Battery delivery system and battery delivery method

Abstract

To provide a battery delivery system and battery delivery method for making effective use of electric power generated by a power generation facility.SOLUTION: A battery delivery system 100 is provided, comprising a management unit (delivery management device 500) configured to issue a delivery instruction to deliver a battery to a power generation facility 10 using a mobile vehicle, and a delivery instruction to deliver a battery that has been charged at the power generation facility to a consumer by using the mobile vehicle. The mobile vehicle is used for package delivery in a home delivery system 50. A battery is delivered as a package and a delivery slip used when delivering a package corresponds to a delivery instruction to deliver the battery, and a slip number of the delivery slip for delivering the battery is used as identification information for identifying the battery.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery delivery system and a battery delivery method.

Background Art

[0002] In power generation facilities using renewable energy, a constant power generation amount cannot always be obtained. For example, in solar power generation, the power generation amount varies depending on the time zone and weather, so the solar panels may be overloaded to obtain power that can be transmitted even during time zones with low power generation. Therefore, surplus power is generated during time zones with high power generation, and thus the surplus power is supplied to the power utility company for power sales (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, there is a limit to the amount of power that can be supplied to the power utility company using transmission lines, and transmitting power beyond the limit may cause problems such as power outages. Therefore, when the surplus power becomes large, power that cannot be transmitted is generated, resulting in power loss.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and one of the objectives is to provide a battery delivery system and a battery delivery method that effectively utilize the power generated by power generation facilities.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and one aspect of the present invention is a battery delivery system comprising a management unit that gives delivery instructions for delivering batteries to a power generation facility using a mobile unit, and delivery instructions for delivering the batteries, which have been charged at the power generation facility, to consumers using the mobile unit.

[0007] Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention is a battery delivery method in a battery delivery system, the method comprising the steps of: a management unit issuing a delivery instruction to deliver batteries to a power generation facility using a mobile unit; and a management unit issuing a delivery instruction to deliver the batteries, which have been charged at the power generation facility, to a consumer using the mobile unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the above embodiment of the present invention, electricity generated by a power generation facility can be effectively utilized. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A diagram illustrating the battery delivery system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] Diagram illustrating surplus power in a power generation facility according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] A block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a battery distribution system according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] A block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a delivery management device according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] A flowchart showing an example of the delivery instruction processing to a power generation facility according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] A flowchart showing an example of the collection instruction processing from a power generation facility according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] A flowchart illustrating an example of the delivery instruction process to a customer according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] A diagram illustrating an example of deploying a battery delivery system according to the embodiment to the electricity market. [Figure 9] A diagram illustrating an example of business development using the battery delivery system according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. [Overview of the battery delivery system] First, an overview of the battery delivery system according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the battery distribution system according to this embodiment. The power generation equipment 10 is a power generation facility owned by a renewable energy power generation business operator. Here, the power generation equipment 10 is described using a solar power generation facility as an example, but it may also be a facility that generates electricity using renewable energy such as wind, hydro, geothermal, or biomass. Furthermore, the power generation equipment 10 may also be a facility that generates electricity using sources other than renewable energy, such as fossil fuels or nuclear power. The equipment may also include solar power generation in individual homes, small water turbines, or power generation devices such as vehicles.

[0011] In solar power generation, solar panels 11, which are modules made of silicon semiconductor cells, convert sunlight into electrical energy and output it. For example, the power output per solar panel 11 is approximately 180W to 230W. The electricity generated by the solar panels 11 is sent to a power conditioner 12.

[0012] The power conditioner 12 is responsible for adjusting the voltage so that it can convert direct current to alternating current for transmission, and also for adjusting the voltage so that the solar panels 11 can easily generate electricity. The distribution board 13 is responsible for reverse power flow to the power transmission and distribution network 20, and is responsible for sending a predetermined amount of electricity from the power generation equipment 10 to the transmission lines. The power transmission and distribution network 20 includes transmission lines and substations, and sends high-voltage electricity from the power generation equipment 10 to consumers 30. Near the consumers 30, the power transmission and distribution network 20 steps down the voltage to 200V or 100V, which is easy to use in homes and other places, and transmits the electricity. Consumers 30 are commercial facilities, factories, companies, and general households that use the electricity supplied from the power generation equipment 10.

[0013] Since the power generation amount of the power generation facility 10 varies depending on the time zone and weather, it is common for the solar panels 11 to be overloaded so that power can be transmitted even during time zones with low power generation amounts. For example, in order for the power generation facility 10 to obtain the specified amount of power of the air conditioner 12 even during time zones with low solar radiation in the morning and evening, solar panels 11 with a surplus number (for example, 1.5 times) are loaded (overloaded). Therefore, surplus power is generated during time zones with high power generation amounts. Note that environmental conditions that affect the power generation amount include meteorological information such as temperature or humidity in addition to weather, and in addition to meteorological information, information such as the date and season may also be included.

[0014] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram of surplus power in a power generation facility. In this figure, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the power generation capacity of the solar panel 11 (hereinafter referred to as the "panel capacity"). Power loss (surplus power) occurs according to the ratio between the panel capacity and the capacity of the air conditioner 12. The line indicated by the symbol d1 shows the change over one day when an air conditioner 12 with the same capacity as the panel capacity is adopted. In this case, since the capacity of the air conditioner 12 (the capacity of the power conditioner) is not exceeded even at the time when the panel capacity peaks during the day, the occurrence of power loss is suppressed. However, the time when the peak is reached is a short period of the day. For example, during the morning and evening time zones, the power generation amount is low, and the utilization rate of the power generation facility 10 is low.

[0015] The line indicated by the symbol d2 shows the change over one day when the solar panels 11 are increased in number so that the panel capacity is larger than the capacity of the air conditioner 12. Also, the line indicated by the symbol d3 shows the change over one day when the solar panels 11 are further increased in number to increase the ratio of the panel capacity to the capacity of the air conditioner 12.

[0016] During the daytime, the power loss occurs when the panel capacity exceeds the capacity of the power conditioner 12. However, the increased part (the shaded area) within the range where the panel capacity does not exceed the capacity of the power conditioner 12 results in an increase in the power generation amount. For example, in the characteristics of the line indicated by the symbol d2, even if power loss occurs, the days and times when the power generation amount is maximized throughout the year are limited. Therefore, the amount of power loss is limited, and overall, the utilization rate of the power generation facility 10 is improved.

[0017] Furthermore, when adding more solar panels 11, as in the characteristics of the line indicated by the symbol d3, the amount of power loss due to the panel capacity exceeding the capacity of the power conditioner 12 increases. If the ratio of the panel capacity to the capacity of the power conditioner 12 becomes too large, the power loss at the peak of the panel capacity becomes large, and the demerit of increased power generation cost is greater than the merit of improving the utilization rate of the power generation facility 10.

[0018] The power generation facility 10 is configured to overload the solar panels 11 within the range where the above merits exceed the demerits. Although there is a time period when the panel capacity exceeds the capacity of the power conditioner 12, the overall utilization rate of the power generation facility 10 is improved. Furthermore, the power generation facility 10 suppresses power loss by using the surplus power (i.e., the amount that cannot be transmitted using the power transmission and distribution network 20) that exceeds the capacity of the power conditioner 12 instead of discarding it.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, the power generation equipment 10 has a charging system separate from the power transmission system to the power transmission and distribution network 20, which can step down surplus power using a DC / DC converter 14 and charge the battery 40. The battery 40 is a rechargeable secondary battery. The battery delivery system 100 delivers the battery 40, which has been charged with this surplus power, to the customer 30 using a vehicle 51 (such as a truck) used for collecting and delivering packages in the courier service system 50. The courier service system 50 is, for example, an existing courier service system that delivers general packages. The customer 30 can use the power supplied from the delivered, charged battery 40. The battery delivery system 100 also delivers the battery 40, which has been discharged after being used by the customer 30, to the power generation equipment 10 using the vehicle 51. This delivered battery 40 is then charged with surplus power in the power generation equipment 10.

[0020] In this way, the battery delivery system 100 charges surplus electricity that cannot be transmitted to the power transmission and distribution network 20 into batteries 40 and transports it to consumers 30 by vehicle instead of through the power transmission and distribution network 20, thereby reducing the loss of electricity generated by the power generation equipment 10 and enabling the effective use of the generated electricity.

[0021] [Battery Delivery System Configuration] Next, we will describe the configuration of the battery delivery system 100 in detail. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the battery distribution system according to this embodiment. In this figure, the same reference numerals are used for the components corresponding to the parts in Figure 1. Two power generation facilities 10 are shown as multiple power generation facilities 10 of a renewable energy power generation business operator. The number of power generation facilities 10 is not limited to two, but may be three or more. Each of the multiple power generation facilities 10 may be part or all of the same renewable energy power generation business operator, or they may be power generation facilities of different renewable energy power generation business operators. In this embodiment, an example is described in which multiple power generation facilities 10 capable of charging the battery 40 are provided, but a configuration with only one power generation facility 10 is also possible.

[0022] The battery distribution system 100 predicts the amount of electricity generated by each of the multiple power generation facilities 10, and based on the prediction, delivers batteries 40 to the power generation facilities 10 that are expected to generate surplus electricity. The power generation facilities 10 to which the batteries 40 are delivered may be one or multiple. The power generation facilities 10 charge the delivered batteries 40 with surplus electricity. The battery distribution system 100 then checks the charging status of the batteries 40 and collects the batteries 40 once charging is complete. For example, the purchase price of electricity is determined based on the cost of power generation, and the purchase of electricity is traded in accordance with the collection of the charged batteries 40. The battery distribution system 100 may also predict the quality (content) of the electricity, such as whether or not it is renewable energy, the percentage of renewable energy, and the type of renewable energy, as well as the amount of electricity generated, for each of the multiple power generation facilities 10. The type of renewable energy may be classified by power generation factors such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass, or by greenhouse gas emissions resulting from power generation. The purchase price of electricity may also be determined by the quality of the electricity.

[0023] Furthermore, the battery distribution system 100 checks the demand forecast or battery levels of multiple consumers 30 and delivers fully charged batteries 40, which have been charged by the power generation equipment 10, to consumers 30 where demand is expected (or consumers 30 with low battery levels). For example, the electricity selling price is determined based on factors such as power generation costs, battery costs, and distribution costs, and electricity sales transactions are conducted in accordance with the delivery of fully charged batteries 40.

[0024] Furthermore, the battery distribution system 100 distributes the batteries 40 used by the customer 30 (discharged batteries 40) to the power generation equipment 10 as batteries 40 for charging.

[0025] The battery 40 is a removable cartridge-type battery that can be carried on its own. In the power generation equipment 10, the battery 40 can be charged by attaching it to a charging terminal or similar part for connecting to a charging system that receives power via a DC / DC converter 14 (see Figure 1). In addition, in the consumer 30, the battery 40 can be supplied to the consumer 30 by attaching it to a power terminal or similar part for power connection provided in the consumer 30.

[0026] As mentioned above, a courier service 50 is used to deliver the batteries 40. The courier service 50 is a courier service provided by a courier company that delivers general packages, and the batteries 40 are treated as packages. In other words, the batteries 40 can be delivered by loading them onto a vehicle 51 used for collecting and delivering packages, just like other packages. The vehicle 51 is typically a truck used for collecting and delivering packages, but it may be a vehicle other than a truck.

[0027] Furthermore, the vehicle 51 may be an EV (Electric Vehicle), and in the case of an EV, it may be capable of running on a battery provided in the vehicle 51, or it may be capable of running on electricity from battery 40 in addition to or instead of said battery. Note that other mobile devices such as drones may be used instead of the vehicle 51.

[0028] Furthermore, the battery distribution system 100 may also distribute the charged batteries 40, which have been charged by the power generation equipment 10, to a distribution center 31 of a courier company providing the courier service system 50, in addition to the consumer 30. For example, the charged batteries 40 may pass through the distribution center 31 on their way to the consumer 30. Alternatively, the charged batteries 40 may be distributed to the distribution center 31 for storage and then distributed to the consumer 30 as needed. The charged batteries 40 may also be used at the distribution center 31 to which they were delivered. In addition, batteries 40 stored at the distribution center 31 may be charged or discharged at the distribution center 31 depending on the storage conditions (e.g., storage period).

[0029] Furthermore, the battery distribution system 100 may also distribute the charged batteries 40, which have been charged by the power generation equipment 10, to other companies in the industry 32 other than the courier company that provides the courier service system 50. When the charged batteries 40 are distributed to other companies in the industry 32, electricity is sold in accordance with the distribution. Other companies in the industry 32 may use the distributed batteries 40 themselves, or they may distribute (sell) them to consumers 30.

[0030] In this way, the battery distribution system 100 can provide a power trading mechanism in which electricity is purchased from the power generation facility 10 and sold to the consumer 30 by charging batteries 40 from the power generation facility 10 and transporting them to the consumer 30, instead of the power transmission and distribution network 20. As a result, the battery distribution system 100 can make available to the consumer 30 surplus power from the power generation facility 10 that cannot be transmitted by the power transmission and distribution network 20, thereby reducing power loss at the power generation facility 10 and enabling the effective use of the electricity generated at the power generation facility 10.

[0031] The battery delivery system 100 includes a delivery management device 500 that predicts the amount of power generated by the power generation equipment 10, predicts the demand of the customers 30, and issues delivery instructions for the batteries 40. For example, the delivery management device 500 is a server equipped with a computer that executes programs to realize the functions of the delivery management device 500. For example, the delivery management device 500 issues delivery instructions for the batteries 40 to a terminal held by a delivery worker who performs collection and delivery work using a vehicle 51.

[0032] [Configuration of the delivery management system] Next, with reference to Figure 4, the functional configuration of the delivery management device 500 will be described. Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a delivery management device according to this embodiment. The delivery management device 500 includes a communication unit 510, a control unit 520, and a storage unit 530. The communications unit 510 communicates with the power generation equipment 10, the consumers 30, the vehicles 51, and external servers that provide weather information, etc., via the communications network.

[0033] The control unit 520 includes an information acquisition unit 521, a power generation forecasting unit 522, a demand forecasting unit 523, a collection and delivery planning unit 524, and a delivery instruction unit 525. The storage unit 530 includes a power generation equipment information storage unit 531, a customer information storage unit 532, a vehicle information storage unit 533, a battery information storage unit 534, a forecast information storage unit 535, and a collection and delivery planning storage unit 536.

[0034] The information acquisition unit 521 acquires various types of information from power generation equipment 10, consumers 30, vehicles 51, external servers, etc., which are connected to the communication network via the communication unit 510. For example, the information acquisition unit 521 acquires power generation equipment information, along with the name and location of each of the multiple power generation equipment 10, and stores it in the power generation equipment information storage unit 531. For example, the power generation equipment information may include the panel capacity of the solar panels 11, the capacity and volume of the power conditioner 12, etc. The power generation equipment information may also include historical data of the actual amount of power generated and surplus power of the power generation equipment 10 over a predetermined period. The power generation equipment information storage unit 531 stores, for example, the name and location of the power generation equipment 10 and the power generation equipment information in association with each other.

[0035] Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 521 acquires customer information from each of the multiple customers 30 and stores it in the customer information storage unit 532. For example, the information acquisition unit 521 acquires the name and address of each of the multiple customers 30, along with battery information of the battery 40 used by the customer 30, as customer information. Battery information includes, for example, a battery ID to identify the battery 40, and information regarding the remaining charge of the battery 40 (e.g., State of Charge (SOC)). The customer information storage unit 532 stores, for example, the name and address of the customer 30, and battery information (battery ID, remaining charge, etc.) in association with each other. The information acquisition unit 521 may also acquire the amount of electricity used by each of the multiple customers 30 (e.g., the amount of electricity used per day) as customer information and store it in the customer information storage unit 532.

[0036] Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 521 acquires vehicle information from a terminal held by a delivery worker who is using a vehicle 51 to deliver (or collect) packages and batteries 40 in the courier service system 50, and stores it in the vehicle information storage unit 533. Vehicle information includes, for example, a vehicle ID to identify vehicle 51, location information of vehicle 51, and information about the contents of vehicle 51 (information about packages, batteries 40, etc.). The vehicle ID of the vehicle 51 to be used may be registered in advance on the terminal held by the delivery worker, or the vehicle ID may be registered by communicating with vehicle 51. Communication includes wireless communication, contactless communication such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identifier) ​​technology, and wired connections. In addition, the location information of vehicle 51 may be location information detected by the terminal held by the delivery worker, or location information detected by a location detection function installed in vehicle 51 may be used. The contents of the package may be registered at the delivery base on the terminal held by the delivery worker, or it may be entered into the terminal by the operation of the delivery worker. Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 521 may have some or all of the functions of the above-mentioned terminal provided in the vehicle 51, and the information acquisition unit 521 may acquire vehicle information from the vehicle 51, or may acquire vehicle information from both the vehicle 51 and the terminal held by the delivery worker.

[0037] Furthermore, the battery 40 may be equipped with sensors to detect battery monitoring information such as temperature, expansion rate, ignition, and leakage, and the information acquisition unit 521 may acquire battery monitoring information for each battery ID as battery information. For example, the information acquisition unit 521 may acquire battery information including battery monitoring information as the cargo information for each vehicle 51, and as battery information for the batteries 40 loaded in each vehicle 51. This allows monitoring of the normality and abnormalities of the batteries 40, and prevents accidents caused by the batteries 40 catching fire or exploding.

[0038] The vehicle information storage unit 533 stores information such as a vehicle ID, location information, and cargo information, associated with each other. The cargo information includes, for example, a cargo ID for identifying the cargo and a battery ID for identifying the battery 40. The cargo ID and battery ID can be any information that identifies them, such as the delivery slip numbers used when shipping the cargo and battery 40.

[0039] Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 521 acquires battery information from the battery 40 and stores it in the battery information storage unit 534. The battery information storage unit 534 stores the battery ID, location information, charge level, or remaining battery level, etc., in association with these items.

[0040] For example, the information acquisition unit 521 acquires information about the battery ID and charging status of the battery 40 being charged in the power generation equipment 10 as battery information. The charging status of the battery 40 is, for example, the amount of charge of the battery 40 (e.g., state of charge (SOC)). Based on the battery information acquired from the power generation equipment 10, the information acquisition unit 521 stores the battery ID, location information, charge amount (e.g., state of charge (SOC)) of the battery 40 in the power generation equipment 10 in the battery information storage unit 534. The location information may be the name or address of the power generation equipment 10. The information acquisition unit 521 may also acquire information about the time since the battery 40 was delivered to the power generation equipment 10 or the time since charging started as information about the charging status of the battery 40.

[0041] Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 521 acquires information from the customer 30 and stores the battery ID, location information, and remaining battery charge (e.g., state of charge (SOC)) of the battery 40 located at the customer 30 in the battery information storage unit 534 based on the battery information included in the customer information. The location information may be the customer ID of the customer 30 or the location.

[0042] Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 521 updates the location information of the battery information stored in the battery information storage unit 534 based on the vehicle information acquired from the terminal held by the delivery worker. For example, if a battery 40 located at the power generation facility 10 or the customer 30 is loaded onto the vehicle 51, the location information of the battery 40 is updated to the location information included in the vehicle information.

[0043] Specifically, when a battery 40 is delivered from the power generation equipment 10 to the customer 30, the information acquisition unit 521 first updates the location information of the battery 40 to the location information included in the vehicle information of the vehicle 51, in accordance with the fact that the battery 40 has been loaded onto the vehicle 51, and then updates the location information of the battery 40 to the name or address of the customer 30, in accordance with the fact that the battery 40 has been delivered to the customer 30. Furthermore, when a battery 40 is delivered from the customer 30 to the power generation equipment 10, the information acquisition unit 521 first updates the location information of the battery 40 to the location information included in the vehicle information of the vehicle 51, in accordance with the fact that the battery 40 has been loaded onto the vehicle 51, and then updates the location information of the battery 40 to the name or address of the power generation equipment 10, in accordance with the fact that the battery 40 has been delivered to the power generation equipment 10.

[0044] Furthermore, when the battery 40 is delivered to the distribution center 31, the information acquisition unit 521 updates the location information of the battery 40 to the distribution center 31's center ID (or center name) or address.

[0045] Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 521 acquires weather information (for example, weather forecasts) for the location of each power generation facility 10 from an external server that provides weather information. This weather information is used to predict the amount of power generated by the power generation facilities 10.

[0046] The power generation prediction unit 522 predicts the power generation amount for each of the multiple power generation facilities 10 based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 521. For example, the power generation prediction unit 522 predicts the amount of solar radiation for each of the multiple power generation facilities 10 based on at least weather information (e.g., weather forecasts) to predict the power generation amount. The power generation prediction unit 522 also predicts surplus power based on the power generation prediction results and the capacity of the installed power conditioner 12.

[0047] Here, the power generation forecasting unit 522 may use AI (Artificial Intelligence) to predict the amount of power generated (or surplus power). For example, the power generation forecasting unit 522 may use a trained model that has been machine-learned based on the power generation facility information of each of the multiple power generation facilities 10, the weather at the location of each power generation facility 10 (e.g., the weather), and the amount of power generated (or surplus power) at that time, to predict the amount of power generated (or surplus power) of each power generation facility 10 based on weather information (e.g., weather forecast information such as weather forecasts).

[0048] Furthermore, in addition to weather information, meteorological information such as temperature or humidity may be used to predict power generation (or surplus power). In addition to meteorological information, information such as the date and season may also be used to predict power generation (or surplus power).

[0049] Furthermore, the power generation prediction unit 522 generates power generation prediction information based on the prediction results and stores it in the prediction information storage unit 535. For example, the prediction information storage unit 535 stores the equipment ID of the power generation equipment 10, the power generation prediction result, the surplus power prediction result, and other related information as power generation prediction information.

[0050] In the case of wind power generation, for example, the amount of power generated can be predicted based on wind forecasts, and in the case of hydroelectric power generation, for example, the amount of power generated can be predicted based on rain forecasts.

[0051] The demand forecasting unit 523 forecasts the demand for each of the multiple customers 30. For example, the demand forecasting unit 523 forecasts the power demand for each customer 30 based on the remaining battery level of each of the batteries 40 of the multiple customers 30. For example, the demand forecasting unit 523 forecasts that customers 30 whose battery level is below a predetermined amount will need to be delivered a fully charged battery 40 (there is a demand). Alternatively, the demand forecasting unit 523 may forecast the power demand for each customer 30 based on the daily power consumption of the multiple customers 30 and the remaining battery level of the batteries 40.

[0052] Here, the demand forecasting unit 523 may use AI to forecast demand. For example, the demand forecasting unit 523 may use a trained model that has been machine-learned based on customer information for each of the multiple customers 30 (e.g., daily power consumption, battery level, etc.) and the demand for the battery 40 at that time to forecast the demand for each customer 30.

[0053] Furthermore, weather information for the location of each customer 30 may be used in the demand forecast. In addition, information on the elapsed time since the delivery of the charged batteries 40 to each customer 30 may be used in the demand forecast.

[0054] Furthermore, the demand forecasting unit 523 generates demand forecast information based on the demand forecast results and stores it in the forecast information storage unit 535. For example, the forecast information storage unit 535 stores the customer ID of customer 30, the demand forecast results, and other related information as demand forecast information.

[0055] The demand forecasting unit 523 may also use weather information for the location of each customer 30 for demand forecasting.

[0056] The collection and delivery planning unit 524 determines which power generation equipment 10 will receive the batteries 40 based on the predicted amount of power generated (or surplus power) of each power generation equipment 10, and creates a delivery plan to deliver the batteries 40 for charging to the determined power generation equipment 10. For example, based on the predicted amount of power generated (or surplus power), the collection and delivery planning unit 524 plans to prioritize the delivery of the batteries 40 for charging to power generation equipment 10 that are expected to generate a large amount of surplus power among the multiple power generation equipment 10.

[0057] The delivery plan to the power generation equipment 10 includes, for example, information about the power generation equipment 10 to be delivered (name, address (location), etc.), information about the batteries 40 to be delivered to the power generation equipment 10 (battery ID, battery location information, etc.), and the vehicle ID of the vehicle 51 used for delivery. The delivery plan may also include information about the delivery date (scheduled delivery date) or delivery date and time (scheduled delivery date and time). The batteries 40 to be delivered to the power generation equipment 10 may be, for example, batteries that have been exchanged for charged batteries 40 at the customer 30 and collected, batteries that have been collected from the customer 30 and are stored at the delivery base 31 as batteries for charging, or new, uncharged batteries 40.

[0058] Furthermore, the collection and delivery planning unit 524 determines which customers 30 will receive the batteries 40 based on the demand forecast results for each customer 30, and creates a delivery plan to deliver the charged batteries 40, which have been charged by the power generation equipment 10, to the determined customers 30. For example, the collection and delivery planning unit 524 plans to prioritize the delivery of charged batteries 40 to customers 30 where the remaining battery charge of the batteries 40 used by each customer 30 is low or where there is a high expectation of running out of battery charge.

[0059] The delivery plan to customer 30 includes, for example, information about customer 30 (name, address, etc.), information about the batteries 40 to be delivered to customer 30 (battery ID, battery location information, etc.), and the vehicle ID of the vehicle 51 used for delivery. The delivery plan may also include information about the delivery date (scheduled delivery date) or delivery date and time (scheduled delivery date and time). The batteries 40 to be delivered to customer 30 may be, for example, batteries that have been charged and collected at the power generation equipment 10, batteries that have been charged and collected at the power generation equipment 10 and are stored at the delivery base 31, or newly charged batteries 40.

[0060] Furthermore, when the collection and delivery planning unit 524 collects charged batteries 40 from the power generation equipment 10, it refers to the battery information stored in the battery information storage unit 534 and creates a collection plan that targets batteries 40 that have completed charging or batteries 40 that are less than a predetermined time away from completing charging, according to the charging status of each power generation equipment 10. The predetermined time is, for example, the estimated time it takes for the vehicle 51 heading to collect the batteries to arrive. The collection and delivery planning unit 524 may also target batteries 40 that it can determine have completed charging based on information about the time since the batteries 40 were delivered to the power generation equipment 10 or the time since charging began.

[0061] Furthermore, the collection and delivery planning department 524 may create a delivery plan for delivering the charged batteries 40 collected from the power generation equipment 10 and the used batteries 40 collected from the customers 30 to the distribution center 31. Alternatively, the collection and delivery planning department 524 may create a delivery plan for delivering the charged batteries 40 collected from the power generation equipment 10 to other companies in the industry 32.

[0062] Furthermore, the delivery planning unit 524 may select a vehicle 51 to be used for delivering the batteries 40 based on the amount and type of general cargo other than the batteries 40. For example, when selecting a vehicle 51 to be used for delivering the batteries 40, the delivery planning unit 524 may prioritize selecting a vehicle 51 with less cargo than a vehicle 51 with more cargo other than the batteries 40. For example, a vehicle 51 may have a large amount of cargo on the outbound route and no or little cargo on the return route, or conversely, no or little cargo on the outbound route and a large amount of cargo on the return route. The delivery planning unit 524 may refer to the vehicle information stored in the vehicle information storage unit 533 and create a delivery plan so that the batteries 40 are loaded on the route with no or little cargo.

[0063] Furthermore, the delivery planning unit 524 determines the priority of the battery delivery instruction in relation to the delivery instruction for the cargo. For example, the delivery planning unit 524 may lower the priority of the battery delivery instruction in relation to the delivery instruction for the cargo. For example, the delivery planning unit 524 may prioritize loading cargo onto the vehicle 51 so that loading the battery 40 does not prevent any cargo from being loaded onto the vehicle 51, and only load the battery 40 if there is space to load. Alternatively, the delivery planning unit 524 may raise the priority of the battery delivery instruction in relation to the delivery instruction for the cargo. For example, the delivery planning unit 524 may prioritize the delivery of the battery 40 if there is a customer 30 that urgently needs a fully charged battery 40.

[0064] Here, the collection and delivery planning unit 524 may use AI to determine the delivery plan for the batteries 40. For example, the collection and delivery planning unit 524 may create a delivery plan using a trained model that has been trained on machine learning based on the following: the predicted amount of power generated (or surplus power) of each power generation facility 10, the predicted demand of each customer 30, the battery information stored in the battery information storage unit 534, the vehicle information stored in the vehicle information storage unit 533, or the delivery route, delivery route status, etc., and a delivery plan created for learning purposes (or a delivery plan actually used).

[0065] Furthermore, the collection and delivery planning unit 524 may create a delivery plan using a trained model that has been trained on machine learning based on the following: the power generation facility information for each of the multiple power generation facilities 10 mentioned above, the weather at the location of each power generation facility 10 (for example, the weather), the customer information for each of the multiple customers 30 (for example, battery level, or the amount of electricity used per day and the battery level, etc.), battery information stored in the battery information storage unit 534, vehicle information stored in the vehicle information storage unit 533, or a delivery plan created for learning purposes (or a delivery plan actually used), such as the delivery route and delivery route status.

[0066] Furthermore, the collection and delivery planning unit 524 may create a delivery plan (for example, selecting which batteries 40 to deliver) or change the intended use (for example, whether or not to use them to power an EV) based on usage conditions (usage history) such as the usage period of the battery 40, the number of charge / discharge cycles, the season, and the temperature. For example, the collection and delivery planning unit 524 may add information such as the usage period of the battery 40, the number of charge / discharge cycles, the season, and the temperature as features used in machine learning, or it may create a delivery plan using a trained model that has been trained based on this information. As a result, the collection and delivery planning unit 524 can create a highly accurate delivery plan even if the capacity stored in the battery 40 differs depending on the usage period of the battery 40, the number of charge / discharge cycles, the season, and the temperature.

[0067] Furthermore, the delivery planning unit 524 stores the created delivery plan and collection plan in the delivery plan storage unit 536. The delivery plan is associated with, for example, information about the delivery destination (name, address (location), etc.), information about the batteries 40 to be delivered (battery ID, battery location information, etc.), and the vehicle ID of the vehicle 51 used for delivery. Similarly, the collection plan is associated with, for example, information about the collection destination (name, address (location), etc.), information about the batteries 40 to be collected (battery ID, battery location information, etc.), and the vehicle ID of the vehicle 51 used for collection.

[0068] The delivery instruction unit 525 transmits a delivery instruction to the vehicle 51 based on the delivery plan created by the collection and delivery planning unit 524. Alternatively, the delivery instruction unit 525 may transmit a delivery instruction to the vehicle 51 via the delivery base 31 based on the delivery plan created by the collection and delivery planning unit 524.

[0069] For example, the delivery instruction unit 525 issues delivery instructions based on a delivery plan for delivering the rechargeable batteries 40 to the power generation equipment 10, which has been determined as the delivery destination. The delivery instruction unit 525 also issues delivery instructions based on a delivery plan for delivering the batteries 40, which have been charged at the power generation equipment 10, to the consumer 30, which has been determined as the delivery destination. As an example, these delivery instructions correspond to delivery slips used for general parcel deliveries.

[0070] Furthermore, the delivery instruction unit 525 issues collection instructions based on a collection plan for collecting batteries 40 from power generation equipment 10 or customers 30. The delivery instruction unit 525 also issues delivery instructions based on a delivery plan for delivering batteries 40 to distribution centers 31 or other companies in the industry 32.

[0071] Furthermore, when the delivery instruction unit 525 issues a delivery instruction for batteries 40 stored at the delivery base 31, it may issue a charge or discharge instruction to the delivery base 31 in advance, depending on the storage conditions of the stored batteries 40 (for example, storage period, storage environment (presence or absence of natural disasters, etc.)). For example, the delivery instruction unit 525 may issue a delivery instruction to discharge batteries 40 to be delivered to the power generation equipment 10 before delivering them to the power generation equipment 10. Also, if the storage period of batteries 40 to be delivered to the customer 30 is long, the delivery instruction unit 525 may issue a delivery instruction to charge the batteries 40 before delivering them to the customer 30.

[0072] [Delivery processing in battery delivery systems] Next, the operation of the delivery management process performed by the delivery management device 500 in the battery delivery system 100 will be described.

[0073] First, we will explain the operation of the delivery instruction processing by the delivery management device 500 for delivering the rechargeable battery 40 to the power generation equipment 10. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the delivery instruction process to the power generation equipment according to this embodiment.

[0074] The delivery management device 500 acquires power generation facility information, including the name and location of each of the multiple power generation facilities 10 (step S101). The delivery management device 500 also acquires weather information (e.g., weather forecast) for the location of each power generation facility 10 from an external server that provides weather information (step S103).

[0075] Next, the distribution management device 500 predicts the amount of power generated and surplus power for each of the multiple power generation facilities 10 based on the acquired power generation facility information and weather information (e.g., weather forecast) (step S105).

[0076] Next, the distribution management device 500 determines which power generation facility 10 will receive the batteries 40 based on the predicted amount of power generated (or surplus power) for each power generation facility 10, and creates a distribution plan to deliver the batteries 40 for charging to the determined power generation facility 10. For example, based on the predicted amount of power generated (or surplus power), the distribution management device 500 plans to prioritize the delivery of the batteries 40 for charging to the power generation facility 10 that is expected to generate a large amount of surplus power among the multiple power generation facilities 10 (step S107).

[0077] The delivery management device 500 then issues delivery instructions to the vehicle 51 based on the created delivery plan. For example, based on the created delivery plan, the delivery management device 500 issues a delivery slip to deliver the charging batteries 40 and the number of batteries 40 to the power generation equipment 10 at the determined delivery destination, and issues delivery instructions to the vehicle 51 (step S109). The number of batteries 40 may be determined by the amount of electricity consumed by the customer.

[0078] Next, we will explain the operation of the collection instruction process by the delivery management device 500 for collecting the charged batteries 40 from the power generation equipment 10. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the collection instruction processing from the power generation equipment 10 according to this embodiment.

[0079] The distribution management device 500 obtains information regarding the charging status of the battery 40 being charged by the power generation equipment 10 (step S201). For example, the distribution management device 500 obtains information on the amount of charge (e.g., state of charge (SOC)) of the battery 40 from the power generation equipment 10.

[0080] The delivery management device 500 determines whether the battery 40 is fully charged (or whether the time remaining until charging is complete is less than a predetermined time) based on the charging status of the battery 40 (step S203). If the delivery management device 500 determines that there are no fully charged batteries 40 (or batteries 40 whose time remaining until charging is less than a predetermined time) (NO), it repeats the process in step S203.

[0081] On the other hand, if the delivery management device 500 determines that there is a battery 40 that has finished charging (or a battery 40 whose time to complete charging is less than a predetermined time) (YES), it creates a collection plan to collect the battery 40 from the power generation equipment 10 (step S205).

[0082] The delivery management device 500 then issues a collection instruction to the vehicle 51 based on the created collection plan. For example, based on the created collection plan, the delivery management device 500 issues a collection instruction to the vehicle 51 to collect the charged batteries 40 from the power generation equipment 10 at the determined delivery destination (step S207).

[0083] Next, we will explain the operation of the delivery instruction processing by the delivery management device 500 for delivering the charged battery 40 to the customer 30. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the delivery instruction process to customer 30 according to this embodiment.

[0084] The delivery management device 500 acquires customer information (e.g., battery level) from each of the multiple customers 30 (step S301). The delivery management device 500 may also acquire electricity usage (e.g., daily electricity usage) as customer information from each of the multiple customers 30.

[0085] Next, the delivery management device 500 performs a demand forecast for each of the multiple customers 30 based on the acquired customer information (step S303). For example, the delivery management device 500 performs a power demand forecast for each of the multiple customers 30 based on the remaining battery capacity of each of the batteries 40 of the multiple customers 30. Alternatively, the delivery management device 500 may perform a power demand forecast for each of the multiple customers 30 based on their daily power consumption and the remaining battery capacity of the batteries 40.

[0086] Next, the distribution management device 500 determines which customers 30 will receive the batteries 40 based on the demand forecast results for each customer 30, and creates a distribution plan to deliver the charged batteries 40, which have been charged by the power generation equipment 10, to the determined customers 30 (step S305). For example, the distribution management device 500 plans to prioritize the delivery of charged batteries 40 to customers 30 where the remaining battery charge of the batteries 40 used by each customer 30 is low or where there is a high probability of running out of battery charge.

[0087] The delivery management device 500 then issues a delivery instruction to the vehicle 51 based on the created delivery plan. For example, based on the created delivery plan, the delivery management device 500 issues a delivery slip to deliver the charged battery 40 to the determined customer 30 at the delivery destination and issues a delivery instruction to the vehicle 51 (step S307).

[0088] When the delivery management device 500 issues a delivery instruction for a fully charged battery 40 to a customer 30, it may also issue a delivery instruction for the battery 40 that was being used at the customer 30.

[0089] As described above, the battery delivery system 100 according to this embodiment includes a delivery management device 500 (an example of a management unit) that issues delivery instructions for delivering batteries 40 to the power generation equipment 10 using a vehicle 51 (an example of a mobile unit), and delivery instructions for delivering batteries 40 charged at the power generation equipment 10 to customers 30 using the vehicle 51.

[0090] As a result, the battery distribution system 100 can charge the batteries 40 with surplus power from the power generation equipment 10 and send it to the consumers 30 using the vehicle 51, thereby reducing power loss in the power generation equipment 10 and enabling effective use of the power generated by the power generation equipment 10.

[0091] For example, the distribution management device 500 predicts the amount of power generated by each of the multiple power generation facilities 10 based on at least weather information, and determines which power generation facility 10 will be the destination for the battery 40 based on the predicted amount of power generated. For example, the distribution management device 500 predicts surplus power based on the predicted amount of power generated, and determines which power generation facility 10 will be the destination for the battery 40 based on the predicted surplus power. The distribution management device 500 then issues a distribution instruction to deliver the battery 40 (rechargeable battery 40) to the power generation facility determined as the destination.

[0092] As a result, the battery distribution system 100 can charge the battery 40 from the power generation facility 10 with the highest power generation (or surplus power) and send it to the consumer 30, thereby reducing power loss in the power generation facility 10.

[0093] Furthermore, the distribution management device 500 forecasts the power demand based on the remaining capacity of each of the batteries 40 of the multiple consumers 30, and determines which consumers 30 will receive the batteries 40 based on the demand forecast. The distribution management device 500 then issues a distribution instruction to deliver the batteries 40, which have been charged by the power generation equipment 10, to the consumers 30 determined as the delivery destinations.

[0094] As a result, the battery distribution system 100 can send batteries 40 charged by the power generation equipment 10 to the customers 30 with the highest demand for electricity, thereby reducing power loss in the power generation equipment 10 and supplying the necessary electricity to the customers 30.

[0095] Furthermore, the delivery management device 500 issues collection instructions for the batteries 40 delivered to the power generation equipment 10, based on the charge status of the batteries 40. For example, the charge status refers to the amount of charge of the batteries 40 (e.g., state of charge (SOC)), or the time elapsed since the batteries 40 were delivered or since charging began.

[0096] This allows the battery delivery system 100 to collect batteries 40 charged at the power generation equipment 10 at the appropriate time and deliver them to consumers 30.

[0097] Furthermore, the delivery management device 500 issues delivery instructions for delivering the batteries 40 collected from the power generation equipment 10 to a delivery base 31 (an example of a predetermined base), and when delivering the batteries 40 charged at the power generation equipment 10 to the customer 30, it issues delivery instructions for delivering the batteries 40 delivered from the power generation equipment 10 to the delivery base 31 to the customer 30.

[0098] As a result, if the timing of collecting charged batteries 40 from the power generation equipment 10 does not match the timing of delivering the charged batteries 40 to the customer 30, the battery distribution system 100 can store the batteries at the distribution center 31 and deliver them to the customer 30 at the appropriate time.

[0099] Furthermore, when the delivery management device 500 delivers the batteries 40 charged at the power generation equipment 10 to the customer 30, it issues a collection instruction to collect the batteries 40 that were being used at the customer 30.

[0100] As a result, the battery delivery system 100 is efficient in its delivery process because it exchanges and collects used batteries 40 when it delivers charged batteries 40 to customers 30.

[0101] Furthermore, the delivery management device 500 manages the battery 40 by associating it with location information and charge level information.

[0102] This allows the battery distribution system 100 to manage the location and charge status of each battery 40, enabling it to properly deliver the batteries 40 to the power generation equipment 10 and the consumers 30.

[0103] Furthermore, vehicle 51 is used for delivering packages in the courier service system 50, and delivers batteries 40 as packages.

[0104] As a result, the battery delivery system 100 can reduce delivery costs by using the existing courier system 50 to deliver the batteries 40.

[0105] Furthermore, the delivery management device 500 determines the priority of the delivery instructions for the battery 40 in relation to the delivery instructions for the packages.

[0106] This allows the battery delivery system 100 to appropriately coordinate the delivery of general packages and the delivery of batteries 40. For example, by lowering the priority of battery delivery instructions compared to package delivery instructions, the battery delivery system 100 can deliver electricity from the power generation facility 10 to the consumer 30 using batteries 40 without affecting general packages delivered by the courier system 50. Alternatively, by raising the priority of battery delivery instructions compared to package delivery instructions, the battery delivery system 100 can prioritize the delivery of batteries 40 to consumers 30 who urgently need fully charged batteries 40.

[0107] Furthermore, the delivery management device 500 prioritizes using vehicles 51 with less cargo load than vehicles 51 with more cargo load for the delivery of batteries 40.

[0108] This allows the battery delivery system 100 to deliver electricity from the power generation facility 10 to the consumer 30 using the battery 40 without affecting general packages delivered by the courier system 50.

[0109] Furthermore, the power generation facility 10 includes a power transmission system that generates electricity using renewable energy and transmits the generated electricity to consumers 30 via power transmission lines, and a charging system that charges the battery 40 with the generated electricity.

[0110] As a result, the battery distribution system 100 can charge batteries 40 using a charging system and distribute any surplus electricity generated by the power generation equipment 10 that cannot be sent to the power transmission and distribution network 20 to consumers 30.

[0111] Furthermore, information regarding the electricity purchase price is set for the delivery of batteries 40 to the power generation facility 10, and information regarding the electricity sales price is set for the delivery of batteries 40 to the consumer 30.

[0112] As a result, the battery delivery system 100 can conduct transactions for electricity purchase from the power generation facility 10 and sale to consumers 30 at a set transaction price when delivering electricity using batteries 40.

[0113] Furthermore, the battery delivery method in the battery delivery system 100 includes the steps of: the delivery management device 500 issuing a delivery instruction to deliver batteries 40 to the power generation equipment 10 using a vehicle 51; and the delivery instruction to deliver batteries 40 charged at the power generation equipment 10 to the customer 30 using a vehicle 51.

[0114] As a result, the battery distribution system 100 can charge the batteries 40 with surplus power from the power generation equipment 10 and send it to the consumers 30 using the vehicle 51, thereby reducing power loss in the power generation equipment 10 and enabling effective use of the power generated by the power generation equipment 10.

[0115] [Development in the electricity market and business] Figure 7 shows an example of deploying the battery distribution system 100 according to this embodiment to the electricity market. The battery distribution system 100 can also participate in the market (buying and selling electricity) of VPP (Virtual Power Plant) businesses. For example, the battery distribution system 100 can also participate in a supply and demand adjustment market or wholesale electricity market by buying and selling electricity (adjustment capacity) necessary to match the overall supply and demand of electricity, which includes electricity from power generators in the battery distribution system 100 and electricity from other power generators, including thermal power plants and nuclear power plants, to adjust electricity resources.

[0116] For example, if there is a surplus of electricity within the battery distribution system 100, the battery distribution system 100 may sell the electricity purchased from the power generation equipment 10 to a transmission and distribution company that transmits electricity from other power generation companies, or to a retail electricity company that buys and sells electricity from such other power generation companies. Conversely, if there is a shortage of electricity within the battery distribution system 100, the battery distribution system 100 may purchase electricity from other power generation companies from the transmission and distribution company or the retail electricity company. This makes it possible to achieve an overall balance of supply and demand and a stable supply of electricity.

[0117] Furthermore, the batteries 40 stored at the distribution center 31 within the battery distribution system 100 may be discharged to a power transmission and distribution company that transmits electricity from other power generators, or charged by said power transmission and distribution company.

[0118] Figure 8 shows an example of business deployment using the battery delivery system 100 according to this embodiment. The battery delivery system 100 can realize electric home delivery using batteries 40, and can be deployed to VPP businesses as explained with reference to Figure 7. Furthermore, by using a cartridge-type battery as the battery 40 in the battery delivery system 100, it can also be deployed to sharing businesses such as car sharing businesses and battery sharing businesses using EVs.

[0119] Although embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to those described above, and various design changes can be made without departing from the spirit of this invention.

[0120] For example, in the battery delivery system 100, the delivery management device 500 may notify the delivery destination in advance when instructing the delivery of batteries 40. Also, when the delivery management device 500 issues a delivery instruction to deliver batteries 40 to a power generation facility 10, for example, it may notify the delivery destination in advance that there is an expected amount of power generation and a surplus power, and issue a delivery instruction to deliver batteries 40 only after receiving a request from the power generation facility 10 at the delivery destination. Furthermore, when the delivery management device 500 issues a delivery instruction to deliver batteries 40 to a consumer 30, for example, it may notify the delivery destination in advance that there is an expected shortage of batteries, and issue a delivery instruction to deliver batteries 40 only after receiving a request from the consumer 30 at the delivery destination.

[0121] For example, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which the batteries 40 are delivered using an existing courier system 50, but any delivery system can be used. For example, a dedicated delivery system specifically for delivering batteries 40 could be constructed.

[0122] The aforementioned delivery management device 500 has an internal computer system. Furthermore, programs for realizing the functions of each configuration of the aforementioned delivery management device 500 may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the programs recorded on this recording medium may be loaded into the computer system and executed to perform the processing in each configuration of the aforementioned delivery management device 500. Here, "loading the programs recorded on the recording medium into the computer system and executing them" includes installing the programs into the computer system. Here, "computer system" includes hardware such as the OS and peripheral devices. Also, "computer system" may include multiple computer devices connected via a network including communication lines such as the Internet, WAN, LAN, and dedicated lines. Furthermore, "computer-readable recording medium" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, CD-ROMs, and storage devices such as hard disks built into the computer system. Thus, the recording medium storing the program may also be a non-transient recording medium such as a CD-ROM. Furthermore, the recording medium may also include cloud-type storage media using multiple storage media or storage media where each data is stored in blockchain format.

[0123] Furthermore, the recording medium also includes internal or external recording media accessible from the distribution server for distributing the program. The program may be divided into multiple parts, downloaded at different times, and then combined by the various configurations of the distribution management device 500. The distribution servers for each of the divided programs or data may also be different. Moreover, "computer-readable recording media" includes volatile memory (RAM) within computer systems that act as servers or clients when a program is transmitted over a network, which retains the program for a certain period of time. The program itself may also be intended to implement some of the functions described above. Furthermore, the program may be a so-called differential file (differential program) that can implement the functions described above in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system.

[0124] Furthermore, some or all of the functions of the delivery management device 500 in the above-described embodiment may be implemented as integrated circuits such as LSIs (Large Scale Integrations). Each function may be individually processorized, or some or all of them may be integrated into a single processor. In addition, the method of implementing the integrated circuit is not limited to LSIs; it may also be implemented using dedicated circuits or general-purpose processors. Furthermore, if advances in semiconductor technology lead to the emergence of integrated circuit technologies that can replace LSIs, integrated circuits using such technologies may be used. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0125] 10 Power generation equipment, 11 Solar panels, 12 Power conditioner, 13 Distribution board, 14 DC / DC converter, 20 Power transmission and distribution network, 30 Consumers, 31 Delivery bases, 32 Other companies in the industry, 40 Batteries, 50 Courier service system, 51 Vehicles, 100 Battery delivery system, 500 Delivery management device, 510 Communication unit, 520 Control unit, 521 Information acquisition unit, 522 Power generation forecast unit, 523 Demand forecast unit, 524 Collection and delivery planning unit, 525 Delivery instruction unit, 530 Memory unit, 531 Power generation equipment information memory unit, 532 Consumer information memory unit, 533 Vehicle information memory unit, 534 Battery information memory unit, 535 Forecast information memory unit, 536 Collection and delivery planning memory unit

Claims

1. It includes a management unit that issues delivery instructions for batteries collected from customers using a mobile vehicle and delivered to destinations determined based on a delivery plan. The aforementioned mobile unit is used in a parcel delivery system to deliver packages, and collects the batteries and delivers them together with other packages. A delivery slip that can be used for the delivery of goods other than the batteries corresponds to a delivery instruction for collecting and delivering the batteries, As identification information for identifying the battery that is the subject of the delivery instructions, the slip number of a delivery slip that can be used for the delivery of goods other than the battery is used. Battery delivery system.

2. The aforementioned management department, Based on weather information, the system predicts the amount of power generated by each of several power generation facilities, determines which power generation facility will be the destination for the battery based on the predicted amount of power generated, and issues a delivery instruction to deliver the battery to the power generation facility determined as the destination. The battery delivery system according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned management department, The system issues a collection instruction for the batteries delivered to the power generation facility, based on the charge status of the batteries. The battery delivery system according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned management department, When delivering fully charged batteries, which have been charged at the power generation facility, to the customer, an instruction is given to collect the batteries that were being used by the customer. A battery delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The aforementioned management department, The aforementioned battery is managed by associating it with location information and charge level information. A battery delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A battery distribution method performed by a management unit acting as a computer in a battery distribution system, The aforementioned management department, Steps in a courier system to collect batteries from customers using a mobile vehicle used for delivering packages, and to issue delivery instructions to deliver the collected batteries to a destination determined based on a delivery plan. Includes, A delivery slip that can be used for the delivery of goods other than the batteries corresponds to a delivery instruction for collecting and delivering the batteries, As identification information for identifying the battery that is the subject of the delivery instructions, the slip number of a delivery slip that can be used for the delivery of goods other than the battery is used. Battery delivery method.

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