Energy management system and energy management method

Abstract

The present invention comprises: a communication unit that communicates with a host system that creates a regional energy plan; a target setting unit that sets a target value for creating balancing power for a target consumer site; a prediction unit that predicts future electric power demand; a boundary-condition-setting unit that sets a boundary condition for demand control from load facility specifications; an operation plan creation unit that creates a demand control plan for the load facilities from the target value for balancing power, the future electric power demand prediction, and the boundary condition for demand control; and an input / output unit. The regional energy plan is created or corrected by the host system on the basis of whether the demand control plan can be executed.

Description

Energy management system and energy management method

[0001] The present invention relates to an energy management system and an energy management method.

[0002] In the future, with the aim of decarbonization, a large-scale introduction of renewable energy (hereinafter referred to as renewable energy) facilities is expected. Along with this, it becomes even more important to fill the time mismatch between renewable energy power generation and electricity demand. In the supply-demand adjustment market, transactions of adjustment power to compensate for the supply-demand mismatch are carried out. In the future, it is expected that a local flexibility market for supply-demand adjustment below the distribution system will be formed. By performing local supply-demand adjustment, the local consumption of renewable energy power is promoted, enabling consumers to use inexpensive renewable energy power, and an effect of alleviating grid congestion due to reducing reverse power flow is expected.

[0003] To create adjustment power, it is effective to control demand equipment and shift the time of electricity demand within the range acceptable to consumers. Patent Document 1 discloses an energy management system that creates a plan for creating adjustment power so as to adjust electricity demand according to renewable energy power generation based on demand prediction of electricity, water supply, etc. in a region.

[0004] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-117895

[0005] To create adjustment power and promote the local consumption of renewable energy, it is necessary to extract and control demand that can be time-shifted. Conventionally, a method using a storage battery has been generally used as a method for time-shifting electricity demand. On the other hand, as electricity demand, there are cases where what consumers ultimately want to obtain is heat or cold. For example, among consumers, in the case of wholesalers and retailers, it is known that the demand for refrigeration and cold storage equipment such as food showcases accounts for about 1 / 4 of the electricity consumption breakdown. When applying time-shifting by a storage battery to such cold demand, a large-capacity storage battery is required, resulting in an economic problem that it is difficult to recover the equipment investment.

[0006] Furthermore, when shifting cooling demand over time, it is necessary to do so in a way that does not deviate from the desired cooling range for the customer. However, conventional demand shifting methods lacked a mechanism to pre-check whether the created demand shift plan might disrupt the customer's operations. As a result, customers were more likely to not implement the plan in order to avoid operational losses caused by its execution, and consequently, the creation of adjustment capacity was not carried out as planned.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide an energy management system and an energy management method that enable the time shift of cooling demand in a manner that satisfies economic and operational requirements of businesses.

[0008] To solve the above problems, for example, the configuration described in the claims is adopted. The present invention includes multiple means for solving the above problems, but to give one example, as an energy management system, it adjusts the power demand of a target customer's site by controlling thermal storage equipment, and has a communication unit that communicates with a higher-level system that creates an energy plan for the region to which the target customer's site belongs, a target setting unit that sets a target value for creating adjustment capacity at the target customer's site, a forecasting unit that predicts the future power demand of the target customer's site, a boundary condition setting unit that sets boundary conditions for demand control from the load equipment specifications of the target customer's site, an operation plan creation unit that creates a demand control plan for the load equipment of the target customer's site from the target value for adjustment capacity, the future power demand forecast, and the boundary conditions for demand control, and an input / output unit that performs input and output with the target customer, the target customer inputs whether or not the demand control plan can be executed through the input / output unit, the communication unit transmits whether or not the demand control plan can be executed to the higher-level system, and the regional energy plan is created or modified by the higher-level system based on whether or not the demand control plan can be executed.

[0009] According to the present invention, the economic efficiency of recovering capital investment is improved compared to conventional methods, and supply and demand adjustments are made while minimizing disruption to customer operations. This makes it possible to shift the time of cooling and heating demand, thereby promoting local production and consumption of renewable energy by creating adjustment capabilities for customers. Issues, configurations, and effects other than those described above will be clarified by the following description of embodiments.

[0010] This is a diagram showing an example of an energy management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of a configuration for controlling building cooling demand according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the energy management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of demand shift for refrigeration equipment according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of the power cost reduction effect due to demand shift according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of the screen configuration of the input / output unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of an energy management system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of an energy management system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of an energy management system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of an energy management system according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of an energy management system according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of an energy management system according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings illustrating each embodiment, the same components and processes are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of redundant parts is omitted.

[0012] <First Embodiment Example> An energy management system and energy management method according to the first embodiment example of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6.

[0013] [Configuration of the Energy Management System] Figure 1 shows the configuration of the energy management system 1 in this embodiment. The energy management system 1 is installed at the target site 7. The target site 7 is equipped with site equipment 6 operated by the target consumer 4. The target consumer 4 is, for example, a wholesale or retail business. The site equipment 6 consists of a control unit 61, a heat storage system 62, and a load system 63.

[0014] The thermal storage equipment 62 is equipment introduced to shift the time of cooling demand, and is, for example, an ice thermal storage system. The load equipment 63 is, for example, refrigeration equipment such as food display cases, which generates cooling demand. The control unit 61 controls the thermal storage equipment 62 and the load equipment 63. The energy management system 1 shifts the time of cooling demand by controlling the operation of the thermal storage equipment 62.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, the energy management system 1 of this embodiment mainly comprises a communication unit 11, a target setting unit 12, a prediction unit 13, a boundary condition setting unit 14, an operation plan creation unit 15, and an input / output unit 16.

[0016] The regional energy planning system 5 is a higher-level system than the energy management system 1. While the energy management system 1 creates and controls the operational plan for a specific target site 7, the regional energy planning system 5 creates a regional energy plan, which is a plan for the supply and demand of electricity in the region including the target site 7 (hereinafter referred to as the target region). As explained below, the regional energy plan aims to increase the utilization rate of renewable energy in the region and includes a plan for creating adjustment capacity for electricity supply and demand in the region (adjustment capacity creation target).

[0017] The regional energy planning system 5 makes future forecasts of electricity prices, renewable energy generation, and electricity demand in the target area based on regional data 3. Here, regional data 3 may include, for example, weather forecast data 31, historical supply and demand data 32 for the target area, and historical electricity price data 33. Furthermore, based on the forecast results of future electricity demand, the regional energy planning system 5 sets targets for the adjustment capacity that should be created in the target area to bridge the time mismatch between renewable energy generation and electricity demand. For example, if solar power generation is the main power source for renewable energy generation, the amount of generation is large during the daytime, so the time mismatch between renewable energy generation and electricity demand can be resolved by shifting electricity demand from early morning and nighttime to daytime.

[0018] The energy management system 1 is typically installed at the target site 7, in a so-called on-premise configuration, while the regional energy planning system 5 is typically built on a server on the network, in a so-called cloud configuration. However, the on-premise configuration of the energy management system 1 and the cloud configuration of the regional energy planning system 5 is just one example, and they may be configured in different ways.

[0019] The following describes the detailed configuration and functions of the energy management system 1 in this embodiment. The communication unit 11 communicates with the regional energy planning system 5. Specifically, the communication unit 11 receives from the regional energy planning system 5 the regional energy plan, which includes the target for creating adjustment capacity in the target area, future electricity price forecasts, and regional data 3. On the other hand, the communication unit 11 transmits to the regional energy planning system 5 event information input by the target consumer 4 and information on whether or not they are willing to cooperate in creating adjustment capacity, as will be described later. A known method is used for the communication protocol of the communication unit 11.

[0020] The target setting unit 12 takes the regional energy plan and future electricity price forecast received by the communication unit 11 as input and sets targets for creating adjustment capacity and reducing costs at the target site 7. Specifically, the target setting unit 12 determines targets for the date and time and the magnitude of the adjustment capacity that should be created at the target site based on the regional adjustment capacity creation target, and calculates the effect of reducing electricity costs for consumers by creating adjustment capacity using the predicted value of the electricity price at the above date and time.

[0021] The forecasting unit 13 takes the electricity price, renewable energy generation amount, future forecast of regional electricity demand, and weather forecast data 31 received by the communication unit 11 as input and makes a future forecast of the electricity demand and electricity costs of the target site 7. In making this future forecast, the forecasting unit 13 uses site data 2 as input. Here, site data 2 may include, for example, past demand data 21 and heat storage / load equipment specifications 22 of the target site.

[0022] In particular, the prediction unit 13 predicts the future electricity demand of the target site 7 based on the target site's past demand data 21. Generally, electricity demand depends on the season, day of the week, and time of day, so it is desirable that the target site's past demand data 21 includes data for multiple seasons, days of the week, and time of day. Also, if renewable energy power generation equipment is installed at the target site 7, the site data 2 includes the target site 7's past power generation data, and the prediction unit 13 makes a future prediction of the amount of renewable energy power generated at the target site 7 based on this site data 2. Note that known methods can be used as the prediction algorithm for the prediction unit 13. For example, it is conceivable to use the target site's past demand data 21 as training data using methods such as machine learning.

[0023] The boundary condition setting unit 14 takes the weather forecast data 31 received by the communication unit 11 and the heat storage / load equipment specifications 22 as input and sets the boundary conditions for the time shift of demand. Specifically, the boundary condition setting unit 14 sets the upper limit of the amount of power that can be shifted and the time range. Here, the amount of power that can be shifted is determined by the heat capacity of the heat storage equipment 62, so the heat storage / load equipment specifications 22 are used as input. The time range that can be shifted depends on the cooling performance of the load equipment 63, but since the cooling performance is affected by the outside temperature, the weather forecast data 31 are used as input. Furthermore, when an ice thermal storage system is used as the heat storage equipment 62, the time range that can be shifted is determined by also considering the time required for ice making among the heat storage / load equipment specifications 22.

[0024] The operation plan creation unit 15 creates a time shift plan for the demand at the target site and an operation plan for the heat storage equipment 62 to execute the time shift plan. These plans are created based on the target values ​​for creating adjustment capacity and reducing costs at the target site 7 output by the target setting unit 12, the future forecast of power demand and power costs at the target site 7 output by the forecasting unit 13, and the boundary conditions for the time shift of demand output by the boundary condition setting unit 14.

[0025] Specifically, the operation plan creation unit 15 extracts a set of operating parameters for the thermal storage equipment 62 that can achieve the goals of creating adjustment capacity and reducing costs at the target site while satisfying boundary conditions. Then, the operation plan creation unit 15 selects the optimal operating parameters from the extracted set of operating parameters in accordance with predetermined guidelines. Here, the guidelines could be, for example, minimizing the electricity cost of the target consumer 4. The operation plan creation unit 15 outputs the created operation plan, specifically the operating parameters of the thermal storage equipment 62, to the control unit 61.

[0026] The control unit 61 controls the thermal storage equipment 62 according to the input operating plan. If the thermal storage equipment 62 is an ice thermal storage system, the control unit 61 receives power and water supply to perform ice-making operations. During defrosting operations, the control unit 61 also supplies chilled water to the load equipment 63. This allows the control unit 61 to reduce the power consumption of the chiller in the load equipment 63. Specific examples of this time shift in cooling demand will be described later in Figure 2.

[0027] The input / output unit 16 is used for inputting and outputting information between the energy management system 1 and the target customer 4 in this embodiment. Known input / output devices such as a screen, keyboard, mouse, or touch panel can be used as the input / output unit 16. The input / output unit 16 presents the operation plan created by the operation plan creation unit 15 to the target customer 4.

[0028] The target customer 4 inputs, via the input / output unit 16, whether or not the presented operating plan can be implemented, that is, whether or not they can cooperate in creating adjustment capacity. The target customer 4 also inputs, via the input / output unit 16, event information planned at the target site 7. The input event information is reflected in the plan creation in the energy management system 1 of this embodiment. The specific processing flow of this information transmission will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 3.

[0029] In summary, the energy management system 1 of this embodiment communicates with the regional energy planning system 5 to set targets and create plans for creating adjustment capacity at the target site 7. The energy management system 1 then refers to the site data 2 to create an operation plan for shifting the cooling demand of the site equipment 6 over time. The created operation plan is presented to the target consumer 4, and the target consumer 4 inputs whether or not the operation plan can be implemented into the energy management system 1 via the input / output unit 16.

[0030] [Example Configuration for Controlling Cooling Demand] Figure 2 shows an example configuration for controlling cooling demand. Figure 2 shows a typical configuration for controlling cooling demand, but the configuration in Figure 2 is just one example. For example, in the following example, a refrigeration system equipped with an ice thermal storage tank 621 is used as the load equipment, but a refrigeration system that obtains chilled water or the like may also be used. The thermal storage equipment 62 consists of an ice thermal storage tank 621 and an ice thermal storage chiller 622. The load equipment 63 consists of a refrigeration load equipment 631 and a chiller for the load equipment 632. The chiller for the load equipment 632 cools the refrigeration load equipment 631 by supplying a refrigerant to it.

[0031] A heat exchanger 64 is provided between the heat storage equipment 62 and the load equipment 63, and heat exchange takes place between the chilled water supplied by the de-icing operation of the ice heat storage tank 621 and the refrigerant of the refrigeration load equipment 631. As the refrigerant of the refrigeration load equipment 631 is cooled by this heat exchange, the heat exchanger 64 can reduce the power consumption of the refrigeration unit 632 for the load equipment compared to when the heat storage equipment 62 is not present.

[0032] On the other hand, during the ice-making operation of the ice thermal storage tank 621, which takes place prior to the de-icing operation, there is a power demand for the ice thermal storage chiller 622. In other words, when the load equipment 63 is operated alone, there is a power demand corresponding to the cooling demand of the refrigeration load equipment 631. In contrast, when the thermal storage equipment 62 and the load equipment 63 are operated in combination, there is a power demand for the preceding ice-making operation, while the power consumption during the cooling of the refrigeration load equipment 631 is suppressed. Therefore, the configuration in Figure 2 shifts the time of demand.

[0033] As described above using Figure 1, the operation plan for shifting demand over time is created by the energy management system 1 of this embodiment, and the control unit 61 controls the thermal storage equipment 62 according to the operation plan. Figure 2 shows the piping, expansion valve, and two-way valve necessary to control the heat exchange between the chilled water supplied by the de-icing operation of the ice thermal storage tank 621 and the refrigerant of the refrigeration load equipment 631. It should be noted that, in the past, there have been cases where the combination of an ice thermal storage system and refrigeration load equipment as shown in Figure 2 has been used to shift electricity demand to nighttime in order to reduce electricity costs by utilizing nighttime electricity.

[0034] In contrast, this embodiment, as mentioned above, aims for local production and consumption of renewable energy, and differs from conventional examples in that, when solar power generation is the main power source for renewable energy generation, it shifts electricity demand from early morning and nighttime to daytime. Furthermore, for the purpose of local production and consumption, it is necessary to create a plan based not only on the amount of power generated and demand within the target site 7, but also on the amount of power generated and demand for the entire target area. For this reason, the energy management system 1 of this embodiment creates the plan in cooperation with the regional energy planning system 5. This point is also a feature of this embodiment that is not found in conventional examples.

[0035] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of an energy management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the flowchart of Figure 3, the leftmost column represents the processing performed by the target consumer 4, the middle column represents the processing performed by the energy management system 1, and the rightmost column represents the processing performed by the regional energy planning system 5.

[0036] First, the target customer 4 inputs event information for the target location 7, which has been planned in advance, using the input / output unit 16 (step S11). For example, if the target customer 4 is a wholesale or retail business, the event information would refer to things like scheduled sale days. The energy management system 1 in this embodiment transmits the event information to the regional energy planning system 5 (step S12).

[0037] The regional energy planning system 5 receives event information from multiple locations (step S13), aggregates the event information received from multiple locations, and creates a regional plan that reflects the event information (step S14). For example, on sale days at a store, the number of customers increases, so the number of times the doors of food display cases are opened and closed increases, the temperature inside the store tends to rise, and it is expected that electricity demand will increase compared to normal business days. By reflecting this information in the electricity demand forecast, more accurate future forecasts become possible. The regional energy planning system 5 transmits the created regional plan to the energy management system 1 (step S15), and the energy management system 1 receives this regional plan (step S16).

[0038] The energy management system 1 creates an operation plan for the target site 7 according to the procedure described above and presents the plan to the target customer 4 (step S17). The target customer 4 reviews the operation plan (step S18) and inputs whether it is feasible to implement it, that is, whether they are willing to cooperate in creating adjustment capacity, via the input / output unit 16 (step S19). The target customer 4's decision on whether the plan is feasible to implement is made, for example, from the perspective of whether the implementation of the demand shift could result in business losses for the target customer 4.

[0039] Next, the energy management system 1 transmits information on the feasibility of the plan to the regional energy planning system 5 (step S20). The regional energy planning system 5 receives the information on the feasibility of the plan transmitted from multiple locations (step S21), aggregates the information received from multiple locations, and revises the regional plan as necessary (step S22). In other words, if there are locations where the plan cannot be implemented, the regional energy planning system 5 needs to revise the regional plan. For example, this could involve lowering the target value of the adjustment capacity to be created in the target area.

[0040] The regional energy planning system 5 transmits the revised regional plan to the energy management system 1 (step S23), and the energy management system 1 receives the revised regional plan (step S24). Based on the revised regional plan, the energy management system 1 revises the operation plan for the target site 7 and presents the plan to the target customer 4 (step S25). The target customer 4 checks the revised operation plan and inputs whether it is feasible or not (step S26). If the plan is entered as feasible, the energy management system 1 executes the operation plan (step S27).

[0041] As described above, in the operation process of the energy management system 1 of this embodiment, the target consumer 4 inputs whether or not the operation plan can be executed, and the input information on whether or not it can be executed is reflected in the regional plan, and the plan is revised. This ensures that the demand shift plan satisfies the business requirements of the target operator 4.

[0042] [Example of Demand Shift in Refrigeration Equipment and Its Effects] Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the demand shift in refrigeration equipment. Figure 4 shows an example of 24-hour data on the power demand and power price of refrigeration equipment. The horizontal axis in Figure 4 indicates the 24-hour time, and the vertical axis indicates the power demand (left side) and the power price (right side). Here, the spot price of JEPX (Japan Electric Power Exchange) is referred to as the power price. The power price Px tends to be lower during the daytime when the power generation amount of solar power generation is large, and higher during the early morning and evening when the power generation amount is small and the demand is relatively large.

[0043] On the other hand, the power demand curve Pa of the refrigeration equipment tends to be large during the business hours of the store and small during other time periods. Here, since the power demand of the refrigeration equipment is large during the time period when the power price is high around 6 pm, it can be seen that if the demand during this time period can be shifted to the daytime, it is possible to promote the local consumption of renewable energy and at the same time reduce the power cost of the consumer. Figure 4 shows the power demand curve Pb when a part of the demand in the time period from t1 to t2 is shifted to the time period from t3 to t4.

[0044] Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the power cost reduction effect due to demand shift. The vertical axis in Figure 5 is the amount of power cost reduction, and the horizontal axis is the demand shift ratio (%). The power cost reduction characteristic α shown in Figure 5 is plotted with respect to the demand shift ratio based on the power demand curves Pa and Pb and the power price Px before and after the time shift shown in Figure 4 to show the power cost reduction effect of the consumer. As shown in Figure 5, it can be seen that the higher the demand shift ratio, the higher the power cost reduction effect. Here, the economic comparison between the case of performing demand shift using the heat storage equipment 62 and the case of performing demand shift using the storage battery will be described based on the calculations shown in Figures 4 and 5.

[0045] In terms of economics, the cost of introducing a battery or thermal storage system 62 was considered as the initial investment, and the number of years it would take to recover the initial investment through the reduction in electricity costs due to the demand shift was evaluated. For example, when introducing a battery or thermal storage system 62 capable of shifting demand by 200 kWh, the cost of introducing the battery is estimated at 4.0 million yen, considering the unit price of capacity and introduction subsidies (both in yen / kWh). The number of years it would take to recover this through reductions in electricity costs (considering reductions in usage charges and basic charges) is 4.2 years. On the other hand, in the case of a thermal storage system 62, for example, the cost of introducing an ice thermal storage system is estimated at 3.2 yen, and the investment recovery period is estimated at 3.4 years. Therefore, even including the introduction subsidy for the battery, it was confirmed that the thermal storage system 62 is more economically viable as a method for shifting the time of cooling demand.

[0046] [Screen Example] Figure 6 shows an example of screen 41 of the input / output unit 16. The left side of screen 41 displays the created operation plan 411. Specifically, a list of load equipment 63 and a demand shift plan are displayed, and estimated values ​​for power cost reduction, demand shift amount, and adjustment capacity creation are displayed as effects when the plan is executed. The right side of screen 41 displays the setting screen 412 for the target customer 4. Specifically, event information for the target site 7 can be entered in calendar format, and the response regarding whether the created operation plan can be executed (whether cooperation in creating adjustment capacity is possible) is in the form of "cooperation possible (automatic control)", "cooperation possible (manual control)", and "cooperation not possible". Here, automatic control means that the control unit 61 automatically controls the heat storage equipment 62 in accordance with the operation plan, and manual control means that the heat storage equipment 62 is controlled by the intervention of an operator.

[0047] Manual control is required, for example, when the load equipment 63 is not capable of being automated by the control unit 61, or when, even if it is capable of automation, the intervention of an operator is essential when changing the operation. The information entered by the target consumer 4 in the input / output unit 16 is transmitted to the regional energy planning system 5 as described above, and the regional plan is modified by the regional energy planning system 5 as necessary.

[0048] In the above-described configuration, the target customer 4 does not necessarily have to be single, and there may be a plurality of target customers 4. For example, when the target site 7 is a site where a plurality of businesses are adjacent to each other, such as an industrial park, and the plurality of target customers 4 each conduct business activities using a plurality of site facilities 6, it is assumed. In this case, the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example creates and presents an operation plan for each of the plurality of target customers 4. When the plurality of target customers 4 use the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example, it is desirable for the energy management system 1 to have a function of setting an operation for performing data protection and browsing restrictions on each other by ID management or the like.

[0049] In addition, in this embodiment example, the case where the load facility 63 generates a cooling demand has been described as an example. However, even when the load facility 63 generates a heating demand, the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example can be similarly applied. In that case, it is desirable to use a heat storage tank or the like that can store heat as the heat storage facility 62.

[0050] [Effect of the First Embodiment Example] According to this embodiment example, as described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, by performing a time shift of the cooling demand using the heat storage facility 62, compared with the conventional example using a storage battery, there is an effect that the payback period of the initial investment is short and the economic efficiency is excellent. In addition, compared with a storage battery that has a problem of deterioration due to long-term use, the heat storage facility has a relatively long life, and in this respect, the economic efficiency is excellent. Further, as described with reference to FIG. 3, when the target customer 4 inputs whether the operation plan can be executed, the input execution availability information is reflected in the regional plan, and as a result of the plan being corrected, it is ensured that the demand shift plan satisfies the business requirements of the target business operator 4. As described above, according to this embodiment example, the time shift of the cooling demand can be executed in a manner that satisfies the economic efficiency and the business requirements of the business operator.

[0051] <Second Embodiment Example> Next, with reference to Figure 7, an energy management system and energy management method according to a second embodiment example of the present invention will be described. Figure 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example. As shown in Figure 7, the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example differs from the first embodiment example shown in Figure 1 in that sales and customer data 23 of the target base are added to the base data 2. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment example shown in Figure 1.

[0052] The sales and customer data 23 for the target location includes, for example, the number of sales per item, the number of customers in the store, the number of customers in each sales area, the number of times the display case door is opened and closed, the timing of replenishment of displayed products, and the data for these by date and time. This data includes information related to the date and time changes in electricity demand at the target location 7. The sales and customer data 23 for the target location is mainly used as input data for the forecasting unit 13 and the boundary condition setting unit 14. By using the sales and customer data 23 for the target location, the forecasting accuracy of the future electricity demand of the target location 7 can be improved compared to the first embodiment example.

[0053] Furthermore, by using the sales and customer data 23 of the target location, the boundary condition setting unit 14 can more accurately estimate the demand shift conditions required to maintain the temperature of the load equipment 63 within the desired range, compared to the first embodiment example. In addition, as a result of the improved accuracy of power demand forecasting and demand shift conditions, the accuracy of the operation plan created by the operation plan creation unit 15 is improved, making it possible to enhance the effects of reducing the power costs of the target customer 4 and avoiding business disruptions due to demand shifts.

[0054] <Third Embodiment Example> Next, with reference to Figure 8, an energy management system and energy management method according to a third embodiment example of the present invention will be described. Figure 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example. As shown in Figure 8, the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example differs from the first embodiment example shown in Figure 1 in that equipment operation data 24 of the heat storage and load equipment is added to the base data 2. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment example shown in Figure 1.

[0055] The equipment operation data 24, which is the equipment operation history of the heat storage and load equipment, includes, for example, the power consumption of the load equipment 63, the power consumption of the heat storage equipment 62, the temperature of the load equipment 63, the temperature of the heat storage equipment 62, the difference between their planned and actual values, and their data by date and time. This data includes information related to the accuracy of the control of the heat storage equipment 62 and the load equipment 63. The equipment operation data 24 is generally collected via the control unit 61.

[0056] The equipment operation data 24 is mainly used as input data for the prediction unit 13 and the boundary condition setting unit 14. The prediction unit 13 modifies the prediction model based on the difference data between planned and actual values ​​for power consumption and temperature. This makes it possible to improve the accuracy of predicting the future power demand of the target site 7 compared to the first embodiment example. The boundary condition setting unit 14 extracts cases where there is a deviation from the planned value (indicated value) in the operating parameters of the heat storage equipment 62 and load equipment 63, and modifies the boundary conditions so that the above planned value (indicated value) is not used.

[0057] According to this embodiment, compared to the first embodiment, it is possible to increase the accuracy of controlling the power demand of the target site 7 according to the operation plan. As a result, the accuracy of the operation plan created by the operation plan creation unit 15 is improved, and it is possible to improve the effects of reducing the power costs of the target consumer 4 and avoiding business disruptions due to demand shifts.

[0058] <Fourth Embodiment Example> Next, with reference to Figure 9, an energy management system and energy management method according to a fourth embodiment example of the present invention will be described. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example. As shown in Figure 9, the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example differs from the first embodiment example shown in Figure 1 in that equipment performance degradation data 25 is added to the site data 2. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment example shown in Figure 1.

[0059] The equipment performance degradation data 25 is data that shows the relationship between the period of use of the heat storage equipment 62 and load equipment 63 and the resulting changes over time, such as an increase in the power consumption of the load equipment 63, an increase in the power consumption of the heat storage equipment 62, a decrease in the cooling performance of the load equipment 63, and an increase in the ice-making time required for the heat storage equipment 62. In addition to this data, it is desirable to record the operating mode history of the heat storage equipment 62 and load equipment 63. The equipment performance degradation data 25 may be collected via the control unit 61 or from measuring instruments installed on the heat storage equipment 62 and load equipment 63.

[0060] The equipment performance degradation data 25 is mainly used as input data for the prediction unit 13 and the boundary condition setting unit 14. The prediction unit 13 modifies the power demand prediction model based on the increase in power consumption due to aging. This makes it possible to improve the accuracy of predicting the future power demand of the target site 7 compared to the first embodiment example.

[0061] The boundary condition setting unit 14 modifies the shiftable time range in the demand shift based on the decrease in cooling performance due to aging and the increase in the time required for ice making. As a result, in this embodiment, compared to the first embodiment, it is possible to increase the accuracy of controlling the power demand of the target site 7 according to the operation plan. As a result, the accuracy of the operation plan created by the operation plan creation unit 15 is improved, and it is possible to improve the effect of reducing the power costs of the target consumer 4 and avoiding business disruptions due to demand shifts.

[0062] Furthermore, by comparing and analyzing the equipment performance degradation data 25 with the operating mode history of the heat storage equipment 62 and load equipment 63, it is possible to understand the relationship between the operating mode and the rate of degradation. As a result, by adopting an operating mode that does not easily lead to equipment performance degradation as part of the operating plan, it becomes possible to operate the equipment for a longer lifespan.

[0063] <Fifth Embodiment Example> Referring to Figure 10, an energy management system and energy management method according to a fifth embodiment example of the present invention will be described. Figure 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example. As shown in Figure 10, the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example differs from the first embodiment example shown in Figure 1 in that a power storage facility 65 is added to the base equipment 6 and a power storage facility specification 26 is added to the base data 2. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment example shown in Figure 1.

[0064] The energy storage equipment 65, like the thermal storage equipment 62, is used for the purpose of shifting cooling demand over time. The energy storage equipment 65 is, for example, a stationary battery such as a lithium-ion battery or a lead-acid battery. The energy storage equipment specifications 26 include, for example, the battery capacity, output range, and operating range of the charge rate. As mentioned above, the energy storage equipment 65 is less economical than the thermal storage equipment 62 as a means of shifting cooling demand over time, but it generally has the advantage of being able to charge and discharge in a short time compared to the thermal storage equipment 62. For this reason, the energy storage equipment 65 is suitable as a means of shifting short-term, sharp demand. Therefore, by introducing the energy storage equipment 65, it is possible to increase the variety of feasible demand shifts compared to the first embodiment example, and to improve the ability to create adjustment capacity at the target site 7.

[0065] The operation plan creation unit 15 assigns, on a daily basis, whether to use the heat storage equipment 62 or the energy storage equipment 65 as a means of adjusting the demand of the load equipment 63. Then, it issues operation commands to the heat storage equipment 62 and the energy storage equipment 65 via the control unit 61. Furthermore, it is desirable to design and install the equipment with the capacity of the heat storage equipment 62 and the energy storage equipment 65 in mind, assuming that they will be used in combination.

[0066] <Sixth Embodiment Example> Referring to Figure 11, an energy management system and energy management method according to a sixth embodiment example of the present invention will be described. Figure 11 is a diagram showing the configuration of the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example. As shown in Figure 11, the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example differs from the first embodiment example shown in Figure 1 in that real-time electricity price data 34 is added to the regional data 3. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment example shown in Figure 1.

[0067] The real-time electricity price data 34 is, for example, the spot price of JEPX. The real-time electricity price data 34 is publicly available data on the Web and can be obtained by known methods. The real-time electricity price data 34 is mainly used as input data for the forecasting unit 13. When the operation plan is created, the forecasting unit 13 uses future predicted values ​​of electricity prices, but afterwards, for example, after the JEPX spot price is finalized, the forecasting unit 13 can recalculate using the finalized electricity price to more accurately estimate the electricity cost of the target customer 4. Furthermore, due to the influence of weather conditions on the day, etc., there is a possibility that a significant discrepancy may occur between the predicted value and the final value of the electricity price. By modifying the operation plan using the real-time electricity price data 34, it is possible to immediately respond to the discrepancy between the predicted value and the final value of the electricity price and create an operation plan that ensures the electricity cost reduction effect for the target customer 4.

[0068] <Seventh Embodiment Example> Next, with reference to Figure 12, an energy management system and energy management method according to the seventh embodiment example of the present invention will be described. Figure 12 is a diagram showing the configuration of the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example. As shown in Figure 12, the energy management system 1 of this embodiment example differs from the first embodiment example shown in Figure 1 in that past tidal flow data 35 is added to the regional data 3. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment example shown in Figure 1.

[0069] The historical power flow data 35 for the target area is, for example, power flow data for the local power grid supplying electricity to the target area, and includes data on the daily changes in power flow in transmission lines and transformers. The historical power flow data 35 for the target area is publicly available data on the Web and can be obtained by publicly known methods.

[0070] The historical power flow data 35 for the target area is mainly used as input data for the regional energy planning system 5 and the prediction unit 13. The regional energy planning system 5 incorporates the historical power flow data 35 for the target area into setting targets for the adjustment capacity that should be created in the target area. The prediction unit 13 uses the historical power flow data 35 for the target area to predict congestion in the power grid in the target area.

[0071] The operation plan creation unit 15 creates a demand control plan for the target site 7 to mitigate the predicted congestion based on the power grid congestion forecast results. In other words, the operation plan creation unit 15 creates a demand control plan that shifts the power demand of the load equipment from periods when the amount of renewable energy generation in the region is relatively small to periods when the amount of renewable energy generation in the region is relatively large. For example, if renewable energy generation equipment is installed at the target site 7, the operation plan creation unit 15 creates a plan to control demand and generation amount to suppress reverse power flow from the renewable energy generation equipment on days and times when power grid congestion is predicted. Also, on days and times when a large forward power flow due to power demand in the target area is predicted, the operation plan creation unit 15 creates an operation plan to avoid increased demand at the target site 7. As a result, by using the historical power flow data 35 of the target area, the risk of output control being performed on renewable energy generation equipment in the target area due to grid congestion can be reduced, and the stabilization of regional supply and demand can be improved.

[0072] <Modifications> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but includes various modifications. For example, the embodiments described above are explained in detail to make the present invention easier to understand, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace parts of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

[0073] Furthermore, in the configuration diagrams shown in Figures 1 and 2, only control lines and information lines deemed necessary for explanation are shown, and not all control lines and information lines are necessarily shown in the actual product. In reality, it can be assumed that almost all components are interconnected. Also, the flowchart shown in Figure 3 is just one example, and if the processing result is the same, some processing orders may be changed or multiple processes may be executed simultaneously. In addition, each system and device, such as the energy management system 1 shown in each embodiment example, can be configured as a single device, or each processing unit and memory unit can be configured as a separate device and connected via a network. In this case, some processing units and memory units may use servers provided on the network.

[0074] Furthermore, each system and device, such as the energy management system 1, may be configured by implementing a program that executes the processing method described in each embodiment on a general-purpose computer device, for example. In this case, the program may be stored on an external recording medium such as memory, an IC card, an SD card, or an optical disc, and transferred to a computer that functions as the energy management system 1, etc.

[0075] 1...Energy management system, 11...Communication unit, 12...Target setting unit, 13...Forecasting unit, 14...Boundary condition setting unit, 15...Operation plan creation unit, 16...Input / output unit, 2...Site data, 21...Past demand data for target site, 22...Heat storage / load equipment specifications, 23...Sales / customer data for target site, 24...Heat storage / load equipment operation data, 25...Equipment performance degradation data, 26...Energy storage equipment specifications, 3...Regional data, 31...Weather forecast data, 3 2...Past supply and demand data for the target area, 33...Past electricity price data, 34...Real-time electricity price data, 35...Past power flow data for the target area, 4...Target consumers, 5...Regional energy planning system, 6...Base equipment, 61...Control unit, 62...Thermal energy storage equipment, 63...Load equipment, 64...Heat exchanger, 65...Energy storage equipment, 621...Ice thermal storage tank, 622...Refrigerator for ice thermal storage, 631...Refrigeration load equipment, 632...Refrigerator for load equipment, 7...Target base

Claims

1. An energy management system for adjusting the power demand of a target customer's site by controlling thermal storage equipment, comprising: a communication unit that communicates with a higher-level system that creates an energy plan for the region to which the target customer's site belongs; a target setting unit that sets a target value for creating adjustment capacity at the target customer's site; a forecasting unit that predicts the future power demand of the target customer's site; a boundary condition setting unit that sets boundary conditions for demand control from the load equipment specifications of the target customer's site; an operation plan creation unit that creates a demand control plan for the load equipment of the target customer's site from the target value for adjustment capacity, the future power demand forecast, and the boundary conditions for demand control; and an input / output unit that performs input and output with the target customer, wherein the target customer inputs whether or not the demand control plan can be executed through the input / output unit; the communication unit transmits whether or not the demand control plan can be executed to the higher-level system; and the energy plan for the region is created or modified by the higher-level system based on whether or not the demand control plan can be executed.

2. The energy management system according to claim 1, wherein the regional energy plan aims to increase the utilization rate of renewable energy in the region and includes a plan for creating the capacity to adjust the supply and demand of electricity in the region.

3. The energy management system according to claim 1, wherein the demand control plan is a plan to shift the power demand of the load equipment from a period when the amount of renewable energy generated in the region is relatively small to a period when the amount of renewable energy generated in the region is relatively large.

4. The energy management system according to claim 1, wherein the load equipment is a freezing or refrigeration facility, and the demand control plan controls the power demand of the freezing or refrigeration facility by controlling the heat exchange between the heat storage facility and the load equipment.

5. The energy management system according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit receives from the higher-level system at least a portion of the following: past data on the region's power supply and demand, future forecasts of the region's power supply and demand, past data on electricity prices, future forecasts of electricity prices, weather forecasts, and the region's adjustment capacity creation targets; and the communication unit transmits to the higher-level system at least a portion of the following: the power generation plan for the target customer's base, the demand plan for the target customer's base, the adjustment capacity creation plan for the target customer's base, and whether the target customer is willing to cooperate in creating adjustment capacity.

6. The energy management system according to claim 1, wherein the target consumer inputs event information of the target consumer's location through the input / output unit, the communication unit transmits the event information to the higher-level system, and the regional energy plan is created and modified by the higher-level system based on the event information.

7. The energy management system according to claim 1, wherein the forecasting unit forecasts the future electricity demand of the target customer's location based on at least one of the daily sales data of the number of items sold at the target customer's location and the daily sales data of the number of visitors at the target customer's location.

8. The energy management system according to claim 1, wherein the prediction unit predicts the future power demand of the target customer's site based on the operating history data of the heat storage equipment and the load equipment, and the boundary condition setting unit sets the boundary conditions for demand control based on the operating history data of the heat storage equipment and the load equipment.

9. The energy management system according to claim 1, wherein the prediction unit predicts the future power demand of the target customer's site based on performance degradation data of the heat storage equipment or the load equipment, and the boundary condition setting unit sets the boundary conditions for demand control based on performance degradation data of the heat storage equipment or the load equipment.

10. The energy management system according to claim 1, further comprising an energy storage facility used for demand control of the load facility, wherein the demand control plan allocates on a daily basis whether to use the heat storage facility or the energy storage facility for adjusting the power demand of the target customer's location.

11. The energy management system according to claim 1, wherein the regional energy plan is modified based on real-time electricity prices, the communication unit receives the modified regional energy plan, and the demand control plan is modified based on the modified regional energy plan.

12. The energy management system according to claim 1, wherein the regional energy plan is created based on historical power flow data of the power grid in the region, the forecasting unit forecasts congestion of the power grid in the region, and the demand control plan adjusts the demand of the load equipment at the target consumer's site in order to alleviate the predicted congestion of the power grid in the region.

13. An energy management method for adjusting the power demand of a target customer's site by controlling a thermal storage facility, comprising the steps of: communicating with a higher-level system that creates an energy plan for the region to which the target customer's site belongs; setting a target value for creating adjustment capacity at the target customer's site; predicting the future power demand at the target customer's site; setting boundary conditions for demand control from the load equipment specifications of the target customer's site; creating a demand control plan for the load equipment at the target customer's site from the target value for adjustment capacity, the future power demand forecast, and the boundary conditions for demand control; and performing input / output with the target customer, wherein the target customer inputs whether the demand control plan can be executed; the feasibility of executing the demand control plan is transmitted to the higher-level system; and the regional energy plan is created or modified by the higher-level system based on the feasibility of executing the demand control plan.

Images