Connection device, charge amount adjustment system, and charge amount adjustment method

Abstract

To provide a connection device, a charging amount adjustment system, and a charging amount adjustment method that can charge a battery of an electric vehicle.SOLUTION: A connection device comprises a connection unit for connecting a charging amount adjustment device that is installed in each of one or a plurality of parking spaces to adjust a charging amount of a battery of an electric vehicle with a distribution board of a section, in which a contractor who has contracted for the parking space is resident, of respective distribution boards of a plurality of sections included in a multiple dwelling house.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connection device, a charge amount adjustment system, and a charge amount adjustment method.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the use of renewable energy has been demanded, and there are apartment houses equipped with distributed power sources having solar cell panels and storage batteries. According to such apartment houses, in addition to AC power supplied from the grid power source, power is supplied to an electric load using distributed power sources such as storage batteries mounted on a solar power generation system.

[0003] Regarding the technology of supplying power to an electric load using a distributed power source, there is a technology that does not require adjustment of voltage, frequency, and phase with the grid power source, enables reduction of introduction costs, and enables at least part of the operation of the electric load even when power supply from the grid power source stops (for example, see Patent Document 1). According to this technology, the power supply system includes a DC power supply device and an electric load. The DC power supply device is supplied with power from an independent power source that is a different system from the grid power source and outputs DC power. The electric load is connected to a first power supply line supplied with power from the grid power source. Also, the electric load is connected to a second power supply line supplied with power from the DC power supply device. Therefore, the electric load includes a power supply unit that can receive power from both the first power supply line and the second power supply line. On the other hand, there is a technology that can supply the power stored in an electric vehicle (EV) battery to the home side via V2H (Vehicle to Home) charging and discharging equipment. Thereby, even if a power outage occurs, the power stored in the EV can be used as an emergency power source.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0005] Renewable energy sources are affected by natural conditions such as weather. Therefore, it is desirable to enable the introduction of decentralized energy resources such as electric vehicles (EVs) on the consumer side. Let's consider charging an electric vehicle's battery using electricity from the residential units. In apartment buildings, the number of residential units and the number of parking spaces are generally different, and residents typically have separate contracts for parking space use in addition to their residential unit contracts. Therefore, since it's not possible to determine in advance which resident of which unit will contract for which parking space, it becomes necessary to install electricity usage measuring equipment in the parking lot separately from the residential units, which increases costs. Another approach is to ensure that the users of the residential units and parking lots always match, eliminating the need to install power meters in the parking lots and allowing charging to be done using electricity from the residential units. However, in this case, unless there are at least as many parking lots as the number of residential units, there will be residential units with parking lots that can be used for car charging and residential units without parking lots that can be used for charging, making the latter less valuable than the former. Furthermore, especially in urban areas, many residents do not own cars, resulting in vacant parking spaces. Therefore, it becomes impractical to secure parking spaces for the number of units. The object of the present invention is to provide a connection device, a charge amount adjustment system, and a charge amount adjustment method that can connect a charge amount adjustment device for adjusting the charge amount of an electric vehicle battery to an apartment building. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) To solve the above problems, one embodiment of the present invention is a connecting device that includes a charge amount adjustment device installed in each of one or more parking lots to adjust the charge amount of an electric vehicle battery, and a connecting part that connects the distribution board of each of the multiple units included in an apartment building to the distribution board of the unit in which the contract holder who has contracted for the parking lot resides.

[0007] According to the connection device of this embodiment, one or more charge amount adjustment devices are installed in each of the one or more parking lots. Multiple distribution boards are installed in each of the multiple units included in the apartment building. The connection part connects the charge amount adjustment device to the distribution board of the unit in which the contract holder who has contracted for the parking lot resides.

[0008] By configuring it in this way, the connection device includes a connection part that connects the charge amount adjustment device installed in each of the one or more parking spaces to the distribution board of the unit in which the contract holder who has contracted for a parking space resides, among the distribution boards of the multiple units included in the apartment building. This allows the charge amount of the electric vehicle's battery to be adjusted with the power supplied to the distribution board of the unit in which the contract holder who has contracted for a parking space resides.

[0009] (2) In one embodiment of the present invention, the connection device described above may be switchable between each of the one or more charge amount adjustment devices and each of the distribution boards of the multiple sections included in the apartment building. By configuring it in this way, the connection between each of the one or more charge amount adjustment devices and each of the distribution boards in the multiple units included in the apartment building can be switched. Therefore, if a tenant who had a contract for a parking space no longer has a contract, the connection destination of the charge amount adjustment device can be switched from the distribution board in the unit where the tenant resides to the distribution board in the unit where the new tenant who has contracted for the parking space resides.

[0010] (3) One embodiment of the present invention is a connection device in which each of the one or more charge amount adjustment devices is configured to charge an electric vehicle parked in a parking lot where the charge amount adjustment device is installed, using the power supplied to a distribution board connected by the connection part. By configuring it in this way, each of the one or more charge adjustment devices can charge an electric vehicle parked in the parking lot where the charge adjustment device is installed using the power supplied to the distribution board connected by the connection part. Therefore, the amount of electricity charged to the electric vehicle can be measured using the power meter that measures the power consumption of each of the multiple units included in the apartment building, without having to install a power meter on each of the one or more charge adjustment devices.

[0011] (4) In one embodiment of the present invention, the connection device described above may be supplied with power generated by a distributed power source to the distribution board. By configuring it in this way, each of the one or more charge adjustment devices can charge an electric vehicle parked in the parking lot where the charge adjustment device is installed using electricity generated by a distributed power source supplied to a distribution board connected by a connection part. Therefore, an electric vehicle can be charged using electricity generated by a distributed power source supplied to the distribution board in the section where the contract holder of the parking lot resides. (5) In one embodiment of the present invention, in the connection device described above, each of the one or more charge amount adjustment devices may be a charging device, a discharging device, or a charge / discharge device. By configuring it in this way, each of the one or more charge adjustment devices can be a charging device, a discharging device, or a charge / discharge device, thereby allowing the charge level of the electric vehicle's battery to be adjusted.

[0012] (6) One embodiment of the present invention is a charge amount adjustment system comprising a charge amount adjustment device installed in each of one or more parking lots to adjust the charge amount of an electric vehicle's battery, and a connection device that connects to the distribution board of each of the multiple units included in the apartment building, the distribution board of the unit in which the contract holder who has contracted for the parking lot resides, wherein each of the one or more charge amount adjustment devices charges the battery of an electric vehicle parked in the parking lot where the charge amount adjustment device is installed with the power supplied to the distribution board connected by the connection device.

[0013] According to the charge amount adjustment system of this embodiment, the charge amount adjustment system comprises one or more charge amount adjustment devices for adjusting the charge amount of the electric vehicle's battery. Each of the one or more charge amount adjustment devices controls either storing power in the electric vehicle's battery or discharging power from the battery, or both. The charge amount adjustment system comprises a connection device that connects the charge amount adjustment devices installed in each of the one or more parking lots to the distribution board of each of the multiple units included in the apartment building, specifically the distribution board of the unit in which the tenant who has contracted for a parking space resides. One or more charge adjustment devices are installed in each of the one or more parking spaces. A distribution board is installed in each of the multiple units included in the apartment building. The connection unit connects the charge adjustment device to the distribution board in the unit in which the contract holder of the parking space resides. In the charge adjustment system, each of the one or more charge adjustment devices charges the electric vehicle parked in the parking space where the charge adjustment device is installed using the power supplied to the distribution board connected by the connection unit.

[0014] With this configuration, the charging amount adjustment system comprises a charging amount adjustment device installed in each of one or more parking spaces and a connecting device that connects the distribution board of each of the multiple units included in the apartment building to the distribution board of the unit in which the contract holder who has contracted for the parking space resides. Each of the one or more charging amount adjustment devices charges the electric vehicle parked in the parking space where the charging amount adjustment device is installed using the power supplied to the distribution board connected by the connecting device, thereby charging the electric vehicle with the power supplied to the distribution board of the unit in which the contract holder who has contracted for the parking space resides.

[0015] (7) In one embodiment of the present invention, in the charge amount adjustment system described above, the distribution board may be supplied with electricity generated by a distributed power source. By configuring it in this way, the charging amount adjustment system can charge electric vehicles with electricity generated by distributed power sources supplied to the distribution board in the residential area where the contract holder of the parking space resides.

[0016] (8) One embodiment of the present invention may further include a power conditioner that supplies power stored in the battery to electrical loads included in the building, in the charge amount adjustment system described above. By configuring it in this way, the charge adjustment system includes a battery. One example of a battery is one that stores electricity generated by a distributed power source. One example of a distributed power source is a solar power generation system, in which case the battery stores electricity generated by the solar power generation system. The charge adjustment system may further include a power conditioner that supplies the electricity stored in the battery to the electrical loads contained in the building, so that the electricity stored in the battery, which has been charged by an electric vehicle battery, can be supplied to the electrical loads contained in the building.

[0017] (9) One embodiment of the present invention is the charge amount adjustment system described above, in which each of the one or more charge amount adjustment devices may be a charging device, a discharging device, and a charge / discharge device. By configuring it in this way, each of the one or more charge adjustment devices can be a charging device, a discharging device, or a charge / discharge device, thereby allowing the charge level of the electric vehicle's battery to be adjusted.

[0018] (10) One embodiment of the present invention is a charging amount adjustment method comprising the steps of: a battery storing electricity; a connection device connecting a charging amount adjustment device installed in each of one or more parking lots and adjusting the amount of charge of an electric vehicle's battery to the distribution board of one of the distribution boards in each of the multiple units included in a multi-unit dwelling, the distribution board of the unit in which the contract holder who has contracted for the parking lot resides; and each of the one or more charging amount adjustment devices charging an electric vehicle parked in the parking lot where the charging amount adjustment device is installed with the electricity supplied to the distribution board connected by the connection device. According to the charge amount adjustment method of one embodiment of the present invention, the charge amount adjustment system is substantially the same invention, differing only in category, and achieves similar functions and effects. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, a connection device, a charging amount adjustment system, and a charging amount adjustment method that can connect a charging amount adjustment device for adjusting the charging amount of a battery of an electric vehicle and an apartment house can be provided.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a charging amount adjustment system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of another power supply system according to the present embodiment.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] Next, the connection device, the charging amount adjustment system, and the charging amount adjustment method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are merely examples, and the embodiments to which the present invention is applied are not limited to the following embodiments. In all the drawings for explaining the embodiments, those having the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations are omitted. In addition, “based on XX” as used in the present application means “based on at least XX”, and includes cases where it is based on another element in addition to XX. Also, “based on XX” is not limited to the case where XX is directly used, and includes cases where it is based on something obtained by performing an operation or processing on XX. “XX” is an arbitrary element (for example, arbitrary information).

[0022] (Embodiment) (Charging Amount Adjustment System) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a charging amount adjustment system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the charging amount adjustment system is installed in a building BU. An example of the building BU is an apartment house, which has a plurality of floors. As an example, the case where the building BU has two floors, the first floor and the second floor, will be continued to be described. A multi-unit dwelling is a building in which multiple households reside and which includes multiple units corresponding to multiple households. Each of the multiple units is supplied with electricity by the power supply system 1, and the supplied electricity is used by the consumers.

[0023] An example of a building unit (BU) is that the first floor includes units 50-1 to 50-3 and common area 60-1, and the second floor includes units 50-4 to 50-6 and common area 60-2. Common areas 60-1 and 60-2 may each include a common corridor (interior corridor, exterior corridor). Any of the common areas 60-1 and 60-2 is referred to as common area 60. Common area 60 is equipped with, for example, lighting, a communal entrance intercom, an electric lock control device, electrical outlets, a telephone security box, and so on. Section 50-1 comprises an access point AP-1, a lower-level metering device 36-1, and a distribution board 34-1. In section 50-1, customer 30-1 uses electricity. The lower-level metering device 36-1 is a meter that measures the power consumption of section 50-1. The distribution board 34-1 supplies AC power supplied by the power conditioner 200 to customer 30-1. Section 50-2 comprises an access point AP-2, a lower-level metering device 36-2, and a distribution board 34-2. In section 50-2, the customer 30-2 uses electricity. The lower-level metering device 36-2 is a meter that measures the power consumption of section 50-2. The distribution board 34-2 supplies AC power supplied by the power conditioner 200 to the customer 30-2. Section 50-3 comprises an access point AP-3, a lower-level metering device 36-3, and a distribution board 34-3. In section 50-3, the customer 30-3 uses the electricity. The lower-level metering device 36-3 is a meter that measures the power consumption of section 50-3. The distribution board 34-3 supplies AC power supplied by the power conditioner 200 to the customer 30-3.

[0024] Section 50-4 comprises an access point AP-4, a lower-level metering device 36-4, and a distribution board 34-4. In section 50-4, the customer 30-4 uses the electricity. The lower-level metering device 36-4 is a meter that measures the power consumption of section 50-4. The distribution board 34-4 supplies AC power supplied by the power conditioner 200 to the customer 30-4. Section 50-5 comprises an access point AP-5, a lower-level metering device 36-5, and a distribution board 34-5. In section 50-5, the customer 30-5 uses the electricity. The lower-level metering device 36-5 is a meter that measures the power consumption of section 50-5. The distribution board 34-5 supplies AC power supplied by the power conditioner 200 to the customer 30-5. Section 50-6 comprises an access point AP-6, a lower-level metering device 36-6, and a distribution board 34-6. In section 50-6, the customer 30-6 uses electricity. The lower-level metering device 36-6 is a meter that measures the power consumption of section 50-6. The distribution board 34-6 supplies AC power supplied by the power conditioner 200 to the customer 30-6. Any of the categories 50-1 to 50-6 will be designated as category 50. Any of the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 will be designated as distribution board 34.

[0025] Additionally, the building BU has an attached parking area PA. The parking area PA includes parking areas PA-1, PA-2, and PA-3. Parking lot PA-1 is equipped with charge adjustment devices such as the CDD-1 charge / discharge device, which charges and discharges the batteries of electric vehicles parked in parking lot PA-1. Parking area PA-2 is equipped with charge adjustment devices such as the CDD-2 charge / discharge unit, which charges and discharges the batteries of electric vehicles parked in parking area PA-2. Parking area PA-3 is equipped with charge adjustment devices such as the CDD-3 charge / discharge unit, which charges and discharges the batteries of electric vehicles parked in parking area PA-3. The charge adjustment devices adjust the charge level of the electric vehicle batteries. In the example shown in Figure 1, electric vehicle EV-1 is parked in parking lot PA-1, electric vehicle EV-2 is parked in parking lot PA-2, and electric vehicle EV-3 is parked in parking lot PA-3. Any of the charge / discharge devices CDD-1, CDD-2, and CDD-3 is referred to as a CDD charge / discharge device. Any of the electric vehicles EV-1, EV-2, and EV-3 is referred to as an EV electric vehicle.

[0026] The charge adjustment system comprises a battery 100, a power conditioner 200, and a connection device 400. An example of the battery storage system 100 is a stationary battery storage system installed near a parking area (PA) that stores electricity generated by distributed power sources. An example of a distributed power source is a solar power generation system (PV). The battery storage system 100 stores electricity generated by solar cell modules (SC). The power conditioner 200 is connected to the upper-level metering device 33, the solar cell module SC, and the storage battery 100. The upper-level metering device 33 is a meter for measuring electricity consumption contracted with the power company 4. An example of the upper-level metering device 33 is a bulk power receiving meter. The upper-level metering device 33 measures the electricity consumption of customers 30-1 to 30-6 and the electricity consumption of the common area 60. An example of the upper-level metering device 33 is a smart meter. An example of the power conditioner 200 is installed in the common area 60. The power conditioner 200 converts DC power to AC power. Each of customers 30-1 through 30-6 has a contract for electricity supply with the intermediary company. Each of customers 30-1 through 30-6 pays electricity charges to the intermediary company. The intermediary company has a bulk contract for low-voltage electricity with power companies 4, such as power utilities. The details of the bulk contract for low-voltage electricity between the intermediary company and power companies 4 will be described later.

[0027] The power conditioner 200 converts either or both of the low-voltage power received in bulk from the power company 4 and the power from the grid power supply, along with the DC power generated by the solar cell module SC, into AC power, and supplies the converted AC power to each of the customers 30-1 through 30-6 and to the common area 60-1 through common area 60-2. Furthermore, the power conditioner 200 converts either or both of the low-voltage power received in bulk from the power company 4 and the power from the grid power supply, along with the DC power generated by the solar cell module SC, into AC power. It then converts the voltage of the AC power into a voltage that can be charged into the battery 100, and stores the converted voltage into the battery 100. For example, during the daytime, the power conditioner 200 converts the DC power generated by the solar cell module SC into AC power, and supplies the converted AC power from customer 30-1 to customer 30-6 and from common area 60-1 to common area 60-2. For example, at night, the power conditioner 200 supplies the electricity stored in the battery 100 to each of the customers 30-1 through 30-6 and to the common area 60-1 through common area 60-2. By configuring it in this way, the DC power generated by the solar cell modules SC can be used in the building BU as much as possible, thereby reducing the amount of electricity purchased from the power company 4.

[0028] The power conditioner 200 generates control information that includes information instructing the electric vehicle (EV) battery to be discharged. The power conditioner 200 outputs the generated control information from the charge / discharge unit CDD-1 to the charge / discharge unit CDD-3.

[0029] Each of the charge / discharge units CDD-1 through CDD-3 acquires control information output by the power conditioner 200, and based on the information included in the acquired control information that instructs the electric vehicle EV to discharge its battery, it discharges the power stored in the batteries of each connected electric vehicle EV-1 through EV-3. Each of the charge / discharge units CDD-1 to CDD-3 stores the power obtained by discharging the batteries of each of the electric vehicles EV-1 to EV-3 into the storage battery 100. Since the storage battery 100 can be charged with the power obtained by discharging the batteries of each of the electric vehicles EV-1 to EV-3, the capacity of the storage battery 100 can be reduced. The battery 100 supplies the stored electricity to the electrical loads contained in each of the customers 30-1 through 30-6 and in the common areas 60-1 through 60-2, which are located within the building BU.

[0030] An example of an electrical load is communication equipment (not shown). The communication equipment is installed, for example, in the common area 60 and operates using power supplied by the power conditioner 200 in the event of a power outage. The communication equipment is connected to each of the access points AP-1 through AP-6 by LAN (Local Area Network) cables. An example of a LAN cable is one that supports PoE (Power over Ethernet) power supply. For example, the communication device and access point AP-1 are connected by a LAN cable wired to section 50-1. For example, the communication device and access point AP-2 are connected by a LAN cable wired to section 50-2. For example, the communication device and access point AP-3 are connected by a LAN cable wired to section 50-3. For example, the communication device and access point AP-4 are connected by a LAN cable wired to section 50-4. For example, the communication device and access point AP-5 are connected by a LAN cable wired to section 50-5. For example, the communication equipment and access point AP-6 are connected by a LAN cable wired to section 50-6. If a power outage occurs and power is not supplied from either the power company 4 or the grid power supply, the power conditioner 200 can supply the electricity (power) stored in the battery 100 to each of the access points AP-1 through AP-6. Therefore, communication from access point AP-1 through access point AP-6 can continue.

[0031] Each of the access points AP-1 through AP-6 operates on power supplied by the communication equipment. Each resident in sections 50-1 through 50-6 (consumers 30-1 through 30-6) can communicate with the outside world via each of the access points AP-1 through AP-6. For example, residents (customers 30-1 to 30-6) may communicate via wireless communication methods such as Wi-Fi or LTE (registered trademark) through each of the access points AP-1 to AP-6. By configuring it in this way, the communication functions of the building BU can be maintained in the event of a power outage. The connection device 400 includes a connection section 450. The connection section 450 allows switching between the charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3, which are installed in parking lots PA-1 to PA-3 respectively, and the distribution board 34-1 to 34-6, which are installed in each of the sections 50-1 to 50-6 included in the building BU, and the distribution board installed in the section where the customer who has a contract for parking lot PA-1 to PA-3 resides. For example, if a resident of unit 50-1 contracts for parking space PA-1, a resident of unit 50-3 contracts for parking space PA-2, and a resident of unit 50-5 contracts for parking space PA-3, then the connection unit 450 connects the charge / discharge device CDD-1 to the distribution board 34-1, the charge / discharge device CDD-2 to the distribution board 34-3, and the charge / discharge device CDD-3 to the distribution board 34-5. The following explanation will cover the case where a resident of unit 50-1 contracts for parking space PA-1, a resident of unit 50-3 contracts for parking space PA-2, and a resident of unit 50-5 contracts for parking space PA-3. The distribution board 34-1 supplies power from the power conditioner 200 to the charge / discharge device CDD-1 and the customer 30-1. For example, the distribution board 34-1 may be equipped with a switch (not shown) that switches the power supply from the power conditioner 200 between the charge / discharge device CDD-1 and the customer 30-1. The distribution board 34-3 supplies power from the power conditioner 200 to the charge / discharge device CDD-2 and the customer 30-3. For example, the distribution board 34-3 may be equipped with a switch (not shown) that switches the power supply from the power conditioner 200 between the charge / discharge device CDD-2 and the customer 30-3. The distribution board 34-5 supplies power from the power conditioner 200 to the charge / discharge device CDD-3 and the customer 30-5. For example, the distribution board 34-5 may be equipped with a switch (not shown) that switches the power supply from the power conditioner 200 between the charge / discharge device CDD-3 and the customer 30-5. The same process is performed for distribution boards 34-2, 34-4, and 34-6 when they are connected to either the charge / discharge device CDD-1 or the charge / discharge device CDD-3 via the connection section 450.

[0032] This section explains the conclusion of a bulk contract for low-voltage electricity between the intermediary company and power company 4. The power supply system 1 includes, for example, a first residence, a second residence, a power company, an intermediary company, a third residence, and a power supply recipient. The first residence is either an apartment building or a single-family home. The first residence is equipped with a photovoltaic (PV) solar power generation system. The second residence is either an apartment building or a single-family home. The second residence is equipped with a photovoltaic (PV) solar power generation system and a battery storage system. The power company purchases surplus electricity from the first and second residences through an intermediary. The power company may purchase electricity from the first residence, which does not have a battery storage system, at a standard price, and electricity from the second residence, which does have a battery storage system, at a premium price higher than the standard price. The power company then supplies the electricity purchased through the intermediary to, for example, the third residence constructed by the intermediary, and to the intermediary's electricity customers.

[0033] The owners of the first and second residences may lease their roofs, etc., to the intermediary company. In that case, the intermediary company will install a solar power generation system (PV) on the roof leased from the owner of the first residence and will be responsible for the maintenance and management of the PV system. The intermediary company installs a solar power generation system (PV) on the roof of the second house, which it leases from the homeowner, and also installs a battery storage system. The intermediary company also handles the procurement of electricity from the power company. The third type of housing is, for example, a house constructed by an intermediary company. A housing unit can be an apartment building or a single-family home. The electricity supply destinations are operated by intermediary companies or power companies. Examples of electricity supply destinations include offices, exhibition halls, and factories.

[0034] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an overview of another power supply system according to this embodiment. The power supply system 1A shown in Figure 2 includes, for example, a house 20 contracted with an intermediary company, an electric vehicle 23, a consumer 24, the owner (builder) of the house 20 25, a wholesale electricity market 26, a second business operator 27, a house 28, and the business office 29 of the first business operator. The residence 20 is, for example, a rental apartment building and is equipped with a distributed power source 21, for example, a solar power generation system (PV) and a storage battery. The electricity generated or stored by the distributed power source 21 is supplied at a low cost to the facilities of multiple consumers 24 residing in the residence 20 via the first business operator. In the event of a power outage, power will be supplied from the distributed power source 21, for example, from a battery stored in a common area. The distributed power source 21 may also be configured to cooperate with, for example, the electric vehicle 23 of a customer 24 and supply power to the electric vehicle.

[0035] The first business operator 22 is an intermediary company. The first business operator 22 supplies surplus electricity from the residence 20 to the second business operator. In addition, the first business operator 22 purchases electricity from the second business operator 27 at a low price. The relationship between the first business operator 22 and the second business operator 27 is as shown by the dashed rectangle g10. Furthermore, if the owner 25 leases the roof of the house 20 to the first business operator, the first business operator 22 may pay the owner 25 a land rent for the roof, for example, in proportion to the number of solar panels or in proportion to the amount of electricity generated or consumed. House 28 is another house whose roof is leased to the first business operator 22. Solar panels are installed on the roof of House 28 by the first business operator. The second operator 27 has a power grid. The second operator 27 purchases surplus electricity generated by distributed power sources 21 through the first operator 22 and purchases electricity from the wholesale electricity market 26. The second operator 27 purchases surplus electricity from residences 28. The second operator 27 supplies this electricity to the first operator's offices 29, etc. Note that the system shown in Figure 2 is just one example and is not limited to this. Let's return to Figure 1 and continue the explanation.

[0036] The building unit (BU) is connected to a grid from, for example, power company 4. One example of such a grid is a low-voltage bulk power supply. In the building's BU (Building Unit), a power supply node (not shown) that receives power from distributed power sources such as solar cell modules (SC) is installed between the power receiving panel (not shown) and the distribution panel (not shown). The power supply node is equipped with, for example, a sensor and a terminal block. Furthermore, the building unit (BU) may be equipped with an output control device, such as a remote control for controlling the output of the solar cell modules (SC), or a device for receiving remote operations from outside the building. The building unit (BU) may also be equipped with a solar expansion panel, for example, to accommodate the addition of more solar cell modules (SC).

[0037] The upper metering device 33 has the power grid from the power company 4 connected to its input side, and the input side of the power receiving panel connected to its output side. The power receiving panel is connected to the input side of the distribution panel and to the first output side of the power conditioner 200 via a power supply node. The power conditioner 200 is connected to the solar cell module SC and the battery 100. The power conditioner 200 has its first output side connected to the input sides of each of the lower meter devices 36-1 through 36-6.

[0038] The output side of each of the lower meter devices 36-1 to 36-6 is connected to the input side of each of the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6, which are included in section 50-1 and section 50-6, respectively. The output side of each of the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 is connected to customers 30-1 to 30-6, respectively. The higher-level metering device 101 is a meter for measuring electricity consumption contracted with the power company 4. An example of the higher-level metering device 101 is a bulk power receiving meter. The higher-level metering device 101 measures the electricity consumption of customers 30-1 to 30-6 and the electricity consumption of the common area 60. Another example of the higher-level metering device 101 is a smart meter. The power receiving panel is connected to the higher-level metering device 101 and receives power from the grid through low-voltage bulk power reception. The power receiving panel is equipped with, for example, a current transformer and circuit breakers for the grid. The power receiving panel supplies the received power to the distribution panel.

[0039] The distributed power source comprises at least a solar cell module SC and a battery 100. The distributed power source may also include a fuel cell, a wind power generation system, etc. The power conditioner 200 controls the solar cell module SC, the storage battery 100, and the charge / discharge device CDD-1 to the charge / discharge device CDD-3. The Power Conditioner 200 converts the DC power generated by the SC solar modules into AC power that can be used in the home. The power conditioner 200 converts the voltage of surplus DC electricity generated by solar cell modules SC that are not used in the common area 60 or in customers 30-1 to 30-6 into a voltage that can be used to charge the battery 100, and stores the converted power in the battery 100. When the amount of power generated by the solar cell modules SC is low, the power conditioner 200 supplies the electricity stored in the battery 100 to the common area 60 and to customer 30-1 and then to customer 30-6. The power conditioner 200 detects the direction of current flow and controls either charging or discharging, or both, of the battery 100 based on the detection result. The power conditioner 200 also detects whether or not power is being supplied from the grid and, if it detects that a power outage has occurred, it supplies the power stored in the battery 100 to the router and outlets in the common area 60 via the switchboard.

[0040] The distribution board, for example, is equipped with multiple circuit breakers and sensors for each branch destination. During grid-connected operation, the distribution board branches the power received at the receiving board into multiple sub-circuits and distributes it to the common area 60 and to each of the customers 30-1 through 30-6. Furthermore, the distribution board branches the power supplied via the power conditioner 200 into multiple sub-circuits and distributes it to the common area 60 and to consumers 30-1 through 30-6. Furthermore, if the building unit (BU) has multiple floors, the distribution board may be configured to distribute the power supplied via the power conditioner 200 to each floor.

[0041] Common areas 60 include, for example, the electrical facilities of the building's building unit (BU) lobby, corridors, management office, meeting rooms, etc. Common areas 60 include, for example, a router, outlets, etc. Note that outlets are supplied with power under normal conditions but not during a power outage. The router and outlets are not supplied with power under normal conditions but are supplied with power during a power outage. Lower meter devices 36-1 to 36-6 are meters that measure the power consumption of customers 30-1 to 30-6, respectively. Distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 distribute power to consumers 30-1 to 30-6, respectively. Each of distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 is equipped with one or more circuit breakers (not shown) and sensors (not shown). Customers 30-1 to 30-6 are each included in building BU sections 50-1 to 50-6. For example, sections 50-1 to 50-6 each have access points AP-1 to AP-6 and loads LO-1 to LO-6. Examples of loads LO-1 to LO-6 include outlets and lights. The intermediary company obtains the measurement results from each of the lower meter devices 36-1 to 36-6, calculates the power consumption based on the obtained results, and collects electricity charges from each of the customers 30-1 to 30-6. The measurement results from each of the lower meter devices 36-1 to 36-6 may be obtained by, for example, the power conditioner 200 and output to the power company 4.

[0042] (Operation during normal operation and during power outages) Next, we will explain examples of operation under normal conditions and during a power outage. Under normal circumstances, the electricity generated by the solar cell modules SC is supplied to the distribution board via the power conditioner 200. The distribution board supplies the received power to the outlets in the common area 60 and to each of the customers 30-1 and 30-6. If the generated electricity is insufficient to meet the demand, the power receiving panel supplies power from the grid to the outlets in the common area 60 and to each of the customers 30-1, which is included in section 50-1, and customers 30-6, which is included in section 50-6. If there is a surplus of electricity generated by the solar cell modules SC, the power conditioner 200 charges the battery 100 and then sells the generated electricity back to the grid via the power distribution panel. The outlets supplied with power to the common area 60 under normal circumstances are just examples and are not limited to them. For example, power may also be supplied to the lights installed in the common area 60, the control device for the electronic lock at the entrance, etc.

[0043] During a power outage, the power conditioner 200 detects whether or not power is being supplied from the grid and supplies the power stored in the battery 100 to the router and outlets in the common area 60 via the switchboard. Furthermore, in the event of a power outage, if power is being generated by the solar cell modules SC, the power conditioner 200 may be configured to supply the power generated by the solar cell modules SC to the distribution board. In this case, power may also be supplied from the distribution board to each of the consumers 30-1 through 30-6. The router and outlets supplied to the common area 60 during a power outage are just examples and are not limited to them. For example, power may also be supplied to emergency lights and electronic lock control devices at the entrance, which are installed in the common area 60. The power conditioner 200 and connection device 400 are realized, for example, by a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a computer program (software) stored in a memory unit (not shown). Furthermore, some or all of these functional components may be implemented by hardware (including circuitry) such as LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), and GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or by collaboration between software and hardware.

[0044] (Operation of the charge level adjustment system) This section describes the operation of the charge adjustment system, specifically how it charges the batteries of each electric vehicle, from EV-1 to EV-3. In the charge amount adjustment system, the connection device 400 connects the charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3, which are installed in parking lots PA-1 to PA-3 respectively, to the distribution board 34-1 to 34-6, which are installed in each of the sections 50-1 to 50-6 included in the building BU, to the distribution board installed in the section where the customer who has a contract for any of parking lots PA-1 to PA-3 resides. As mentioned earlier, let's continue the explanation for the case where a resident of unit 50-1 contracts for parking space PA-1, a resident of unit 50-3 contracts for parking space PA-2, and a resident of unit 50-5 contracts for parking space PA-3. In the charge amount adjustment system, each of the charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3 charges the batteries of the connected electric vehicles EV-1 to EV-3 using the power supplied to distribution boards 34-1, 34-3, and 34-5.

[0045] This section describes the operation of the charge adjustment system, specifically how it stores and discharges power into the batteries of each of the electric vehicles, from EV-1 to EV-3. In the charge adjustment system, each of the charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3 discharges the power stored in the batteries of each connected electric vehicle, from electric vehicle EV-1 to electric vehicle EV-3, based on an operation to discharge the electric vehicle's battery.

[0046] In the charge amount adjustment system, each of the charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3 stores the power obtained by discharging the batteries of each of the electric vehicles EV-1 to EV-3 into the storage battery 100. In the charge adjustment system, the power conditioner 200 supplies the electricity stored in the battery 100 to the electrical loads included in each of the customers 30-1 to 30-6 and in each of the common areas 60-1 to 60-2 within the building BU.

[0047] In the embodiments described above, the case in which the building unit (BU) has two floors, the first floor and the second floor, was explained, but the invention is not limited to this example. For example, a building unit (BU) may have three or more floors. In the embodiment described above, we explained a case where the building unit (BU) has two floors, the first floor and the second floor, each with three divisions, but the invention is not limited to this example. For example, each floor of a building unit (BU) may have one or two compartments, or four or more compartments. Furthermore, the number of compartments on each floor of a building unit may differ. In the embodiment described above, the case in which the building unit (BU) is supplied with power from the power company 4 and the grid power source was explained, but the invention is not limited to this example. For example, the building unit (BU) may be powered by power company 4 or by the grid power supply. If the building unit (BU) is powered by power company 4, the power conditioner 200 determines whether or not it is powered by power company 4. If the building unit (BU) is powered by the grid power supply, the power conditioner 200 determines whether or not it is powered by the grid power supply. In the embodiment described above, the case in which the communication equipment supplies power stored in the battery 100 to each of the access points AP-1 to AP-6 was explained, but the invention is not limited to this example. For example, the battery 100 may supply power to each of the access points AP-1 through AP-6. The above-described embodiment described a case where parking lots PA-1 to PA-3 are attached to building BU, but the invention is not limited to this example. For example, the number of parking spaces attached to a building unit (BU) can be one or two, or four or more.

[0048] In the embodiment described above, a case was described in which the battery 100 is installed near the parking area (PA), and the power conditioner 200 and connection device 400 are installed in the common area 60 of the building (BU). However, the embodiment is not limited to this example. For example, the battery 100 may be installed in a location other than the parking area PA, such as a common area 60, and the power conditioner 200 and the connection device 400 may be installed in a location other than the common area 60, such as the wall of the building BU. In the embodiments described above, a case in which a charge / discharge device (CDD) is applied was described as an example of a charge amount adjustment device for adjusting the charge amount of an electric vehicle battery, but this is not the only example. For example, a charging device or a discharging device may be applied as the charge amount adjustment device. In the embodiment described above, a power supply node that supplies power from a distributed power source may be provided between the upper-level meter device and the power receiving panel. Alternatively, a power supply node that supplies power from a distributed power source may be provided between the distribution panel and the lower-level meter device and each of the lower-level meter devices 36-1 to 36-6. Furthermore, a power supply node that supplies power from distributed power sources may be provided between the distribution board and each of the lower meter devices 36-1 to 36-6.

[0049] According to the charge amount adjustment system of this embodiment, the connection device 400 includes a charge amount adjustment device (in this embodiment, charge / discharge device CDD-1 to charge / discharge device CDD-3) installed in each of the multiple parking lots PA-1 to PA-3 to adjust the charge amount of the electric vehicle battery, and a connection part 450 that connects the distribution board 34-1 to distribution board 34-6 of each of the multiple sections 50-1 to 50-6 included in the apartment building to the distribution board 34 of section 50 where a customer who has contracted for any of the parking lots PA-1 to PA-3 resides. By configuring it in this way, the connection device 400 includes a connection section 450 that connects the charge amount adjustment devices (charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3) installed in each of the multiple parking lots PA-1 to PA-3, to the distribution board 34 of the unit 50 in which a customer who has a contract for parking lots PA-1 to PA-3 resides, among the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 in each of the multiple units 50-1 to 50-6 included in the apartment building. This makes it possible to connect the charge amount adjustment devices (charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3) to any of the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 in any of the units 50-1 to 50-6 in which a customer who has a contract for parking lots PA-1 to PA-3 resides. The amount of electricity supplied to the distribution board 34-1 through 34-6 in any of the residential units 50-1 through 50-6, where a customer who has contracted for parking spaces PA-1 through PA-3 resides, can be used to adjust the charging rate of an electric vehicle (EV) battery.

[0050] In the connection device 400, the connection between each of the multiple charge amount adjustment devices (charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3) and the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 of each of the multiple sections 50-1 to 50-6 included in the apartment building is switchable. By configuring it in this way, it becomes possible to switch the connection between each of the multiple charge amount adjustment devices (charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3) and the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 of each of the multiple sections 50-1 to 50-6 included in the apartment building. Therefore, if a customer who had a contract for one of the parking spaces PA-1 to PA-3 stops having a contract, the connection destination of the charge amount adjustment device (charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3) of the parking space PA-1 to PA-3 that the customer no longer has a contract for can be switched from the distribution board 34-1 to 34-6 of any section 50-1 to 50-6 in which the customer resides to the distribution board 34-1 to 34-6 of any section 50-1 to 50-6 in which a new customer who has contracted for one of the parking spaces PA-1 to PA-3 resides.

[0051] In the connection device 400, each of the multiple charge amount adjustment devices (charge / discharge device CDD-1 to charge / discharge device CDD-3) charges electric vehicles EVs parked in parking lots PA-1 to PA-3, where each charge amount adjustment device (charge / discharge device CDD-1 to charge / discharge device CDD-3) is installed, using the power supplied to each of the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6, which are connected by the connection unit 450. By configuring it in this way, each of the multiple charge adjustment devices (charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3) can charge electric vehicles EV-1 to EV-3 parked in parking lots PA-1 to PA-3, respectively, using the power supplied to one of the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 connected by the connection part 450. As a result, the amount of electricity charged to each of the electric vehicles EV-1 to EV-3 can be measured using the power meters that measure the power consumption of each of the multiple sections 50-1 to 50-6 included in the apartment building, without having to install a power meter for each of the multiple charge adjustment devices (charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3).

[0052] In the connection device 400, the distribution board 34 is supplied with electricity generated by distributed power sources. By configuring the system in this way, each of the multiple charge adjustment devices (charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3) can charge electric vehicles EV-1 to EV-3 parked in parking lots PA-1 to PA-3, respectively, using electricity generated by distributed power sources supplied to each of the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 connected by the connection section 450. This allows electric vehicles EV-1 to EV-3 to be charged using electricity generated by distributed power sources supplied to each of the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 in the respective areas 50-1 to 50-6, where the customers who have contracted for parking lots PA-1 to PA-3 reside.

[0053] In the connecting device 400, each of the one or more charge amount adjustment devices (charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3) may be a charger, a discharger, or a charge / discharger. By configuring it in this way, each of the one or more charge adjustment devices can be a charging device, a discharging device, or a charge / discharge device, thereby allowing the charge level of the electric vehicle's battery to be adjusted. According to the charge amount adjustment system of this embodiment, the charge amount adjustment system includes a charge amount adjustment device (in this embodiment, charge / discharge device CDD-1 to charge / discharge device CDD-3) installed in each of the multiple parking lots PA-1 to PA-3 to adjust the charge amount of the electric vehicle's battery, and a connection device 400 that connects one of the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 in each of the multiple sections 50-1 to 50-6 included in the apartment building to the distribution board 34-1 to 34-6 in the section where the customer who has contracted for any of the parking lots PA-1 to PA-3 resides. Each of the multiple charge adjustment devices (charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3) charges the batteries of electric vehicles EV-1 to EV-3, which are parked in parking lots PA-1 to PA-3, respectively, using power supplied to one of the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6, which are connected by the connection device 400.

[0054] With this configuration, the charge amount adjustment system comprises charge amount adjustment devices (charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3) installed in each of the multiple parking lots PA-1 to PA-3, and a connecting device 400 that connects each of the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 in each of the multiple sections 50-1 to 50-6 included in the apartment building to the distribution board 34-1 to 34-6 in each section 50-1 to 50-6 where a customer who has a contract for any of the parking lots PA-1 to PA-3 resides. Each of the multiple charge adjustment devices (charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3) charges electric vehicles EV-1 to EV-3 parked in parking lots PA-1 to PA-3, respectively, using power supplied to one of the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 connected by the connection device 400. Electric vehicles EV-1 to EV-3 can be charged using power supplied to the distribution boards 34-1 to 34-6 in the respective sections 50-1 to 50-6, where the customers who have contracted for parking lots PA-1 to PA-3 reside.

[0055] According to the charge adjustment system, each of the distribution boards 34-1 through 34-6 is supplied with electricity generated by distributed power sources. With this configuration, the charging amount adjustment system can charge electric vehicles EV-1 through EV-3 using electricity generated by distributed power sources supplied to one of the distribution boards 34-1 through 34-6 in any of the sections 50-1 through 50-6 where the contract holders who have contracted for each of the parking lots PA-1 through PA-3 reside.

[0056] According to the charge adjustment system, it further comprises a battery 100 and a power conditioner 200 that supplies the power stored in the battery 100 to the electrical loads included in the building unit (BU). By configuring it in this way, the charge adjustment system includes a battery 100. One example of a battery 100 is one that stores electricity generated by a distributed power source. One example of a distributed power source is a photovoltaic (PV) power generation system, in which case the battery 100 stores electricity generated by the PV power generation system. The charge adjustment system may further include a power conditioner 200 that supplies the electricity stored in the battery 100 to the electrical loads included in the building BU, so that the electricity stored in the battery 100, which has been charged by the batteries of electric vehicles EV-3 from electric vehicle EV-1, can be supplied to the electrical loads included in the building BU.

[0057] According to the charge amount adjustment system, each of the one or more charge amount adjustment devices (charge / discharge devices CDD-1 to CDD-3) may be a charger, a discharger, or a charge / discharger. By configuring it in this way, each of the one or more charge adjustment devices can be a charging device, a discharging device, or a charge / discharge device, thereby allowing the charge level of the electric vehicle's battery to be adjusted.

[0058] Although embodiments have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, modifications, and combinations can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The embodiments are included in the scope and essence of the invention, and at the same time, they are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as described in the claims.

[0059] Furthermore, as previously mentioned, the power conditioner 200 is implemented by including a computer. In this case, the program for realizing the function of each functional block is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Alternatively, the program recorded on this recording medium may be loaded into a computer system and executed by the CPU. Here, "computer system" includes hardware such as the OS (Operating System) and peripheral devices. Furthermore, "computer-readable recording media" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs. It also includes storage devices such as hard disks built into computer systems.

[0060] Furthermore, "computer-readable recording media" may include those that dynamically hold programs for a short period of time. Examples of those that dynamically hold programs for a short period of time include communication lines used when transmitting programs via networks such as the Internet or communication lines such as telephone lines. Furthermore, "computer-readable recording media" may also include volatile memory within server and client computer systems that retain programs for a certain period of time. Furthermore, the above program may be intended to implement some of the functions described above. Also, the above program may be capable of implementing the aforementioned functions in combination with programs already recorded in the computer system. Furthermore, the above program may be implemented using a programmable logic device. A programmable logic device is, for example, an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0061] Furthermore, the power conditioner 200 described above has a computer inside. The processes of each operation of the power conditioner 200 described above are stored in program format on a computer-readable recording medium, and the above operations are performed when the computer reads and executes this program. Here, computer-readable recording media refer to magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, semiconductor memory, etc. Alternatively, this computer program may be distributed to a computer via a communication line, and the computer that receives the program may execute it. Furthermore, the above program may be intended to implement some of the functions described above. Furthermore, the aforementioned functions may be implemented in combination with programs already recorded in the computer system, such as so-called differential files (differential programs). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0062] 20 Housing 4. Power companies 21 Distributed power generation 22 First business operator 23 Electric vehicles 24 Consumer 25 Owners 26. Wholesale Electricity Market 27 Second business operator 28 Housing 29. Business establishment of the first business operator 33 Upper Meter Device 36 Lower Meter Device 30-1, 30-2, 30-3, 30-4, 30-5, 30-6 Consumer 50-1, 50-2, 50-3, 50-4, 50-5, 50-6 classification 60-1, 60-2 Common area 100 Battery 200 Power Conditioner 400 connection devices 450 Connection part

Claims

1. A parking lot attached to a rental apartment building, comprising: a charge amount adjustment device installed in each of the parking lots that can be contracted in conjunction with a residential contract for any of the multiple units included in the apartment building, for adjusting the charge amount of an electric vehicle battery; and a connection unit installed in a location other than the apartment building, which changes the connection between the parking lot and each of the distribution boards of the multiple units included in the apartment building based on whether or not there is a contract for the parking lot, wherein the connection unit maintains a connected state by connecting the distribution board of the unit in which a tenant who has a contract for the parking lot resides with the charge amount adjustment device, and maintains a disconnected state by not connecting the distribution board of the unit in which a tenant who does not have a contract for the parking lot resides with the charge amount adjustment device. A connecting device equipped with the following features.

2. The connection device according to claim 1, wherein the connection between each of the one or more charge amount adjustment devices and each of the distribution boards of the multiple sections included in the apartment building is switchable.

3. The connection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the one or more charge amount adjustment devices charges an electric vehicle parked in a parking lot where the charge amount adjustment device is installed, using power supplied to a distribution board connected by the connection part.

4. The connection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the distribution board is supplied with electricity generated by distributed power sources.

5. The connecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of the one or more charge amount adjustment devices is a charging device, a discharging device, and a charge / discharge device.

6. A charging amount adjustment device, installed in each of one or more parking spaces to adjust the charging amount of an electric vehicle's battery, and a connecting device that connects the distribution board of each of the multiple units included in the apartment building to the distribution board of the unit in which the contract holder for the parking space resides. Equipped with, A charge amount adjustment system in which one or more charge amount adjustment devices charge the batteries of electric vehicles parked in a parking lot where the charge amount adjustment device is installed, using power supplied to a distribution board connected by the connection device.

7. The charge amount adjustment system according to claim 6, wherein the distribution board is supplied with electricity generated by distributed power sources.

8. Storage batteries and A power conditioner that supplies electricity stored in the aforementioned battery to the electrical loads included in the building. The charge amount adjustment system according to claim 6 or claim 7, further comprising:

9. The charge amount adjustment system according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein each of the one or more charge amount adjustment devices is a charging device, a discharging device, and a charge / discharge device.

10. A connection device comprising: one or more parking lots attached to a rental apartment building, each of which is installed in a parking lot that can be contracted in conjunction with a residential contract for any of the multiple units included in the apartment building, and which adjusts the charge amount of an electric vehicle battery; and a connection unit installed in a location other than the units of the apartment building, which changes the connection between the connection and each of the distribution boards of the multiple units included in the apartment building based on whether or not there is a contract for the parking lot, wherein the connection unit maintains a connection state by connecting the distribution board of the unit in which a tenant who has a contract for the parking lot resides with the charge amount adjustment device, and maintains a disconnected state by not connecting the distribution board of the unit in which a tenant who has not a contract for the parking lot resides with the charge amount adjustment device, the connection device comprising the step of changing the connection between the charge amount adjustment device and the distribution board based on whether or not there is a contract for the parking lot, Each of the one or more charge amount adjustment devices charges an electric vehicle parked in the parking lot where the charge amount adjustment device is installed using the power supplied to the distribution board connected by the connection device. A method for adjusting the amount of charge, having the following characteristics.

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