Power management method, power management device, and information processing system

Abstract

Provided is a power management device that manages the amount of power supplied to a plurality of areas. The plurality of areas include one or more areas in which a power classification to be used preferentially is determined. The power classification is determined on the basis of a mode of discharge of carbon dioxide at the time of power generation. A control unit of the power management device executes processing including: acquiring a supplied power amount supplied from each of a plurality of power sources; acquiring a used power amount used in each of the plurality of areas; allocating the supplied power amount supplied from each of the power sources to each of the plurality of areas on the basis of the power classification preferentially used in the one or more areas and the used power amount used in each of the plurality of areas; and storing the power classification and the power amount allocated to each area.

Description

Power management method, power management device, and information processing system CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-151529, filed on September 19, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a power management method, a power management apparatus, and an information processing system.

[0003] In recent years, there has been a strong call to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, as a measure to combat global warming, which is believed to be the cause of climate change. In the manufacturing industry, there are many situations in which consumers require production to be done using electricity generated without emitting carbon dioxide during production. Typical examples of electricity that does not emit carbon dioxide include electricity derived from natural energy sources such as wind, solar, and biomass (biological resources).

[0004] Patent Literature 1 discloses a technology for certifying that a storage battery has been charged with electricity generated using renewable energy. Patent Literature 2 discloses a technology for outputting information on the actual amount of carbon dioxide emitted in the manufacturing process of a product or part.

[0005] International Publication No. 2017 / 013982 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-189566

[0006] However, with conventional technologies, there is room for improvement in allocating electricity to each area within a facility that uses both electricity generated without emitting carbon dioxide and electricity generated with carbon dioxide. In other words, with conventional technologies, it is difficult to allocate electricity generated without emitting carbon dioxide to a specific area within a facility and to prove this. As a result, when businesses are required to manufacture products or parts using only electricity that does not emit carbon dioxide, they are unable to meet this request and may miss business opportunities.

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to make it possible to prove the usage of electricity generated without emitting carbon dioxide for a specific area within a facility.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, (1) a power management method is a power management method executed by a control unit of a power management device that manages the amount of power supplied to a plurality of areas, wherein a power classification for preferential use is determined for each of the plurality of areas, and the power classification is determined based on the state of carbon dioxide emissions during power generation, and the method executes processing including: classifying power supplied from a plurality of power sources into one of the plurality of power classifications; acquiring the amount of power supplied from each of the plurality of power sources; acquiring the amount of power used in each of the plurality of areas; allocating the amount of power supplied from each of the power sources to each of the plurality of areas based on the power classification and the amount of power used that are determined for use in each of the plurality of areas; and storing the power classification and the amount of power allocated to each of the areas.

[0009] (2) In the power management method of (1), the power classification may include a first category of power, which is power derived from natural energy sources that do not emit carbon dioxide; a second category of power, which is power generated by using fossil fuels and recovering the carbon dioxide that is generated during production; and a third category of power, which is power generated by using fossil fuels and emitting carbon dioxide.

[0010] (3) In the power management method of (2), the control unit may calculate the expected amount of power usage expected to be used in the multiple areas, obtain the power classification and amount of power stored in a storage battery connected to the electrical circuit, and instruct the storage battery to discharge if the expected amount of power usage exceeds the amount of power supply for at least one of the first classification of power and the second classification of power.

[0011] (4) In the power management method of (3), the control unit may instruct the storage battery to charge when the amount of supplied power exceeds the expected amount of power usage for both the first category of power and the second category of power.

[0012] (5) In the power management methods of (2) to (4), the control unit may set a priority for allocating at least one of the first class of power and the second class of power to each of the plurality of areas, and when the amount of power used for at least one of the first class of power and the second class of power exceeds the amount of power supplied, allocate the power of the power class that is in short supply to the area with the highest priority, in descending order.

[0013] (6) In the power management method of (1), the control unit may associate the power supplied from the multiple power sources with the power allocated to each area, and calculate the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from the power in each area based on the amount of power supplied from the multiple power sources and allocated to each area and a carbon dioxide emission coefficient set for each power generation method or power provider.

[0014] (7) In the power management method of (1), the control unit manages the power supplied to an electric vehicle used in association with one of the plurality of areas together with the amount of power in the area.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, (8) a power management device is a power management device that manages the amount of power supplied to a plurality of areas, the plurality of areas including one or more areas for which a power classification to be preferentially used is determined, the power classification being determined based on the state of carbon dioxide emissions during power generation, and includes a control unit that executes processing including classifying power supplied from a plurality of power sources into one of the plurality of power classifications, acquiring the amount of power supplied from each of the plurality of power sources, acquiring the amount of power used in each of the plurality of areas, allocating the amount of power supplied from each of the power sources to each of the plurality of areas based on the power classification to be preferentially used in the one or more areas and the amount of power used in each of the plurality of areas, and storing the power classification and the amount of power allocated to each of the areas.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, (9) an information processing system is an information processing system including a power management device that manages the amount of power supplied to a plurality of areas, the power management device including a control unit, the plurality of areas including one or more areas for which a power classification to be preferentially used is determined, the power classification being determined based on the state of carbon dioxide emissions during power generation, the control unit executing processing including classifying power supplied from a plurality of power sources into one of the plurality of power classifications, acquiring the amount of power supplied from each of the plurality of power sources, acquiring the amount of power used in each of the plurality of areas, allocating the amount of power supplied from each of the power sources to each of the plurality of areas based on the power classification to be preferentially used in the one or more areas and the amount of power used in each of the plurality of areas, and storing the power classification and the amount of power allocated to each of the areas.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, even if the electricity provided to a manufacturing facility such as a factory includes electricity other than electricity generated without emitting carbon dioxide, it is possible to certify the usage of electricity generated without emitting carbon dioxide for a specific area within the facility.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a facility that uses the power management device of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the power management device of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of storage of information such as a priority power classification for each area stored in the power management device of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the meter of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the power generation facility of FIG. 2. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the power management device of FIG. 1 when assigning power classifications to multiple areas. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the green power allocation process of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of information such as a priority power classification for each area that is stored in the power management device of FIG. 1 and used when assigning power classifications to multiple areas. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of information such as a priority power classification for each area that is stored in the power management device of FIG. 1 and used when assigning power classifications to multiple areas. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the power management device of FIG. 1 when calculating carbon dioxide emissions for each of multiple areas. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the power management device of FIG. 1 when issuing instructions to a storage battery.

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, parts having the same configuration or function are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, duplicated descriptions of the same parts may be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 1, the information processing system 1 includes a power management device 10, a meter 20, and a storage battery 50. The power management device 10, the meter 20, and the storage battery 50 may be communicably connected to each other via a network. Fig. 2 shows an example configuration of a facility to which the information processing system 1 is applied. The information processing system 1 is a system that uses the power management device 10 to monitor the power supplied to the facility 30 and the power used in each area 33 within the facility 30, and records and outputs the monitoring results.

[0021] The power management device 10 of this embodiment virtually allocates the power supplied to the facility 30 to each area according to the power classification. The amount of power used in each area for each power classification is considered to be the amount of power used for this virtually allocated power for each power classification. Therefore, for example, if the use of only green power is required in area 33, the power management device 10 preferentially allocates green power as the power to be supplied to area 33. By recording the power classification and amount of power used of the power allocated to each area, the power management device 10 can certify the amount of power used for each power classification in each area. For example, it becomes possible to certify that only green power was used in area 33, which is required to use only green power.

[0022] (Configuration of the Power Management Apparatus 10) The power management apparatus 10 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The power management apparatus 10 is an apparatus that manages the amount of power supplied to multiple areas 33. As shown in FIG. 1, the power management apparatus 10 collects and processes information from a meter 20, stores and / or outputs the information. The power management apparatus 10 may also acquire information from a storage battery 50 (see FIG. 6) in a power generation facility 40 shown in FIG. 2 and instruct the storage battery 50 to charge or discharge the power. The power management apparatus 10 may be, for example, a general-purpose computer such as a workstation (WS) or a personal computer (PC) installed in a facility such as a data center, but may also be implemented by a dedicated electronic device. The power management apparatus 10 may also be a server belonging to a cloud computing system or the like. The power management apparatus 10 may load a dedicated program and execute the processes described herein. The power management apparatus 10 is not limited to a single computer. The functions of the power management apparatus 10 may be distributed across the same or different locations.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 3 , the power management device 10 includes a control unit 11 , a storage unit 12 , a communication unit 13 , an input unit 14 , and an output unit 15 .

[0024] The control unit 11 executes various processes related to the operation of the power management apparatus 10 and controls each unit of the power management apparatus 10. The control unit 11 includes at least one processor, at least one dedicated circuit, or a combination of these. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The control unit 11 realizes its control functions by executing programs stored in the memory unit 12.

[0025] The storage unit 12 includes at least one semiconductor memory, at least one magnetic memory, at least one optical memory, or a combination of at least two of these. The storage unit 12 functions, for example, as a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 12 stores, for example, programs and data used in the operation of the power management apparatus 10, and data obtained by the operation of the power management apparatus 10. The information stored in the storage unit 12 may be updatable, for example, with information input via the input unit 14.

[0026] The memory unit 12 stores power classification information and power allocation results. The power classification information includes information on the power classification of power supplied from power sources including the power generation facility 40 and the grid power source 60 shown in FIG. 6 , as well as information on the power classification preferentially used in the area 33. The power classification is determined based on the nature of carbon dioxide emissions during power generation. The power classification includes three categories: Class 1 power, which is power derived from natural energy sources that do not emit carbon dioxide; Class 2 power, which is power generated by using fossil fuels and capturing carbon dioxide emitted during generation; and Class 3 power, which is power generated by using fossil fuels but emitting carbon dioxide. Class 1 power is called green power, Class 2 power is called blue power, and Class 3 power is called gray power. The power allocation results include information linking the amount of power used by each area 33 with the power classification. The preferentially used power classification may be selected from, for example, "use green power or blue power" or "use both types of power," or may be selected from three categories, including "use only green power." The category "use green power or blue power" may be set to give priority to blue power when both green power and blue power are available.

[0027] The storage unit 12 further stores the supply priority of the power classification that is suitable for each area 33. The supply priority may be determined by ranking as shown in FIG. 4, or may be determined by setting multiple levels of priority (for example, three levels).

[0028] The storage unit 12 may further store a first request ratio, which is the ratio of green power or blue power that each area 33 minimally requires, and a second request ratio, which is the target ratio of green power or blue power for each area 33. The supply priority of the first request ratio and the second request ratio may be different, or the supply priority of the second request ratio may be higher than the supply priority of the first request ratio of another area.

[0029] The memory unit 12 may store a carbon dioxide emission coefficient in association with each power generation facility 40 and grid power supply 60. The carbon dioxide emission coefficient is an index indicating the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the supply of 1 kWh of electricity. The carbon dioxide emission coefficient may be set for each power generation method or power company.

[0030] The communication unit 13 includes at least one external communication interface that connects to the meter 20 directly or via a network. The external communication interface may be either a wired communication interface or a wireless communication interface. The communication unit 13 may be connected to the power management apparatus 10 as an external communication device instead of being provided in the power management apparatus 10. The communication unit 13 may be connected to the storage battery 50 directly or via a network.

[0031] The input unit 14 includes an input means for the power management apparatus 10. The input unit 14 includes physical keys such as a keyboard, capacitance keys, a pointing device, and a touch screen that is integrated with a display. The input unit 14 is used when an operator of the power management apparatus 10 directly inputs instructions to the power management apparatus 10.

[0032] The output unit 15 includes at least one output device. The output device is, for example, a display or a printer. The display is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro Luminescent) display. The output unit 15 outputs the calculation results of the control unit 11 and the information stored in the memory unit 12.

[0033] The functions of the power management apparatus 10 are realized by executing a program according to the method disclosed herein on a processor corresponding to the control unit 11. That is, the functions of the power management apparatus 10 are realized by software. The program causes a computer to execute the operations of the power management apparatus 10, thereby causing the computer to function as the power management apparatus 3. That is, the computer functions as the power management apparatus 10 by executing the operations of the power management apparatus 10 in accordance with the program.

[0034] In this embodiment, the program can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, which includes non-transitory computer-readable media, such as a magnetic recording device, an optical disk, a magneto-optical recording medium, or a semiconductor memory.

[0035] 2, the power management apparatus 10 is installed inside the facility 30, but this is not limiting. For example, the power management apparatus 10 may be installed in a data center or the like outside the facility premises.

[0036] (Configuration of meter 20) The meter 20 will be described below with reference to Fig. 5. The meter 20 is a watt-hour meter. The meter 20 includes a metering unit 21 and a communication unit 22. The meter 20 is connected to the power management device 10 via the communication unit 22 in a wired or wireless manner. The meter 20 and the power management device 10 may be connected via a network.

[0037] The metering unit 21 is an electronic watt-hour meter and can be installed in the electrical circuit and power receiving board 31, the distribution board 32, each area 33, and the power generation equipment 40. The metering unit 21 measures the amount of power supplied to the facility from each power source and power generation equipment via the meter 20, as well as the amount of power supplied to each area within the facility.

[0038] The communication unit 22 includes at least one external communication interface. The external communication interface may be either a wired or wireless communication interface. The communication unit 22 transmits the amount of power measured by the metering unit 21 to the power management device 10.

[0039] (Configuration of facility 30) An example of the facility 30 will be described below with reference to Fig. 2. The facility 30 includes a factory that consumes power supplied from the power generation facility 40 and the grid power supply 60 and produces products and parts. The facility 30 includes a power receiving panel 31, a distribution panel 32, and a plurality of areas 33. The facility may also include the power generation facility 40.

[0040] The power receiving panel 31 is a facility that converts power supplied from the power generation facility 40, the storage battery 50, and the system power supply 60 located outside or inside the facility into a voltage and frequency that can be used within the facility. The power receiving panel 31 is equipped with a meter 20 that measures the amount of power supplied from the power generation facility 40, the storage battery 50, and the system power supply 60 located outside or inside the facility.

[0041] The distribution board 32 is a facility that distributes the power converted by the power receiving board 31 to each area 33. The distribution board 32 may include a meter 20 to measure the amount of power supplied from the power receiving board 31 and the amount of power distributed to each area 33.

[0042] Area 33 is an area that includes manufacturing facilities and the like that use the power distributed by distribution board 32. Area 33 is, for example, a production line for products or parts. Area 33 may also include electric vehicles 34 and their charging facilities. Electric vehicles 34 include those used to transport products and parts manufactured at the facility, raw materials required for production, and for employee commuting. Area 33 may also be equipped with a meter 20 that measures the amount of power distributed by distribution board 32.

[0043] (Configuration of power generation facility 40) The power generation facility 40 will be described below with reference to FIG. 6. The power generation facility 40 is a private power generation device owned by a business operator. The power generation facility 40 includes a generator 41 and a meter 20. The power generation facility 40 may also include a storage battery 50. The power generation facility 40 may be installed inside or outside the facility 30.

[0044] The generator 41 may be a stationary generator. The generator 41 may be not only a power generating system using renewable energy such as solar power or wind power, but also a power generating system using fossil fuels or the like that emits carbon dioxide. The generator 41 may be connected to a storage battery 50.

[0045] (Configuration of storage battery 50) The storage battery 50 will be described below with reference to FIG. 6 . The storage battery 50 may be a fixed storage battery. The storage battery 50 includes a control unit 51, a memory unit 52, a communication unit 53, and a power storage unit 54. The storage battery 50 may communicate with the power management device 10 constantly or at regular intervals via a wired or wireless connection or a network. The storage battery 50 may be provided separately from the power generation facility 40.

[0046] The control unit 51 includes at least one processor, at least one dedicated circuit, or a combination thereof. The processor may be a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or GPU, or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The control unit 51 performs various controls related to the operation of the storage battery 50 and generates information such as the remaining power amount to be transmitted to the power management device 10. The control unit 51 may control the reception of power from the generator 41 and the transmission of power to the facility 30.

[0047] The storage unit 52 includes at least one semiconductor memory, at least one magnetic memory, at least one optical memory, or a combination of at least two of these. The storage unit 52 functions, for example, as a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 52 stores, for example, programs and data used in the operation of the storage battery 50 and data obtained by the operation of the storage battery 4. The information stored in the storage unit 52 may be updatable, for example, with information obtained from a network via the communication unit 53.

[0048] The storage unit 52 further stores the remaining amount of power in the power storage unit 54. The storage unit 52 may store various pieces of information required for the control unit 51 to control the storage battery 50.

[0049] The communication unit 53 includes at least one external communication interface that connects to the power management device 10 directly or via a network. The external communication interface may be either a wired or wireless communication interface. The communication unit 53 may be connected to the storage battery 50 as an external communication device instead of being provided in the storage battery 50. The communication unit 53 transmits the remaining power amount of the storage battery 50 to the power management device 10 under the control of the control unit 51.

[0050] The power storage unit 54 is composed of at least one secondary battery. The power storage unit 54 may include a plurality of storage battery cells. The power storage unit 54 is also referred to as a battery or a battery module. The power storage unit 54 includes, but is not limited to, a lithium-ion battery. The power storage unit 54 may include currently and future available storage batteries, including lead-acid batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, sodium-sulfur batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, magnesium batteries, and all-solid-state batteries.

[0051] (Example of Information Processing Method) Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10 , an information processing method of the power management apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described. FIGS. 7 and 8 show an example of the operation of the power management apparatus 10 when assigning power classifications to multiple areas. FIGS. 9 and 10 show an example of storage of information such as the priority power classification for each area 33 used when assigning power classifications to multiple areas 33. Note that FIGS. 9 and 10 are created for the purpose of explaining the embodiment, and the numerical values ​​of the amount of power used, etc., do not reflect actual examples. The power management apparatus 10 may be configured to implement the processing performed by the control unit 11 described below by reading a program recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, magneto-optical storage media, and semiconductor storage media. Note that the processing described below may be performed at regular intervals, for example, every second or shorter, or every minute, hour, day, or month.

[0052] First, the control unit 11 acquires the amount of electricity supplied to the facility 30 and the amount of electricity supplied by each power source from the meter 20 installed in the power receiving panel 31, the power generation equipment 40, and the system power source 60 via the communication unit 13 (step S101).

[0053] The control unit 11 calculates the amount of power supply for each power class based on the amount of power supply for each power source acquired in step S101 and the power class associated with each power source that is stored in advance in the memory unit 12 (step S102).

[0054] Next, the control unit 11 acquires the amount of power used in each area 33 from the meter 20 installed in the area 33 via the communication unit 13 (step S103).

[0055] The control unit 11 calculates the amount of power usage for each power category (step S104) based on the amount of power usage for each area acquired in step S103 and the preferentially used power category associated with each area that is stored in advance in the storage unit 12. In the example of Fig. 9, the amount of power usage for each power category is 460 kWh for green power, 100 kWh for blue power, and 290 kWh for gray power.

[0056] The control unit 11 retrieves information on the power classification and supply priority to be preferentially used from the storage unit 12 (step S105).

[0057] The control unit 11 compares the amount of supplied power calculated in step S102 with the amount of power used calculated in step S104 for green power and blue power (step S106). If the amount of supplied power exceeds the amount of power used (step S106: Yes), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S107; otherwise (step S106: No), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S108. For example, in Fig. 9, if 460 kWh or more of green power and 100 kWh or more of blue power are being supplied, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S107; if neither of these conditions is met, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S108.

[0058] If the comparison shows that the amount of supplied green power and blue power exceeds the amount of power used, the control unit 11 allocates the power category and amount of power used to the area, assuming that power of the prioritized power category associated with each area has been supplied based on the information acquired in step S105 (step S107). In the example of Fig. 9, 300 kWh, 150 kWh, and 10 kWh of green power are allocated to No. 1, 2, and 5, respectively, 100 kWh of blue power to No. 4, and 200 kWh and 90 kWh to No. 3 and 6, regardless of power category.

[0059] In step S106, if the amount of energy used of either green power or blue power exceeds the amount of energy supplied, the control unit 11 refers to the supply priority for areas where the preferred energy classification is set to green power or blue power from the information acquired in step S105, and allocates green power to areas starting with the area with the highest supply priority (step S108). If there is a shortage of green power supply, blue power is allocated to areas where allocation has not been completed starting with the area with the highest supply priority (step S109). If there is a shortage of both green power and blue power, gray power is allocated to areas where allocation has not been completed (step S110).

[0060] The control unit 11 stores the amount of power and the power classification allocated to each area in steps S107 to S110 in the storage unit 12 (step S111).

[0061] Regarding the preferentially used power classification information obtained in step S107, if the preferentially used power classification set for each area 33 includes a category called "use of green power only," the control unit 11 may execute the processing of step S108 according to the following procedure shown in Figure 8.

[0062] The control unit 11 extracts the area 33 where "only green electricity is to be used" from the information acquired in step S105 (step S201).

[0063] The control unit 11 refers to the supply priority of the areas extracted in step S201, and allocates green power to areas in descending order of supply priority (step S202).

[0064] Thereafter, the control unit 11 refers to the supply priority for the areas not extracted in step S201, and allocates green power to the areas in descending order of supply priority (step S203).

[0065] When performing the above procedure, the control unit 11 may proceed to step S109 after completing steps S201 to S203. In step S111, the control unit 11 stores in the storage unit 12 the amount of power and the power classification allocated to each area in steps S107, S109, S110, S202, and S203.

[0066] In the example of Figure 9, if the supplied power amounts are 400 kWh for green power, 160 kWh for blue power, and 290 kWh for gray power, the control unit 11 first selects area No. 2, which prioritizes the use of green power and uses only green power (step S201), and allocates 150 kWh of green power to it (step S202). Next, the control unit 11 determines whether to allocate green power to area No. 1, which has the highest priority among the areas (Nos. 1, 3-6) to which no power classification was assigned in step S108. The control unit 11 compares the remaining green power supply amount of 250 kWh with the power usage amount of No. 1, 300 kWh. In this case, the power usage amount exceeds the remaining power supply amount, so the control unit 11 allocates 250 kWh of green power to No. 1 (step S203). As a result, there is a shortage of green power, so the control unit 11 determines whether to allocate blue power to No. 1. The control unit 11 compares the supply of blue power (160 kWh) with the remaining 50 kWh of power usage by No. 1. In this case, the supply of power exceeds the usage, so the control unit 11 allocates 50 kWh of blue power to No. 1 (step S109).

[0067] In step S110, when gray power is supplied to an area where the power classification to be used preferentially is "green power or blue power," or when blue power or gray power is supplied to an area where the power classification to be used preferentially is "green power only" in step S201, the control unit 11 may instruct the output unit 15 to issue a warning.

[0068] Furthermore, the allocation of green power or blue power in steps S108, S109, S202, and S203 may be performed taking into consideration the priority of the first requested ratio and the second requested ratio. For example, when performing step S108 in the example of Figure 10, green power may be allocated in the following order: 180 kWh to No. 1, 105 kWh to No. 2, and 22.5 kWh to No. 3.

[0069] Through the above procedure, power management device 10 can allocate power generated without carbon dioxide emissions to specific areas within the facility, even if the power supplied to the facility includes power other than power generated without carbon dioxide emissions. Furthermore, through steps S108-110 and S201-203, power management device 10 can supply the minimum amount of green power or blue power required to specific areas within the facility, even if sufficient green power or blue power is not being supplied.

[0070] The present invention is also effective in calculating supply chain emissions, a metric for a company's environmental efforts. Supply chain emissions refer to "greenhouse gas emissions generated not only from a company's operations but also from the entire process, including raw material procurement, manufacturing, logistics, sales, and disposal." They are divided into three categories, Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3, depending on the type of emissions. Scope 1 refers to "direct greenhouse gas emissions by the business itself (e.g., greenhouse gases generated by combustion in manufacturing facilities)," Scope 2 refers to "indirect emissions associated with the use of electricity, heat, and steam supplied from external sources," and Scope 3 refers to "emissions other than Scope 1 and 2." Scope 1 and 2 are considered internal emissions, while Scope 3 refers to emissions outside the company. For example, when green power usage falls below the amount of electricity used, the present invention can supply gray power to equipment (Scope 3), such as electric vehicles, that corresponds to an area requiring green power, and allocate green power to the area itself (Scope 1 or 2). This allows supply chain emissions to be shifted to Scope 3, thereby eliminating or reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

[0071] Next, a method for calculating the carbon dioxide emissions for each area 33 will be described with reference to FIG. 11 . When assigning an electricity classification to each area in steps S106, S108, S109, and S201, the control unit 11 may also assign a source power source and the amount of power supply (step S301). In this case, the control unit 11 may calculate the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from power generation in the area from the source power source, the amount of power supply, and a carbon dioxide emission coefficient corresponding to the power source that is stored in advance in the storage unit 12 (step S302). The control unit 11 may store the amount of carbon dioxide emissions for each area calculated in step S302 in the storage unit 12 (step S303).

[0072] By using the above procedure, the power management device 10 can calculate the amount of carbon dioxide emitted from the electricity used in a specific area. Note that the above process may be performed at regular intervals, for example, every second or shorter, or every minute, hour, day, or month.

[0073] Next, a method for issuing instructions to charge and discharge the storage battery 50 will be described with reference to Fig. 12. The following process may be performed at regular intervals, for example, every second or shorter, or every minute, hour, day, or month.

[0074] The control unit 11 calculates the estimated amount of power consumption that is expected to be used in each area from data on past product production volumes and power consumption amounts that is input from the input unit 14 or previously stored in the storage unit 12 (step S401). Note that the data that serves as the basis for calculating the estimated amount of power consumption is not limited to the above. For example, the estimated amount of power consumption may be calculated using machine learning data.

[0075] The control unit 11 acquires the power classification and the amount of power stored in the storage battery 50 connected to the electrical path (step S402).

[0076] The control unit 11 compares the expected amount of power usage calculated in step S401 with the amount of power supply calculated in step S102 for each of green power and blue power (step S403).

[0077] If the comparison shows that the amount of green electricity and blue electricity supplied exceeds the expected amount of electricity usage (step S403: Yes), the control unit 11 instructs the storage battery 50 to charge the green electricity or blue electricity supplied from the generator 41 connected to the storage battery 50 within a range that does not exceed the amount of surplus electricity expressed by formula (a) (step S404). Note that the amount of electricity supplied and the expected amount of electricity usage in the following formula (a) are limited to green electricity and blue electricity.

[0078] Amount of supplied power (kWh)−Expected amount of power used (kWh)=Amount of surplus power (kWh) Formula (a)

[0079] In step S403, if the expected amount of green power and blue power usage exceeds the amount of power supply (step S403: No), the control unit 11 instructs the storage battery 50 to discharge the power stored in the power storage unit 54 within a range that does not exceed the dischargeable amount of power (step S405). Specifically, the dischargeable amount of power is the amount of power that is discharged while leaving a certain amount of power from the remaining amount of power, for example, a minimum amount of power that does not result in over-discharge.

[0080] As described above, the power management device 10 can increase the supply of power in response to increased demand for power classified as green power or blue power, which is preferentially used in each area, by instructing the storage battery 50 to discharge or charge based on the predicted amount of power usage and the amount of power supply in each area. This makes it possible to satisfy the requirements of the power classification that is preferentially used in each area.

[0081] As described above, according to this embodiment, the power management device 10 can record, at regular intervals, the power classification assigned to each area of ​​a facility and the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from power generation emitted by each area. This allows the power management device 10 to certify the usage status of carbon dioxide-free electricity generated and the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from electricity for a specific area within the facility based on the recorded information. Furthermore, the power management device 10 manages the power supplied to electric vehicles by monitoring the amount of electricity used in each area as well as the charging equipment that supplies power to electric vehicles used in connection with each area. This also makes it possible to certify the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from electricity emitted from the transportation of products and raw materials and employee commuting.

[0082] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and numerous modifications and variations are possible. For example, the functions included in each component or step can be rearranged so as not to cause logical inconsistencies, and multiple components or steps can be combined or divided into one. For example, the configuration and operation of the power management device 10 can be distributed among multiple computers and network storage devices that can communicate with each other. Furthermore, for example, some of the configuration and operation of the power management device 10 can be provided in the storage battery 50, etc. It should be understood that these are also included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0083] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Information processing system 10 Power management device 11 Control unit 12 Memory unit 13 Communication unit 14 Input unit 15 Output unit 20 Meter 21 Metering unit 22 Communication unit 30 Facility 31 Power receiving board 32 Distribution board 33 Area 34 Electric vehicle 40 Power generation facility 41 Generator 50 Storage battery 51 Control unit 52 Memory unit 53 Communication unit 54 Power storage unit 60 System power supply

Claims

1. A power management method executed by a control unit of a power management device that manages the amount of power supplied to a plurality of areas, the plurality of areas including one or more areas for which a power classification to be preferentially used is determined, the power classification being determined based on the state of carbon dioxide emissions during power generation, the power management method comprising: classifying power supplied from a plurality of power sources into one of the plurality of power classifications; acquiring the amount of power supply supplied from each of the plurality of power sources; acquiring the amount of power usage used in each of the plurality of areas; allocating the amount of power supply supplied from each of the power sources to each of the plurality of areas based on the power classification to be preferentially used in the one or more areas and the amount of power usage used in each of the plurality of areas; and storing the power classification and the amount of power allocated to each of the areas.

2. The power management method of claim 1, wherein the power classification includes first class electricity, which is electricity derived from natural energy sources that do not emit carbon dioxide, second class electricity, which is electricity generated by using fossil fuels and capturing the carbon dioxide that is generated during production, and third class electricity, which is electricity generated by using fossil fuels and emitting carbon dioxide.

3. The power management method described in claim 2, wherein the control unit executes processes including: calculating an expected amount of power usage predicted to be used in the multiple areas; acquiring the power classification and amount of power stored in a storage battery connected to an electric circuit; and instructing the storage battery to discharge when the expected amount of power usage exceeds the amount of power supply for at least one of the first classification of power and the second classification of power.

4. The power management method described in claim 3, wherein the control unit executes processing including: when the amount of supplied power exceeds the expected amount of power usage for both the first category of power and the second category of power, instructing the storage battery to charge.

5. A power management method according to claims 2 to 4, wherein the control unit executes processing including: setting a priority for allocation of at least one of the first classification of power and the second classification of power to each of the plurality of areas; and, for at least one of the first classification of power and the second classification of power, when the amount of power usage exceeds the amount of power supply, allocating the power classification that is in short supply, starting from the area with the highest priority.

6. The power management method according to claim 1, wherein the control unit executes processing including: associating the power supplied from the multiple power sources with the power allocated to each of the areas; and calculating the amount of carbon dioxide emissions derived from the power in each of the areas from the amount of power supplied from the multiple power sources and allocated to each area and a carbon dioxide emission coefficient set for each power generation method or power company.

7. The power management method according to claim 1, wherein the control unit manages the power supplied to an electric vehicle used in association with one of the plurality of areas together with the amount of power in that area.

8. A power management device that manages an amount of electricity supplied to a plurality of areas, the plurality of areas including one or more areas for which a power classification to be preferentially used is determined, the power classification being determined based on the state of carbon dioxide emissions during electricity generation, the power management device comprising: a control unit that executes processes including: classifying electricity supplied from a plurality of power sources into one of the plurality of power classifications; acquiring an amount of supplied electricity supplied from each of the plurality of power sources; acquiring an amount of electricity used in each of the plurality of areas; allocating the amount of supplied electricity supplied from each of the power sources to each of the plurality of areas based on the power classification to be preferentially used in the one or more areas and the amount of electricity used in each of the plurality of areas; and storing the power classification and the amount of electricity allocated to each of the areas.

9. An information processing system comprising a power management device that manages an amount of electricity supplied to a plurality of areas, the power management device comprising a control unit, the plurality of areas including one or more areas for which a power classification to be preferentially used is determined, the power classification being determined based on the state of carbon dioxide emissions during electricity generation, and the control unit executing processes including: classifying electricity supplied from a plurality of power sources into any of the plurality of power classifications; acquiring the amount of supplied electricity supplied from each of the plurality of power sources; acquiring the amount of electricity used in each of the plurality of areas; allocating the amount of supplied electricity supplied from each of the power sources to each of the plurality of areas based on the power classification to be preferentially used in the one or more areas and the amount of electricity used in each of the plurality of areas; and storing the power classification and the amount of electricity allocated to each of the areas.

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