power load device in each of the plurality of facilities and supplies heat to a heat load device in the facility; The processor: obtaining a power generation plan based on a time-series power demand in each of the facilities and a time-series power generation amount of the heat and power supply device; controlling the control device of the first facility based on the power generation plan so as to perform at least one of stopping the thermoelectric power supply device of a first facility among the plurality of facilities, charging a secondary battery in the first facility, and supplying power from the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility to the power load device of a second facility among the plurality of facilities during a control target period; Regarding the control of charging the secondary battery in the first facility, when the first facility is in an excess power state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the first facility and the second facility is in an excess power state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the second facility, the control device of the first facility is controlled so as to charge the secondary battery in the first facility during the control period; Regarding the control of charging the secondary battery in the second facility, the control device of the second facility is controlled so that charging of the secondary battery in the second facility is executed during the control target period. An energy management device characterized by:

3. An energy management device according to claim 1 or 2, The processor: With regard to the power supply from the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility to the power load device of a second facility among the plurality of facilities, when the first facility is in a power surplus state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the first facility and the second facility is in a power shortage state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the second facility, the control device of the first facility is controlled so as to supply power from the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility to the power load device of the second facility during the control period. An energy management device characterized by:

4. An energy management device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The processor: Regarding the shutdown of the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility, a power no-power period is identified in which the amount of power generated by the first facility will be equal to or less than a predetermined amount of power during the control target period based on the power generation plan of the first facility, and the control device of the first facility is controlled so as to shut down the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility during the power no-power period. An energy management device characterized by:

5. An energy management device as described in claim 4, The processor: When the power-required period is equal to or shorter than a first predetermined time, the control device of the first facility is controlled to stop power generation of the heat and power supply device of the first facility during the power-required period. An energy management device characterized by:

6. An energy management device as described in claim 4, The processor: When the no-power-required period is longer than a first predetermined time and equal to or shorter than a second predetermined time, the control device of the first facility is controlled to stop operation of the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility during the no-power-required period and restart the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility to generate electricity by the end of the no-power-required period. An energy management device characterized by:

7. An energy management device as described in claim 4, The processor: When the no-electricity-required period is longer than a second predetermined time that is longer than a first predetermined time and is equal to or shorter than a third predetermined time, control the control device of the first facility to stop operation of the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility and stop supplying fuel to the thermoelectric power supply device during the no-electricity-required period, and to restart the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility to resume fuel supply and generate electricity by the end of the no-electricity-required period. An energy management device characterized by:

8. An energy management device as described in claim 7, The processor: controlling the control device of the second facility so that, when the second facility is in an excess power state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the second facility, power is supplied from the heat and power supply device of the second facility to the power load device of the first facility during the power unnecessary period; An energy management device characterized by:

9. An energy management device as described in claim 4, The processor: If the no-electricity-required period is longer than a third predetermined time, controlling the control device of the first facility to stop operation of the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility and stop supply of fuel to the thermoelectric power supply device during the no-electricity-required period. An energy management device characterized by:

10. An energy management system having an energy management device that manages the energy of a plurality of facilities, and a control device that controls a thermoelectric power supply device that supplies power to a power load device in each of the plurality of facilities and supplies heat to a heat load device in the facility, The energy management device obtaining a power generation plan based on a time-series power demand in each of the facilities and a time-series power generation amount of the heat and power supply device; controlling the control device of the first facility based on the power generation plan so as to perform at least one of stopping the thermoelectric power supply device of a first facility among the plurality of facilities, charging a secondary battery in the first facility, and supplying power from the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility to the power load device of a second facility among the plurality of facilities during a control target period; Regarding the control of charging the secondary battery in the first facility, when the first facility is in a power surplus state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the first facility and the second facility is not in a power shortage state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the second facility, the control device of the first facility is controlled so as to charge the secondary battery in the first facility during the control period. An energy management system characterized by:

11. An energy management system including an energy management device that manages energy in a plurality of facilities, and a control device that controls a thermoelectric power supply device that supplies power to a power load device in each of the plurality of facilities and supplies heat to a heat load device in the facility, The energy management device obtaining a power generation plan based on a time-series power demand in each of the facilities and a time-series power generation amount of the heat and power supply device; controlling the control device of the first facility based on the power generation plan so as to perform at least one of stopping the thermoelectric power supply device of a first facility among the plurality of facilities, charging a secondary battery in the first facility, and supplying power from the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility to the power load device of a second facility among the plurality of facilities during a control target period; Regarding the control of charging the secondary battery in the first facility, when the first facility is in an excess power state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the first facility and the second facility is in an excess power state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the second facility, the control device of the first facility is controlled so as to charge the secondary battery in the first facility during the control period; Regarding the control of charging the secondary battery in the second facility, the control device of the second facility is controlled so that charging of the secondary battery in the second facility is executed during the control target period. An energy management system characterized by:

12. An energy management method using an energy management device that manages energy for a plurality of facilities, the energy management device has a processor that executes a program and a storage device that stores the program, and is accessible to a control device that controls a thermoelectric power supply device that supplies power to a power load device in each of the plurality of facilities and supplies heat to a heat load device in the facility; The processor: obtaining a power generation plan based on a time-series power demand in each of the facilities and a time-series power generation amount of the heat and power supply device; controlling the control device of the first facility based on the power generation plan so as to perform at least one of stopping the thermoelectric power supply device of a first facility among the plurality of facilities, charging a secondary battery in the first facility, and supplying power from the thermoelectric power supply device of the first facility to the power load device of a second facility among the plurality of facilities during a control target period; Regarding the control of charging the secondary battery in the first facility, when the first facility is in a power surplus state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the first facility and the second facility is not in a power shortage state during the control period based on the power generation plan of the second facility, the control device of the first facility is controlled so as to charge the secondary battery in the first facility during the control period. An energy management method comprising:

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