Management device, energy supply system, and management method

Abstract

A management device according to the present invention comprises: an information acquisition unit that acquires information pertaining to oil supply equipment; and a control unit that, on the basis of the information, controls a power supply system that supplies power generated using hydrogen obtained by an organic-hydride dehydrogenation reaction.

Description

Control device, energy supply system, and control method

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device, an energy supply system, and a control method.

[0002] In recent years, in response to environmental problems such as the depletion of fossil fuels and global warming caused by the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the use of organic hydrides as energy carriers for transporting and storing hydrogen derived from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power generation is being considered to promote decarbonization. Furthermore, development is underway to create power supply systems that use organic hydrides as a fuel source for distributed power generation devices such as fuel cells.

[0003] As such a power supply system, for example, a hydrogen generator / power generation system is disclosed that includes a cell having an electrolyte membrane, an anode, and a cathode, and uses an organic hydride as a raw material to generate hydrogen and generate electricity at the same time (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-189288

[0005] Here, as with the technology described in Patent Document 1, it is being considered to use a power supply system that generates electricity using organic hydrides as a fuel source as a distributed power source capable of independently supplying power. In order to use such a power supply system as a distributed power source in multiple locations, it is necessary that the power generated by the power supply system be able to appropriately supply the required amount of electricity to consumers that require electricity, such as homes, businesses, or electric vehicles (EVs).

[0006] One aspect of the present invention aims to appropriately supply electricity generated by a power supply system to consumers.

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a control device comprising: an information acquisition unit that acquires information related to refueling equipment; and a control unit that controls a power supply system that supplies electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction of an organic hydride based on the information.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is an energy supply system comprising: a power supply system that supplies electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction of an organic hydride; and a management device that controls the power supply system based on information regarding refueling equipment provided by the power supply system.

[0009] One aspect of the present invention is a management method in which a computer performs an information acquisition step of acquiring information about refueling equipment, and a control step of controlling a power supply system that supplies electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction of an organic hydride, based on the information.

[0010] One aspect of the present invention is the ability to appropriately supply electricity generated by a power supply system to consumers.

[0011] This is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an energy supply system to which a management device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. This is a block diagram showing an example of a power supply system. This is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a power supply management system. This is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer. This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a management device. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of power supply and demand. This is a flowchart showing an example of a management method according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a flowchart showing an example of an operation method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] The embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "these embodiments") will be described in detail below. For ease of understanding, the same reference numerals are used for identical components in each drawing, and redundant explanations are omitted. In this specification, the "~" indicating a numerical range means that the values ​​before and after it are included as the lower and upper limits, respectively, unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, if only the upper limit of a numerical range represented by "~" has a unit specified, it means that the lower limit also has the same unit.

[0013] The management device according to this embodiment includes an information acquisition unit that acquires information related to refueling equipment, and a control unit that controls a power supply system that supplies electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction of organic hydrides, based on the information.

[0014] The management device according to this embodiment controls the power supply system based on information regarding the refueling equipment, thereby controlling the amount of electricity generated by the power supply system to meet the amount of electricity required by the customer. Therefore, the management device according to this embodiment can appropriately supply the electricity generated by the power supply system to the customer.

[0015] In this embodiment, "organic hydride" is an organic compound that has been transformed into a liquid or other state that can be stored and transported, and is used as a type of hydrogen carrier. Organic hydride is an organic compound that is dehydrogenated by a dehydrogenation reaction to become a hydride (also referred to as "dehydrogenated substance"), and is a hydride of the hydride.

[0016] Organic hydrides and hydrogenated materials undergo reversible dehydrogenation and hydrogenation reactions to produce hydrogen (H ２ The organic compound is not particularly limited as long as it can be subjected to the addition and elimination of acetone-isopropanol compounds, benzoquinone-hydroquinone compounds, aromatic hydrocarbon compounds, and other organic compounds can be used as the organic hydride and hydrogenate. Among these, aromatic hydrocarbon compounds and other compounds equivalent to Class I petroleum products are preferred from the viewpoint of transportability during energy transport. The reason why compounds equivalent to Class I petroleum products are preferred will be explained later.

[0017] Aromatic hydrocarbon compounds are compounds containing at least one aromatic ring. Examples of aromatic hydrocarbon compounds include benzene, alkylbenzene, naphthalene, alkylnaphthalene, anthracene, and diphenylethane. Alkylbenzenes include compounds in which the 1st to 4th hydrogen atoms of the aromatic ring are substituted with a linear alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a branched alkyl group. Examples of such compounds include toluene, xylene, mesitylene, ethylbenzene, and diethylbenzene. Alkylnaphthalenes include compounds in which the 1st to 4th hydrogen atoms of the aromatic ring are substituted with a linear alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a branched alkyl group. Examples of such compounds include methylnaphthalene. These may be used individually or in combination.

[0018] Examples of organic hydrides include methylcyclohexane (MCH), cyclohexane, dimethylcyclohexane, and decahydroquinoline.

[0019] The hydrogenated substance is an organic compound obtained by dehydrogenating the aforementioned organic hydride, and examples include toluene and benzene. Alternatively, the hydrogenated substance may also be nitrogen-containing heterocyclic aromatic compounds such as quinoline, isoquinoline, N-alkylpyrrole, N-alkylindole, and N-alkyldibenzopyrrole.

[0020] In this embodiment, "consumer" refers to a consumer such as a house, business, or EV that receives electricity, and includes consumers who use large amounts of electricity, or consumers who use moderate or small amounts of electricity. "Consumers who use large amounts of electricity" refers to, for example, steel mills, chemical plants, or power plants that use large amounts of electricity. "Consumers who use moderate or small amounts of electricity" refers to, for example, houses, buildings, factories, or mobile entities. Mobile entities include automobiles such as electric vehicles (EVs) or railway vehicles such as trains. Examples of EVs include battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

[0021] The energy supply system according to this embodiment includes a power supply system that supplies electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction of an organic hydride, and a management device that controls the power supply system based on information regarding the refueling equipment provided by the power supply system.

[0022] The energy supply system according to this embodiment can control the amount of electricity generated by the power supply system to meet the electricity demands of the consumer by controlling the power supply system based on information about the refueling equipment. Therefore, the energy supply system according to this embodiment can appropriately supply the electricity generated by the power supply system to the consumer.

[0023] The management method according to this embodiment includes an information acquisition step in which a computer acquires information about refueling equipment, and a control step in which a computer controls a power supply system that supplies electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction of organic hydrides, based on the information.

[0024] The management method according to this embodiment controls the power supply system based on information regarding the refueling equipment, thereby controlling the amount of electricity generated by the power supply system to meet the amount of electricity required by the customer. Therefore, the management method according to this embodiment can appropriately supply the electricity generated by the power supply system to the customer.

[0025] The operational method according to this embodiment is an operational method for using a gas station as a power station, wherein the gas station has a first tank for storing organic hydride, a second tank for storing dehydrogenated products obtained by a dehydrogenation reaction of the organic hydride, a first fueling device connected to the first tank, and a second fueling device connected to the second tank, and includes an installation step of installing a power supply system at the gas station to supply electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by a dehydrogenation reaction of the organic hydride, a storage step of storing the organic hydride in the first tank, a power supply step of using the first fueling device in the power supply system to extract the organic hydride from the first tank and supply electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by a dehydrogenation reaction of the extracted organic hydride, a storage step of supplying the dehydrogenated products obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction of the organic hydride to the second tank for storage, and a recovery step of recovering the dehydrogenated products from the second tank using the second fueling device. The power supply process acquires information regarding the refueling equipment and controls the power supply system based on the acquired information.

[0026] The operation method according to this embodiment allows a gas station to be operated as a power station by using a power supply system at the gas station. When supplying power from the power supply system according to this embodiment, the power supply system can be controlled based on information about the gas station equipment, and the amount of power generated can be controlled to meet the amount of power required by the customer. Therefore, the operation method according to this embodiment can appropriately supply power generated by the power supply system to the customer.

[0027] <Energy Supply System> An energy supply system equipped with the control device according to this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the case in which the organic hydride is methylcyclohexane (MCH) and the hydrogenate is toluene (TL) will be described. However, this embodiment is not limited to the case in which MCH is used as the organic hydride, and can also be applied when other organic compounds are used as the organic hydride.

[0028] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an energy supply system including a management device according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the energy supply system 1 includes a first recovery unit 10, a second recovery unit 20, a power supply system 30, and a power supply management system 40, all of which are provided in a consumption area CR. MCH, which is an example of an organic hydride manufactured at the MCH production base MP in a production area PR, is supplied to the energy supply system 1 by transportation or the like. The energy supply system 1 obtains H obtained by subjecting MCH supplied from the production area PR to dehydrogenation reaction in the consumption area CR ２ to generate electric power, which is supplied to a customer C.

[0029] Note that in the present embodiment, the energy supply system 1 does not include the MCH production base MP, but may include the MCH production base MP.

[0030] In the present embodiment, H obtained by performing a dehydrogenation reaction in the production area PR ２ is a gas, so it is also referred to as hydrogen gas (hereinafter also referred to as H ２ gas).

[0031] In the present embodiment, the "production area PR" refers to an area such as a land where MCH is produced, and the "consumption area CR" refers to an area such as a land where electric power is generated using MCH, supplied to the customer C and consumed. The production area PR and the consumption area CR may be in different countries, or may be in different regions within the same country. At least one of the production area PR and the consumption area CR may exist in plural. The transportation route connecting the production area PR and the consumption area CR includes one or more of land routes, sea routes, and air routes.

[0032] The MCH production base MP is installed in the production area PR. The MCH manufactured at the MCH production base MP is transported to the consumption area CR mainly by sea transportation. For sea transportation, for example, a tanker capable of loading MCH is used.

[0033] The first recovery unit 10 stores the entire amount of MCH transported from the MCH production site MP in the production area PR. The first recovery unit 10 may be installed, for example, in a refinery or a large-scale oil depot located in a coastal gulf area. Examples of the first recovery unit 10 include an MCH tank capable of storing MCH.

[0034] In addition, the first recovery unit 10 also produces and stores petroleum products such as gasoline from fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas.

[0035] The first recovery unit 10 may store MCH transported from MCH production bases MP in other production areas PR, or may store MCH transported from a power supply system 30 installed in other consumption areas. Transportation from other consumption areas to the consumption area CR may be by sea or land.

[0036] As an example, land transportation may be pipeline, railway transportation or motor vehicle transportation, or a combination of the foregoing. For motor vehicle transportation, for example, a tank lorry capable of loading MCH is used. For railway transportation, for example, a freight train capable of loading MCH is used.

[0037] The MCH stored in the first recovery unit 10 is conveyed to the second recovery unit 20 mainly by land transportation.

[0038] The second recovery unit 20 stores the MCH conveyed from the first recovery unit 10, and conveys the stored MCH to the power supply system 30. Examples of the second recovery unit 20 include an oil delivery station that conveys MCH to each power supply system 30.

[0039] The oil depot is a facility that has equipment for temporarily storing MCH stored in the first recovery unit 10 and loading it onto tank lorries, as well as equipment for temporarily storing petroleum products such as gasoline produced by the first recovery unit 10 and loading them onto tank lorries.

[0040] Similar to the first recovery unit 10, the MCH stored in the second recovery unit 20 is conveyed to the power supply system 30 mainly by land transportation.

[0041] The power supply system 30 generates electricity, an example of electrical energy, using hydrogen obtained from the dehydrogenation reaction of MCH transported from the second recovery unit 20. The power supply system 30 supplies the generated electricity to nearby consumers C. The power supply system 30 may also supply any surplus hydrogen obtained from the dehydrogenation reaction of MCH that was not used to generate electricity to nearby consumers C, or it may be used within the power supply system 30.

[0042] Multiple power supply systems 30 may be installed within the consumption area CR, and each power supply system 30 may have a different amount of power that can be generated per unit time.

[0043] The power supply system 30 may, for example, be an oil depot, gas station, or hydrogen station located on land, in a city, on a plain, or in a mountain.

[0044] Examples of gas stations include gas stations, gas stations, or service stations.

[0045] The size of oil depots, gas stations, or hydrogen stations is not particularly limited and may be large, medium, or small.

[0046] Electricity, an example of electrical energy obtained by the power supply system 30, is supplied to a nearby consumer C.

[0047] Details of the power supply system 30 will be described later.

[0048] The power supply management system 40 provides H obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction of MCH, an example of an organic hydride, in the power supply system 30. ２ This is an information processing system that controls the amount of electricity generated using [a specific method / tool] and manages the generation and supply of electricity in the consumption area (CR).

[0049] The power supply management system 40 may be installed at the power supply system 30, or it may be installed at a location different from the power supply system 30. Furthermore, the power supply management system 40 may be installed at the manufacturing site PR, or it may be installed in a location different from both the manufacturing site PR and the consumption site CR.

[0050] Details of the power supply management system 40 will be described later.

[0051] [Power Supply System] The power supply system 30 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the power supply system 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the power supply system 30 includes a dehydrogenation device 31, a hydrogen purification device 32, a power generation device 33, an organic hydride production device 34, a power generation unit 35, a power storage unit 36, a measurement unit 37, a fuel supply device 38, a charger 39, an MCH tank T1, a hydrogen tank T2, a TL tank T3, a fossil fuel tank T4, and a spare MCH tank T11. Note that the MCH tank T1 and the TL tank T3 are each an example of a first tank and a second tank.

[0052] The dehydrogenation device 31 dehydrogenates MCH supplied from the MCH tank T1, thereby separating the MCH into hydrogen (H ２ )-rich gas and TL. The dehydrogenation device 31 dehydrogenates MCH and separates it into H ２ -rich gas and TL, for example, by heating MCH through heat exchange with heat generated in the power generation device 33, combustion heat generated when unreacted H ２ gas in the power generation device 33 is combusted, or the like.

[0053] The H ２ -rich gas obtained by dehydrogenating MCH in the dehydrogenation device 31 is sent to the hydrogen purification device 32, and the TL obtained by dehydrogenating MCH is sent to the TL tank T3.

[0054] The hydrogen purification device 32 purifies the H ２ -rich gas obtained by the dehydrogenation device 31, further reduces the TL concentration in the H ２ -rich gas to a trace amount (for example, several hundred ppm or less), and obtains high-purity H ２ purified gas. The hydrogen purification device 32 can purify the H ２ -rich gas using a general separation method such as membrane separation. The H ２ purified gas obtained by the hydrogen purification device 32 is sent to the hydrogen tank T2.

[0055] Further, the power generation device 33 uses H stored in the hydrogen tank T2 ２Electricity may also be generated using gas. In this case, the power generation device 33 may be, for example, a fuel cell that generates electricity by reacting hydrogen with oxygen. ２ A generator that produces electricity by burning gas to rotate a turbine would also be acceptable.

[0056] Alternatively, the power generation device 33 generates electricity using MCH supplied from the MCH tank T1. In this case, the power generation device 33 dehydrogenates the MCH and converts it to H ２ The gas and TL are separated, and the separated H ２ It may also be a power generation device that generates electricity by reacting gas with oxygen. In other words, the power generation device 33 may also be a fuel cell that doubles as a dehydrogenation device. In this case, the dehydrogenation device 31 is omitted, and the TL obtained by dehydrogenating MCH is sent to the TL tank T3 connected to the power generation device 33.

[0057] One example of electrical energy generated by the power generation device 33 is electricity, which is supplied to the consumer C (see Figure 1). For example, the power generation device 33 may be connected to a power grid and supply electricity to consumer C by sending the generated electricity to the power grid. Alternatively, the power generation device 33 may supply the generated electricity to the energy storage unit 36.

[0058] As shown in Figure 2, the organic hydride production apparatus 34 produces MCH using TL stored in the TL tank T3. The organic hydride production apparatus 34 can be composed of an electrolytic cell, for example, an electrolytic cell having an anode, an electrolyte membrane, and a cathode. The organic hydride production apparatus 34 can produce MCH by supplying TL to the cathode and water to the anode in the electrolytic cell, and hydrogenating the TL by a hydrogenation reaction (hereinafter also referred to as an "electrochemical reduction reaction") using protons generated by the electrolysis of water.

[0059] The power generation unit 35 is a power supply device that generates electricity derived from renewable energy and supplies the power to the power generation device 33 in DC. The power generation unit 35 can be any power generation device that uses renewable energy, and can consist of, for example, a wind power generation device, a solar power generation device, a hydroelectric power generation device, a geothermal power generation device, a wave power generation device, a thermoelectric power generation device, and a biomass power generation device.

[0060] The power generation unit 35 includes a power conversion unit that converts the output voltage of renewable energy-derived power to a predetermined voltage. For example, a DC / DC converter can be used as the power conversion unit. When renewable energy-derived power is input in AC, the power generation unit 35 converts the voltage using a transformer in the power conversion unit, rectifies it using a bridge diode, smooths it using a smoothing electrolytic capacitor, and supplies power to the power generation device 33 from the output terminal.

[0061] In the power supply system 30, the power generation unit 35 supplies electricity derived from renewable energy to the power generation device 33 or the organic hydride production device 34, in which case the power generation device 33 or the organic hydride production device 34 will operate. If electricity derived from renewable energy is not supplied to the power generation device 33 or the organic hydride production device 34, the power generation device 33 or the organic hydride production device 34 may be shut down.

[0062] The energy storage unit 36 ​​can store the electricity generated by the power generator 33 and can be configured as, for example, a battery. The power from the energy storage unit 36 ​​may be used as a secondary power source when the power supplied from the power generator 35 is insufficient. As a result, the power generator 33 or the organic hydride manufacturing apparatus 34 can be operated stably by receiving power from the energy storage unit 36 ​​in addition to the power from the power generator 35. Furthermore, the energy storage unit 36 ​​may supply power to the power generator 33 or the organic hydride manufacturing apparatus 34 independently of the power generator 35. The energy storage unit 36 ​​may supply power to the organic hydride manufacturing apparatus 34 based on control by the power supply management system 40 shown in Figure 1.

[0063] The measuring unit 37 measures information such as MCH supplied into the power supply system 30 and TL generated within the power supply system 30, and includes a first storage amount measuring unit 37A, a second storage amount measuring unit 37B, an MCH supply amount measuring unit 37C, and a TL recovery amount measuring unit 37D.

[0064] The first storage volume measuring unit 37A is installed in the MCH tank T1 and measures the amount of MCH stored in the MCH tank T1. For the first storage volume measuring unit 37A, a general liquid volume measuring sensor such as a liquid level sensor can be used.

[0065] The second storage volume measuring unit 37B is installed in the TL tank T3 and measures the amount of TL stored in the TL tank T3. Similar to the first storage volume measuring unit 37A, the second storage volume measuring unit 37B can use a general liquid volume measuring sensor such as a liquid level sensor.

[0066] The MCH supply amount measuring unit 37C is installed on the line through which MCH is transported to the MCH tank T1, and measures the supply amount of MCH being transported to the MCH tank T1. For example, a general-purpose flow meter for measuring liquid volume can be used as the MCH supply amount measuring unit 37C.

[0067] The TL recovery amount measuring unit 37D is installed on the line through which TL is discharged from the TL tank T3 to the outside, and measures the amount of TL recovered from the TL tank T3 to the outside. Similar to the MCH supply amount measuring unit 37C, the TL recovery amount measuring unit 37D can be, for example, a general-purpose flow meter for measuring liquid volume.

[0068] The refueling device 38 is a liquid supply device configured to control the amount of liquid supplied, and can use refueling equipment commonly used for refueling. The refueling device 38 may have, for example, a nozzle, piping, and a dispenser. In other words, the term "refueling equipment" is a general term for all conceivable forms of the refueling device 38.

[0069] The refueling device 38 includes a first refueling device 38A, a second refueling device 38B, and a third refueling device 38C.

[0070] The first refueling device 38A is installed on the line (hereinafter also referred to as "piping") that supplies MCH to the MCH tank T1 and is connected to the MCH tank T1. The first refueling device 38A is configured to supply MCH to the MCH tank T1, and the amount of MCH supplied to the MCH tank T1 can be controlled by controlling the first refueling device 38A. In other words, the first refueling device 38A is a type of refueling equipment and functions as a supply device that supplies MCH to the dehydrogenation device 31 or the power generation device 33 in the power supply system 30.

[0071] An example of the first refueling device 38A is a pump, measuring device, hose, and refueling nozzle used to supply fossil fuels from an underground tank for storing fossil fuels to an internal combustion engine vehicle or the like.

[0072] Furthermore, as another example of the first refueling device 38A, if the dehydrogenation device 31 itself or the power generation device 33 itself functions as a pump or the like for acquiring MCH from the MCH tank T1, then the first refueling device 38A may be a pipe for circulating MCH. This pipe is a replenishment facility used for replenishing fossil fuels in underground tanks that store fossil fuels for use as fossil fuels.

[0073] Furthermore, in the power supply system 30, the first refueling device 38A may include piping that sends TL discharged from the dehydrogenation device 31 or the power generation device 33 to the TL tank T3. This piping is replenishment equipment used for purposes such as replenishing fossil fuels in underground tanks that store fossil fuels for use as fossil fuels.

[0074] The second refueling device 38B is installed on the line through which TL is discharged from the TL tank T3 to the outside and is connected to the TL tank T3. The second refueling device 38B is configured to discharge TL from the TL tank T3 to the outside, and by controlling the second refueling device 38B, the amount of TL discharged from the TL tank T3 to the outside can be controlled. In other words, the second refueling device 38B is a supply facility in the refueling equipment of a gas station that supplies fossil fuel to internal combustion engine vehicles, etc., including pumps, meters, hoses, and refueling nozzles, and in the power supply system 30 it functions as a recovery device that causes tank trucks, etc., to recover TL.

[0075] Furthermore, as another example of the second refueling device 38B, if an element having the function of recovering TL, such as a tank truck, itself functions as a pump or the like to acquire TL from the TL tank T3, then the second refueling device 38B may be a pipe for circulating TL. This pipe is a replenishment facility used for replenishing fossil fuels in underground tanks that store fossil fuels for use as fossil fuels.

[0076] The third refueling device 38C is installed on a line that supplies fossil fuel to the fossil fuel tank T4 and discharges fossil fuel from the fossil fuel tank T4, and is connected to the fossil fuel tank T4. The third refueling device 38C is configured to supply fossil fuel to the fossil fuel tank T4 and discharge fossil fuel from the fossil fuel tank T4, and by controlling the third refueling device 38C, the amount of fossil fuel supplied to the fossil fuel tank T4 and the amount of fossil fuel discharged from the fossil fuel tank T4 can be controlled. In other words, the third refueling device 38C is a refueling facility of a gas station and includes replenishment equipment similar to the first refueling device 38A and supply equipment similar to the second refueling device 38B.

[0077] Fossil fuels include gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, jet fuel, heavy oil, and lubricating oil.

[0078] The charger 39 is a power supply device for directly supplying electricity, which is an example of electrical energy, to customer C. The charger 39 includes, for example, a power transmission cable and a connector that connects to the charging port of customer C.

[0079] The MCH tank T1 stores the MCH delivered to the power supply system 30. The MCH tank T1 supplies the stored MCH to the dehydrogenation unit 31 or the power generation unit 33. The MCH tank T1 is configured to allow adjustment of the amount of MCH supplied to the dehydrogenation unit 31 or the power generation unit 33 by controlling a valve or the like. The MCH tank T1 may also be able to adjust the amount of MCH supplied to the dehydrogenation unit 31 or the power generation unit 33 by remote control from the power supply management system 40.

[0080] Various sensors are installed in the MCH tank T1. The sensors constantly monitor the state of the MCH tank T1 and output sensor data showing the observed sensor values. The MCH tank T1 may also be equipped with, for example, a liquid level sensor that monitors the amount of MCH stored in the tank.

[0081] Hydrogen tank T2 contains H purified by hydrogen purification device 32. ２ The purified gas is stored in the hydrogen tank T2. Various sensors are installed in the hydrogen tank T2. The sensors constantly monitor the state of the hydrogen tank T2 and output sensor data showing the observed sensor values. The hydrogen tank T2 may also be equipped with a pressure sensor to monitor the pressure inside the tank, for example.

[0082] H stored in hydrogen tank T2 ２ The purified gas is supplied to the power generation device 33 or the consumer C. For example, a pipeline may be installed between the hydrogen tank T2 and the power generation device 33 or the consumer C, and hydrogen gas may be supplied to the power generation device 33 or the consumer C via that pipeline. Alternatively, the hydrogen stored in the hydrogen tank T2 may be supplied to the power generation device 33 or the consumer C. ２ The purified gas may be supplied to customer C by, for example, filling high-pressure gas containers with hydrogen gas and transporting them, or by filling hydrogen tanks in fuel cell vehicles using conventional means.

[0083] The TL tank T3 stores toluene obtained by dehydrogenation or the like in the dehydrogenation unit 31 or the power generation unit 33. Various sensors are installed in the TL tank T3. The sensors constantly monitor the state of the TL tank T3 and output sensor data showing the observed sensor values. The TL tank T3 is equipped with, for example, a liquid level sensor that monitors the amount of toluene stored in the tank.

[0084] The fossil fuel tank T4 stores fossil fuels. Various sensors are installed in the fossil fuel tank T4. The sensors constantly monitor the state of the fossil fuel tank T4 and output sensor data showing the observed sensor values. For example, the fossil fuel tank T4 is equipped with a liquid level sensor that monitors the amount of fossil fuel stored in the tank.

[0085] The reserve MCH tank T11 stores the MCH produced by the organic hydride production apparatus 34. The reserve MCH tank T11 supplies the stored MCH to the dehydrogenation apparatus 31 or the power generation apparatus 33. The reserve MCH tank T11 is configured to allow adjustment of the amount of MCH supplied to the dehydrogenation apparatus 31 or the power generation apparatus 33 by controlling a valve or the like. The reserve MCH tank T11 may also allow adjustment of the amount of MCH supplied to the dehydrogenation apparatus 31 or the power generation apparatus 33 by remote control from the power supply management system 40.

[0086] In this embodiment, the configuration of the power supply system 30 shown in Figure 2 is just one example, and various configurations are possible depending on the application and purpose. For example, the power supply system 30 may not include a hydrogen tank T2, and the power generation device 33 may generate electricity using hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen purification device 32, thereby supplying electricity to the consumer C or the energy storage unit 36.

[0087] [Power Supply Management System] The overall configuration of the power supply management system 40 will be explained with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the power supply management system 40. As shown in Figure 3, the power supply management system 40 includes a management device 41 and a terminal device 42. The management device 41 and the terminal device 42 are connected via a communication network N such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet, enabling data communication.

[0088] The control device 41 is an information processing device such as a personal computer, workstation, or server that controls the amount of electricity generated by the power supply system 30. The control device 41 is electrically connected to each of the devices that make up the power supply system 30, such as the dehydrogenation unit 31, hydrogen purification unit 32, power generation unit 33, organic hydride production unit 34, energy storage unit 36, measurement unit 37, MCH tank T1, hydrogen tank T2, TL tank T3, fossil fuel tank T4, and reserve MCH tank T11, and controls the operation of the power supply system 30.

[0089] The control device 41 acquires information about the refueling facilities and controls the power supply system 30 based on the acquired information about the refueling facilities, and controls the amount of electricity generated by the power supply system 30. In other words, the control device 41 controls the amount of electricity generated by the power generator 33 of the power supply system 30 based on information about the refueling facilities. The control device 41 may also control the amount of electricity generated by the power generator 33 of the power supply system 30 based on information such as consumption location information or supply and demand adjustment commands.

[0090] In this embodiment, the refueling equipment includes pumps, hoses, nozzles, meters (also referred to as measuring instruments), underground tanks, above-ground tanks, or liquid level gauges installed at a refueling station.

[0091] Terminal device 42 is an information processing terminal such as a personal computer, smartphone, or tablet terminal operated by a user of the power supply management system 40. Terminal device 42 receives the supply plan from the management device 41 and presents the supply plan to the user.

[0092] The overall configuration of the power supply management system 40 shown in Figure 3 is just one example, and various system configurations are possible depending on the application and purpose. For example, one or more of the management devices 41 and terminal devices 42 may be included in the power supply management system 40. For example, the management device 41 may be implemented by multiple information processing devices (computers), or it may be implemented as a cloud computing service. For example, the management device 41 may be implemented by distributing it across multiple computers according to its function. For example, the power supply management system 40 may be implemented by a standalone computer. The classification of devices such as the management device 41 and terminal device 42 shown in Figure 3 is just one example.

[0093] (Hardware Configuration) The management device 41 and terminal device 42 are implemented by, for example, a computer. Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the computer's hardware configuration. As shown in Figure 4, the computer 100 physically includes a processor 101 which is the arithmetic processing unit, memory 102, auxiliary storage device 103, an input device 104 which is the input device, an output device 105 which is the output device, a communication interface 106, and an external interface 107. The processor 101 and memory 102 form a so-called computer. Each piece of hardware of the computer 100 is interconnected via a bus line 108. The input device 104 and the output device 105 may also be used by connecting them to the external interface 107.

[0094] The processor 101 is an arithmetic unit that controls and realizes the functions of the entire computer 100 by reading programs or data from a storage device such as memory 102 or auxiliary storage device 103 into the RAM (Random Access Memory) of memory 102 and executing processing. For example, the processor 101 may be a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The processor 101 may have both a CPU and a GPU.

[0095] Memory 102 includes ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM, which are the main memory, and may store a management program.

[0096] ROM is an example of a non-volatile semiconductor memory (storage device) that can retain programs and data even when the power is turned off. ROM functions as main memory, storing various programs and data necessary for the processor 101 to execute the various programs installed on the auxiliary storage device 103. Specifically, ROM stores boot programs such as the BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) and EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) executed when the computer 100 starts up, as well as OS (Operating System) settings and network settings.

[0097] RAM is an example of volatile semiconductor memory (storage device) in which programs or data are erased when the power is turned off. RAM can be, for example, DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) or SRAM (Static Random Access Memory). RAM provides a work area that is expanded when various programs installed in the auxiliary storage device 103 are executed by the processor 101.

[0098] The auxiliary storage device 103 is a non-volatile storage device that stores programs and data. The programs and data stored in the auxiliary storage device 103 include the OS, which is the basic software that controls the entire computer 100, and applications that provide various functions on the OS. The auxiliary storage device 103 may be an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a storage device that uses flash memory as a storage medium, such as an SSD (Solid State Drive).

[0099] The input device 104 is a touch panel, operation keys, buttons, keyboard, mouse, or microphone used by the user to input various signals, and is used to input sound data such as voice.

[0100] The output device 105 consists of a display such as a liquid crystal or organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) that displays an image, and a speaker that outputs sound data such as voice.

[0101] The communication interface 106 is an interface that connects to a communication network and allows the computer 100 to perform data communication.

[0102] External I / F 107 is an interface to an external device. An example of an external device is a drive device 110.

[0103] The drive device 110 is a device for setting the recording medium 111. The recording medium 111 includes media that record information optically, electrically, or magnetically, such as CD-ROMs, flexible disks, and magneto-optical disks. The recording medium 111 may also include semiconductor memory that records information electrically, such as ROM or flash memory. This allows the computer 100 to read and / or write to the recording medium 111 via the external interface 107.

[0104] The various programs to be installed on the auxiliary storage device 103 are installed, for example, when the distributed recording medium 111 is set in a drive device 110 connected to an external interface 107, and the various programs recorded on the recording medium 111 are read by the drive device 110. Alternatively, the various programs to be installed on the auxiliary storage device 103 may be downloaded via the communication interface 106 from a network other than the communication network.

[0105] The functional configuration of the management device 41 will be explained with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the management device 41. As shown in Figure 5, the management device 41 includes an information acquisition unit 411 and a control unit 412.

[0106] The information acquisition unit 411 and the control unit 412 are realized, for example, by a process in which a program loaded from the auxiliary storage device 103 shown in Figure 4 onto a memory 102 such as RAM is executed by the processor 101.

[0107] The information acquisition unit 411 acquires information such as information on refueling facilities and consumption area information provided by the power supply system 30, as well as commands such as supply and demand adjustment commands.

[0108] Information regarding the refueling equipment includes information regarding the refueling equipment on which the power supply system 30 is installed, such as the amount of MCH supplied to the power supply system 30 and the amount of TL used within the power supply system 30.

[0109] Information regarding the refueling equipment includes, for example, the amount of MCH stored in the MCH tank T1, measured by the first storage amount measuring unit 37A; the amount of TL stored in the TL tank T3, measured by the second storage amount measuring unit 37B; the amount of MCH supplied to the MCH tank T1, measured by the MCH supply amount measuring unit 37C; and the amount of TL recovered from the TL tank T3, measured by the TL recovery amount measuring unit 37D.

[0110] Consumption location information includes location information and power information.

[0111] The base information includes the amount of fossil fuel demand, the amount of electricity demand, and H required by the power supply system 30 installed in the consumption area CR. ２ This information concerns demand and other related matters. Location information may include, for example, demand forecasts, delivery costs, customer information, tank capacity, and traffic volume forecasts.

[0112] Demand forecasts are based on fossil fuels, electricity, and H in the consumption area CR. ２ This is a forecast of the demand for fossil fuels, electricity, and H2N1, which are supplied in the consumption area CR. ２ This may include forecasts of demand for fossil fuels, electricity and H in a consumption area CR. ２ If supplied, the demand forecast may include the forecast values ​​for electricity demand and the forecast values ​​for hydrogen gas demand. The demand forecast includes the fossil fuels, electricity and H that have been supplied in the past at the consumption area CR. ２Demand forecasts may be based on the amount of gas. Demand forecasts may also be based on statistical data of supply for the same period in the past (same date, same month, same season, etc.). Demand forecasts may also be based on trained machine learning models.

[0113] The delivery cost is information that represents the total delivery cost for delivering MCH from the first recovery unit 10, which is the source of delivery, to the power supply system 30. If there may be multiple delivery routes between the first recovery unit 10 and the power supply system 30, the delivery cost may represent the delivery cost for each of the multiple delivery routes, or it may represent the minimum delivery cost.

[0114] Customer information refers to information about customers who supply electricity at the consumption area CR. Customer information may also include information about customers who have entered into contracts with the operator of the energy supply system 1 regarding energy supply. Customer information may also include information regarding service level agreements associated with the contracts. For example, a service level agreement may specify a minimum supply per unit time.

[0115] The tank remaining amount is information indicating the amount stored in the MCH tank T1 and the amount recovered in the TL tank T3 installed in the power supply system 30. If multiple MCH tanks T1 or TL tanks T3 are installed in the power supply system 30, the tank remaining amount may indicate the storage amount of each MCH tank T1 or TL tank T3, or it may indicate the minimum storage amount among the storage amounts of multiple MCH tanks T1 or TL tanks T3.

[0116] Furthermore, the remaining tank capacity may include at least one piece of information indicating the amount stored in hydrogen tank T2, the amount stored in fossil fuel tank T4, and the amount stored in reserve MCH tank T11.

[0117] Traffic volume forecasts are information predicting the traffic volume on roads surrounding the power supply system 30. The area surrounding the power supply system 30 can be arbitrarily defined, but it is preferable that it include roads that serve as delivery routes to other power supply systems 30. Traffic volume forecasts may also be statistical values ​​of past traffic volume for each date and time period. Traffic volume forecasts may also be the probability of congestion occurring for each date and time period. Traffic volume forecasts may be obtained from an external traffic information provision system. Traffic volume forecasts may also be predicted based on a trained machine learning model.

[0118] Electricity information refers to information regarding electricity supply in the consumption area (CR). Electricity information includes at least electricity market prices and generation forecasts.

[0119] The electricity market price is the market price at which electricity is traded in the electricity trading market. For example, the electricity market price may be the agreed-upon price at which an electricity transaction is completed in the wholesale electricity trading market. The wholesale electricity trading market may be a spot market, a time-ahead market, or a forward market. However, the wholesale electricity trading market is not limited to these and may be any market in which electricity transactions take place. The electricity market price may also be obtained from an electricity market system that provides a wholesale electricity trading market.

[0120] A power generation forecast is information that shows predicted values ​​for the amount of electricity generated from renewable energy sources. The power generation forecast may include predicted values ​​for power generation by date and time of day. The predicted values ​​may include predictions for multiple power generation methods (e.g., solar power, wind power, etc.). The power generation forecast may be obtained from an external power generation forecasting system. The power generation forecast may be predicted based on a trained machine learning model.

[0121] The supply and demand adjustment command includes information regarding the supply and receipt of electricity from the distribution network at the consumption area CR. Examples of the supply and demand adjustment command include the correlation between the amount of electricity supplied by the power supply system 30 and the amount of electricity demanded by consumers C at the consumption area CR during a predetermined unit time (e.g., several hours to several days), as well as the supply from power plants (not shown).

[0122] The power distribution network refers to the facilities that transport the electricity generated by the power supply system 30 to consumers C who require electricity, and the power distribution network includes, for example, transmission lines, high-voltage substations, primary substations, intermediate substations, distribution substations, and transformers.

[0123] The control unit 412 includes an operation control unit 4121, a delivery planning unit 4122, and an information transmission unit 4123.

[0124] The operation control unit 4121 controls the operation of the power supply system 30 based on the information about the refueling equipment acquired by the information acquisition unit 411. In other words, the operation control unit 4121 controls each device or component that constitutes the power supply system 30 based on the information about the refueling equipment. Depending on the installation location of the refueling equipment, the capacities of the MCH tank T1 and TL tank T3, as well as the demand of customer C, will differ. Therefore, depending on the installation location of the power supply system 30, it is necessary to consider the amount of electricity generated by the power supply system 30 in order to supply electricity to customer C, taking into account the amount of MCH supplied, the capacity of the MCH tank T1, the amount of TL recovered, the capacity of the TL tank T3, the demand of customer C, and the consumption at the consumption site CR. The control unit 412 controls the power supply system 30 based on the information about the refueling equipment obtained by the information acquisition unit 411, thereby controlling the amount of electricity generated by the power supply system 30 to meet the amount of electricity requested by customer C. Therefore, the control device 41 can appropriately supply the electricity generated by the power supply system 30 to the consumer C.

[0125] Furthermore, the operation control unit 4121 can control the operation of the power supply system 30 to generate power appropriately based on information regarding the refueling equipment. Therefore, even if multiple power supply systems 30 are distributed and installed in consumption areas CR, the power supply system 30 can appropriately supply power to consumers C according to the conditions of each installation location.

[0126] Since the power supply system 30 can generate electricity using MCH as fuel in the power generation device 33, it can supply electricity to customers C using existing or closed service stations or gas stations.

[0127] The information acquisition unit 411 preferably includes the amount of MCH stored in the MCH tank T1 as information about the refueling equipment to be acquired. MCH is used as fuel for power generation in the power generation device 33. By knowing the amount of MCH stored in the MCH tank T1, the operation control unit 4121 can determine whether there is enough MCH stored in the MCH tank T1 to generate electricity that meets the demands of customer C in the power generation device 33. Therefore, by knowing the amount of MCH stored in the MCH tank T1, the operation control unit 4121 can supply electricity that meets the demands of customer C more appropriately.

[0128] Furthermore, since tanks used for storing fossil fuels in the refueling facilities of a gas station can be used as is for storing MCH, there is no need to construct a new MCH tank T1 when an existing or closed gas station is used as the installation location for the power supply system 30. Therefore, by using an existing or closed gas station for the power supply system 30, existing fossil fuel tanks can be used as MCH tanks T1, thereby reducing the cost of generating electricity from MCH in the power supply system 30.

[0129] The information acquisition unit 411 preferably includes the amount of TL stored in the TL tank T3 as information related to the refueling equipment. TL is the amount of MCH dehydrogenated in the dehydrogenation unit 31 and H in the hydrogen purification unit 32. ２ This is produced when rich gas is purified. The operation control unit 4121 monitors the amount of TL stored in the TL tank T3 and recovers and discharges the TL in the TL tank T3 before the amount of TL stored in the TL tank T3 reaches an allowable value, thereby enabling the dehydrogenation of MCH in the dehydrogenation unit 31 and the H in the hydrogen purification unit 32. ２ This prevents the cessation of rich gas purification. Therefore, the operation control unit 4121 can control the operation of the power supply system 30 so that it continuously generates electricity from the MCH by using the amount of TL stored in the TL tank T3 as information regarding the refueling equipment.

[0130] Furthermore, since tanks used for storing fossil fuels in the refueling facilities of a gas station can be used as TLs, there is no need to construct new TL tanks T3 when using an existing or closed gas station as the installation location for the power supply system 30. Therefore, by using an existing or closed gas station for the power supply system 30, existing fossil fuel tanks can be used as TL tanks T3, thereby reducing the cost of generating electricity from MCH in the power supply system 30.

[0131] When the information acquisition unit 411 uses the amount of TL stored in the TL tank T3 as information regarding the refueling equipment, it is preferable that the operation control unit 4121 controls the second refueling device 38B based on the amount of TL stored in the TL tank T3 acquired by the information acquisition unit 411. By controlling the second refueling device 38B, the amount of TL supplied to a mobile vehicle such as a tank truck that recovers TL from the TL tank T3 can be easily and appropriately controlled.

[0132] The control method for the second refueling device 38B is not particularly limited and may be an ON or OFF control method, or a control method that controls the supply amount of TL to be 0 or a value greater than 0 to an arbitrary supply amount.

[0133] Furthermore, since the second refueling device 38B can utilize the refueling equipment used for refueling fossil fuels at a gas station, i.e., refueling nozzles, etc., there is no need to newly install the second refueling device 38B when an existing or closed gas station is used as the installation location for the power supply system 30. Therefore, by using an existing or closed gas station for the power supply system 30, the existing refueling equipment can be used as the second refueling device 38B, thereby reducing the cost of generating electricity from the MCH in the power supply system 30.

[0134] The information acquisition unit 411 preferably uses the amount of MCH supplied to the MCH tank T1 and the amount of TL recovered from the TL tank T3 as information regarding the refueling equipment. The operation control unit 4121 can appropriately supply MCH to the MCH tank T1 and recover TL from the TL tank T3 by knowing the amount of MCH to be supplied to the MCH tank T1 next time and the amount of TL to be recovered from the TL tank T3. As a result, the operation control unit 4121 can operate the power supply system 30 so that the power generator 33 generates power stably.

[0135] The information acquisition unit 411 may use only the amount of MCH supplied to the MCH tank T1 or the amount of TL recovered from the TL tank T3 as information related to the refueling equipment.

[0136] Preferably, the operation control unit 4121 controls the amount of fossil fuel supplied to the fossil fuel tank T4 based on the amount of fossil fuel demand acquired by the information acquisition unit 411. This allows the fossil fuel tank T4 to store fossil fuel in accordance with the amount of fossil fuel demanded by consumers C in the consumption area CR. Therefore, the power supply system 30 can store enough fossil fuel in the fossil fuel tank T4 to meet the demands of consumers C in the consumption area CR, and thus can stably supply fossil fuel to consumers C.

[0137] Furthermore, the fossil fuel tank T4 can utilize the same tanks used for storing fossil fuels in the refueling facilities of the gas station. Therefore, when an existing or closed gas station is used as the installation location for the power supply system 30, there is no need to newly construct the fossil fuel tank T4, and fossil fuels can be supplied while the system functions as a power supply base. In addition, when the power supply system 30 is implemented at a gas station, gas stations are generally designed to be more resilient to disasters than existing EV charging stations, etc. Therefore, even in the event of a major disaster that causes a power outage, the power supply system 30 can stably supply not only electricity but also fossil fuels to consumers C in the consumption area CR, and can be effectively used as a power and fossil fuel supply base during disasters.

[0138] Preferably, the operation control unit 4121 controls the amount of power supplied based on the supply and demand adjustment command acquired by the information acquisition unit 411. This allows the operation control unit 4121 to control the amount of power generated by the power generator 33 based on the demands of the power distribution network. Thus, the power supply system 30 can appropriately adjust the supply of power to the power distribution network.

[0139] Preferably, the operation control unit 4121 controls the amount of power supplied by the power supply system 30 based on the amount of power demanded by customer C. For example, the operation control unit 4121 may control the amount of power supplied from the power generator 33 to the charger 39 based on the amount of power demanded by customer C. This allows the power supply system 30 to appropriately supply power directly to customer C via the charger 39, thereby meeting the various power demands of customer C. Therefore, the power supply system 30 can supply power in a way that appropriately responds to various requests from customer C, such as the desire for direct charging.

[0140] Preferably, the operation control unit 4121 manages the charging and discharging of the energy storage unit 36 ​​based on the supply and demand adjustment command acquired by the information acquisition unit 411. If the supply and demand adjustment command indicates that there is sufficient power to meet the requirements of the distribution network, the operation control unit 4121 charges the energy storage unit 36 ​​with a portion of the power generated by the power generator 33. If the supply and demand adjustment command indicates that there is insufficient power to meet the requirements of the distribution network, and the power generated by the power generator 33 alone is not enough to supply the required power, the operation control unit 4121 can use the power stored in the energy storage unit 36 ​​as supplementary power to meet the requirements of the distribution network. Therefore, the power supply system 30 can respond in accordance with the requirements of the distribution network and improve its power supply and demand adjustment capability by managing the charging and discharging of the energy storage unit 36 ​​based on the supply and demand adjustment command acquired by the information acquisition unit 411 in the operation control unit 4121.

[0141] For example, the operation control unit 4121 can charge and discharge the energy storage unit 36 ​​in such a way that the difference between the amount of power generated by the power supply system 30 and the power demand at the consumption site CR is reduced, thereby enabling appropriate response to peak power demand as shown in Figure 6, and supplying power to the distribution network.

[0142] Preferably, the operation control unit 4121 controls the operation of the organic hydride manufacturing apparatus 34 in accordance with the supply and demand adjustment command acquired by the information acquisition unit 411. If the power generated by the power generator 33 meets the power demand required by the supply and demand adjustment command, the power generated by the power generator 33 may be sufficient to meet the demand of the distribution network. In this case, the operation control unit 4121 controls the operation load of the organic hydride manufacturing apparatus 34 to increase. This makes it possible to use the surplus power of the power generator 33 or the energy storage unit 36 ​​without waste. On the other hand, if the power generated by the power generator 33 does not meet the power demand required by the supply and demand adjustment command, the operation control unit 4121 controls the operation load of the organic hydride manufacturing apparatus 34 to decrease or stop its operation. This suppresses the consumption of power from the power generator 33 or the energy storage unit 36 ​​by the organic hydride manufacturing apparatus 34 and increases the amount of power supplied to the distribution network. Therefore, the power supply system 30 can respond to the demands of the power distribution network and improve its power supply and demand adjustment capability by controlling the operation of the organic hydride manufacturing apparatus 34 based on the supply and demand adjustment command acquired by the information acquisition unit 411 using the operation control unit 4121.

[0143] Furthermore, if there is an excess of power across the entire distribution network and the supply and demand adjustment command encourages power consumption, the operation control unit 4121 may temporarily stop the operation of the power generator 33. By then controlling the operation load of the organic hydride production device 34 to increase, the power supply system 30 can be used as a power consumption point, thereby reducing the load on the distribution network. The organic hydride produced at this time can be used for power generation by the power generator 33 when the load on the distribution network stabilizes or when power demand increases again, thus preventing wasted power consumption and allowing the power supply system 30 itself to be used like a battery.

[0144] Furthermore, the power supply system 30 can generate MCH from TL in the organic hydride production apparatus 34 and store it in the reserve MCH tank T11. The power supply system 30 can reduce the cost of generating electricity by reusing the MCH stored in the reserve MCH tank T11 when electricity is needed or when the MCH in the MCH tank T1 is likely to run low. Therefore, the power supply system 30 can reduce the cost of supplying electricity and reliably supply electricity to meet the demands of customer C.

[0145] The operation control unit 4121 preferably uses surplus power from the power supply system 30 to produce organic hydrides in the organic hydride production apparatus 34 in response to the supply and demand adjustment command acquired by the information acquisition unit 411. If the power generated by the power generator 33 is sufficient to meet the demand for the amount of electricity required by the supply and demand adjustment command, the power generated by the power generator 33 may be sufficient to meet the demand for the amount of electricity required by the supply and demand adjustment command, and surplus power may be generated in the power generator 33 or the energy storage unit 36. In this case, the operation control unit 4121 uses the surplus power to operate the organic hydride production apparatus 34 and use it to produce MCH. On the other hand, if the power generated by the power generator 33 is not sufficient to meet the demand for the amount of electricity required by the supply and demand adjustment command, it is necessary to use the power stored in the energy storage unit 36 ​​as surplus power. In this case, the operation control unit 4121 controls the system so as not to use the surplus power to operate the organic hydride production apparatus 34. As a result, the power supply system 30 can respond to the demands of the power distribution network by controlling the operation of the organic hydride manufacturing apparatus 34 based on the supply and demand adjustment commands acquired by the information acquisition unit 411 at the operation control unit 4121, thereby improving its power supply and demand adjustment capability.

[0146] Furthermore, the power supply system 30 can use surplus electricity generated by the power generator 33 to produce MCH from TL in the organic hydride production apparatus 34 and store it in the reserve MCH tank T11. By reusing the MCH stored in the reserve MCH tank T11 when electricity is needed, the power supply system 30 can reduce the cost of generating electricity. Therefore, the power supply system 30 can reduce the cost required for supplying electricity and reliably supply electricity to meet the demands of customer C.

[0147] The operation control unit 4121 may reduce the amount of electricity supplied by the power supply system 30 in response to the supply and demand adjustment command acquired by the information acquisition unit 411. This allows the power supply system 30 to easily adapt to the supply and demand adjustment command while meeting the requirements of the distribution network by reducing the amount of electricity generated by the power generator 33 when the amount of electricity generated by the power generator 33 is excessive compared to the amount of electricity demanded by the distribution network.

[0148] The operation control unit 4121 may control the amount of power supplied by the power supply system 30 based on the amount of renewable energy generated in the power generation unit 35. This allows the power supply system 30 to adjust the amount of power generated in the power generation device 33, taking into account the amount of renewable energy generated in the power generation unit 35, such as solar power or wind power. As a result, the power supply system 30 does not require an external power supply and can be used as an independent power source, so it can be used even in areas where it is difficult for the consumption area CR to receive an external power supply.

[0149] Furthermore, the power supply system 30 supplies renewable energy-derived electricity supplied from the power generation unit 35 to the power generation device 33 or the organic hydride production device 34, thereby reducing the consumption of fossil fuels associated with power generation and hydrogen production, and CO2 emissions. ２ Emissions can be reduced.

[0150] Furthermore, the organic hydride production apparatus 34 can generate MCH using renewable energy and TL as an energy carrier for storing energy-derived hydrogen. Therefore, the organic hydride production apparatus 34 can be effectively used as a device for producing energy carriers used for storing electricity generated in the power generation unit 35. In addition, the power supply system 30 can efficiently utilize renewable energy without waste by storing it in the reserve MCH tank T11 via MCH and reusing it.

[0151] The delivery planning unit 4122 creates a delivery plan for fossil fuels and at least one of the components of MCH and TL, based on the base information acquired by the information acquisition unit 411, which includes the demand for fossil fuels and the demand for electricity.

[0152] Fossil fuels, MCH, and TL can share the tanks of transport vehicles such as tank trucks. Therefore, there is no need to prepare separate transport vehicles for fossil fuels, MCH, and TL, and the transport vehicles can be shared. Based on the demand for fossil fuels and electricity acquired by the information acquisition unit 411, the delivery planning unit 4122 creates a delivery plan for fossil fuels and at least one of MCH or TL. In this way, the delivery planning unit 4122 can formulate an optimal delivery plan for fossil fuels and at least one of MCH or TL so that electricity and fossil fuels can be supplied according to the demands of consumers C in the consumption area CR.

[0153] Therefore, the power supply system 30 can store fossil fuels and at least one of MCH and TL in the MCH tank T1 or TL tank T3 and the fossil fuel tank T4 in accordance with the demands of consumer C in the consumption area CR, thereby enabling a stable supply of fossil fuels and electricity to consumer C.

[0154] The information transmission unit 4123 transmits information to customer C encouraging charging, based on the supply and demand adjustment command acquired by the information acquisition unit 411.

[0155] If the supply and demand adjustment command acquired by the information acquisition unit 411 indicates an increase in power consumption, the information transmission unit 4123 preferably transmits information to customer C encouraging them to charge. For example, if customer C is an EV user and has moved to consumption area CR and is in a state where charging is necessary, there is a possibility that power consumption will increase at consumption area CR, so a supply and demand adjustment command indicating an increase in power consumption may be sent. If the supply and demand adjustment command acquired by the information acquisition unit 411 indicates an increase in power consumption, the information transmission unit 4123 transmits information to the electric vehicle user encouraging them to charge. Information encouraging charging may be communicated to the EV user via an app or email. Since the power supply system 30 can also function as an EV station, by contacting EV users to encourage them to charge, the power supply and demand adjustment can be appropriately performed so as to increase the amount of power generated by the power supply system 30 when EV users charge at the power supply system 30.

[0156] Furthermore, the term "vehicle user" refers to an EV user, including, for example, an EV owner or user.

[0157] Thus, the energy supply system 1 comprises a power supply system 30 and a power supply management system 40, and the power supply management system 40 includes a management device 41. The management device 41 includes an information acquisition unit 411 and a control unit 412, and the control unit 412 controls the power supply system 30 based on information regarding the refueling equipment, thereby controlling the amount of electricity generated by the power supply system 30 to meet the amount of electricity required by the customer. Therefore, the energy supply system 1 can appropriately supply the electricity generated by the power supply system 30 to the customer C.

[0158] Furthermore, in the energy supply system 1, the management device 41 can control the operation of the power supply system 30 to generate power appropriately based on information regarding the refueling equipment. Therefore, even if the energy supply system 1 has multiple power supply systems 30 distributed across the consumption area CR, it can appropriately supply power to each power supply system 30 according to the conditions of the installation location of each power supply system 30. Thus, the energy supply system 1 can distribute and arrange the power supply systems 30 as independent power supply facilities.

[0159] In energy supply system 1, the power supply system 30 can generate electricity using MCH as fuel, so it can supply electricity using existing or closed gas stations. Therefore, energy supply system 1 can install the power supply system 30 at existing or closed gas stations and effectively utilize them as power supply bases, while also reducing the costs required for supplying electricity.

[0160] Furthermore, the power supply system 30 supplies MCH as fuel and discharges TL as wastewater. These fall under the category of Class 4 flammable liquids, Class 1 petroleum, and are subject to the Fire Service Act. Since the existing gas station already handles Class 1 petroleum, the underground tanks within the existing gas station can be reused, reducing the time required to secure land and lowering capital investment. When the site of a closed gas station is converted to other facilities, such as housing, costs are required for the disposal of gasoline storage tanks and for soil contamination surveys and countermeasures. However, in the energy supply system 1, the power supply system 30 can reuse the underground tanks of the closed gas station, thus reducing the costs required for the disposal of gasoline storage tanks and for soil contamination surveys and countermeasures.

[0161] Furthermore, since the power supply system 30 can utilize existing gas stations as is, by installing the power supply system 30 on the site of an existing gas station, conventional oil transport routes can be effectively utilized. This reduces the time required to plan transport routes for MCH transport tank trucks. In addition, gasoline storage tanks, which would incur costs after the closure of a gas station, can be reused for storing MCH and TL.

[0162] In the energy supply system 1, the power supply system 30 can generate electricity using hydrogen separated from MCH in the power generation device 33, and thus can supply electricity to consumers C in the consumption area CR as an independent power source.

[0163] In the energy supply system 1, the TL discharged as a by-product can be temporarily stored in the underground tank of the existing refueling facility, allowing for easy recovery by TL recovery tank trucks, thereby reducing the equipment costs required for the installation of the power supply system 30. Furthermore, the recovered TL can be reused as a raw material for MCH by supplying MCH from the production site PR to the production site PR, and can also be reused as a raw material for MCH in the organic hydride production apparatus 34 of the power supply system 30. For this reason, the energy supply system 1 does not need to process the TL generated in the power supply system 30 for disposal, and can utilize it efficiently and without waste within the energy supply system 1.

[0164] The energy supply system 1 can be suitably used as an emergency power source by installing the power supply system 30 as a consumption area CR in an area far from urban centers and prone to isolation.

[0165] <Management Method> The management method according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the management method according to this embodiment. Note that the management method according to this embodiment is executed by the management device 41 described above. Therefore, details of the contents already explained in relation to the management device 41 described above will be omitted in each step.

[0166] The information acquisition unit 411 of the management device 41 acquires information related to the refueling equipment (information acquisition process: step S11).

[0167] Next, the control unit 412 of the management device 41 controls the power supply system 30 based on the information acquired in the information acquisition step S11 (control step: step S12).

[0168] The management method according to this embodiment includes a management step S12, in which the management step S12 controls the power supply system 30 based on the information regarding the refueling equipment acquired in the information acquisition step S11, thereby controlling the amount of electricity generated by the power supply system 30 to meet the amount of electricity requested by the customer C. Therefore, the management method according to this embodiment can appropriately supply the electricity generated by the power supply system 30 to the customer.

[0169] <Operation Method> The energy supply system equipped with the management device according to the above embodiment can, for example, operate a gas station as a power station. An operation method for using the energy supply system equipped with the management device according to the above embodiment to operate a gas station as a power station will be described below.

[0170] As mentioned above, examples of refueling stations include gas stations, gas stations, or service stations. In the energy supply system equipped with the management device according to this embodiment, any of the following may be used as the power station: a gas station, a gas station, or a service station.

[0171] In this embodiment, the refueling station has a configuration common to the power supply system 30, including an MCH tank T1, a TL tank T3, a first refueling device 38A, and a second refueling device 38B. Since these have a configuration common to the power supply system 30, their details are omitted.

[0172] The operation method according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation method according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 8, in the operation method according to this embodiment, a power supply system 30 is installed at the gas station (installation process: step S21).

[0173] Next, MCH is stored in MCH tank T1 (storage process: step S22).

[0174] Next, in the power supply system 30, MCH is extracted from the MCH tank T1 using the first fuel supply device 38A, and H is obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction of the extracted MCH. ２The power supply process (power supply process: step S23) involves supplying the electricity generated using to external parties such as consumers C in the consumption area CR.

[0175] In the power supply process S23, information regarding the refueling equipment is acquired (information acquisition process: step S231), and the operation of the power supply system 30 is controlled based on the acquired information (control process: step S232).

[0176] Next, in the power supply system 30, the TL obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction of MCH is supplied to the TL tank T3 and stored in the TL tank T3 (storage step: step S24).

[0177] Next, the TL stored in the TL tank T3 is discharged from the TL tank T3 to the outside and recovered using the second refueling device 38B (recovery process: step S25).

[0178] The operation method according to this embodiment allows a gas station to be operated as a power station by using a power supply system 30 at the gas station. When supplying power from the power supply system 30, the operation method according to this embodiment can control the power supply system 30 based on information about the gas station equipment and control the amount of power generated to meet the amount of power required by customer C. Therefore, the operation method according to this embodiment can appropriately supply the power generated by the power supply system 30 to customer C.

[0179] As described above, embodiments of the present invention have been explained, but these embodiments are presented as examples only, and the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The above embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various combinations, omissions, substitutions, or modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. The above embodiments and their variations are included in the scope or spirit of the invention, as well as in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as described in the claims.

[0180] The embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are further specified, for example, by the following embodiments: [1] A control device comprising: an information acquisition unit for acquiring information about a refueling facility; and a control unit for controlling a power supply system that supplies electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by a dehydrogenation reaction of an organic hydride based on the information. [2] The control device according to [1], wherein the information includes the amount of organic hydride stored in a first tank of the refueling facility. [3] The control device according to [1] or [2], wherein the information includes the amount of dehydrogenated product obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction stored in a second tank of the refueling facility. [4] The control device according to [3], wherein the control unit controls a refueling device of the refueling facility to recover the amount of dehydrogenated product recovered from the second tank based on the amount of dehydrogenated product stored by the information acquisition unit. [5] The control device according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the information includes the amount of organic hydride supplied to a first tank of the refueling equipment and the amount of dehydrogenated product obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction recovered from a second tank of the refueling equipment. [6] The control device according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the information acquisition unit acquires the demand for fossil fuels, and the control unit controls the amount of fossil fuels supplied to a fossil fuel tank for storing the fossil fuels based on the demand for fossil fuels. [7] The control device according to [6], wherein the information acquisition unit acquires the demand for electricity, and the control unit has a delivery planning unit that creates a delivery plan for the fossil fuels and at least one component of the organic hydride and the dehydrogenated product obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction based on the demand for fossil fuels and the demand for electricity. [8] The control device according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the information acquisition unit acquires a supply and demand adjustment command including information regarding the supply and receipt of electricity at the consumption site, and the control unit controls the amount of electricity to be supplied by the power supply system based on the supply and demand adjustment command. [9] The control device according to [8], wherein the control unit controls the amount of electricity to be supplied by the power supply system based on the amount of electricity demanded by consumers consuming the electricity.

[10] The control device according to [9], wherein the consumer is a user of an electric vehicle, and the supply and demand adjustment command, which includes information regarding the supply and demand of the electricity at the place of consumption, is a command indicating an increase in the consumption of the electricity, the control unit has an information transmission unit that transmits information to the user encouraging them to charge the electric vehicle.

[11] The control device according to any one of [8] to

[10] , wherein the power supply system has a power storage unit, and the control unit manages the charging and discharging of the power storage unit based on the supply and demand adjustment command.

[12] The control device according to any one of [8] to

[11] , wherein the power supply system has an organic hydride production apparatus that produces the organic hydride from a dehydrogenated product obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction, and the control unit controls the operation of the organic hydride production apparatus in response to the supply and demand adjustment command.

[13] The control device according to any one of [1] to

[12] , wherein the power supply system has a power generation unit that generates electricity derived from renewable energy, and the control unit controls the amount of electricity to be supplied by the power supply system based on the amount of electricity generated from renewable energy.

[14] An energy supply system comprising: a power supply system that supplies electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by a dehydrogenation reaction of an organic hydride; and a management device that controls the power supply system based on information relating to a refueling facility provided by the power supply system.

[15] A management method comprising: an information acquisition step of a computer that acquires information relating to a refueling facility; and a control step of controlling a power supply system that supplies electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by a dehydrogenation reaction of an organic hydride based on the information.

[16] An operating method for using a gas station as a power station, wherein the gas station has a first tank for storing organic hydride, a second tank for storing dehydrogenated products obtained by a dehydrogenation reaction of the organic hydride, a first refueling device connected to the first tank, and a second refueling device connected to the second tank, and the gas station is equipped with a power supply system that supplies electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by a dehydrogenation reaction of the organic hydride, and the operating method includes: a preparation step of storing the organic hydride in the first tank; a power supply step of using the first refueling device in the power supply system to extract the organic hydride from the first tank and supply electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by a dehydrogenation reaction of the extracted organic hydride; a storage step of supplying the dehydrogenated products obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction of the organic hydride to the second tank for storage; and a recovery step of recovering the dehydrogenated products from the second tank using the second refueling device.

[0181] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-31059, filed with the Japan Patent Office on 28 February 2025, and incorporates all the contents of the said application.

[0182] 1 Energy supply system 10 First recovery unit 20 Second recovery unit 30 Power supply system 31 Dehydrogenation unit 32 Hydrogen purification unit 33 Power generation unit 34 Organic hydride production unit 35 Power generation unit 36 ​​Energy storage unit 37 Measurement unit 38 Fueling unit 38A First fueling unit 38B Second fueling unit 39 Charger 40 Power supply management system 41 Management unit 42 Terminal unit 411 Information acquisition unit 412 Control unit 4121 Operation control unit 4122 Delivery planning unit 4123 Information transmission unit C Consumer CR Consumption area MP MCH manufacturing base PR Manufacturing site T1 MCH tank (first tank) T2 Hydrogen tank T3 TL tank (second tank) T4 Fossil fuel tank T11 Reserve MCH tank

Claims

1. A control device comprising: an information acquisition unit that acquires information regarding refueling equipment; and a control unit that controls a power supply system that supplies electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction of organic hydrides, based on the information.

2. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the information includes the amount of the organic hydride stored in the first tank of the refueling facility.

3. The control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information includes the amount of dehydrogenated product obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction stored in the second tank of the refueling equipment.

4. The control device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit controls the amount of dehydrogenated material recovered from the second tank based on the amount of dehydrogenated material stored by the information acquisition unit, and controls the amount of dehydrogenated material recovered from the second tank.

5. The control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information includes the amount of organic hydride supplied to the first tank of the refueling equipment and the amount of dehydrogenated product obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction recovered from the second tank of the refueling equipment.

6. The management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information acquisition unit acquires the demand for fossil fuels, and the control unit controls the amount of fossil fuels supplied to the fossil fuel tanks for storing the fossil fuels based on the demand for fossil fuels.

7. The management device according to claim 6, wherein the information acquisition unit acquires the amount of electricity demand, and the control unit has a delivery planning unit that creates a delivery plan for the fossil fuel and at least one component of the organic hydride and the dehydrogenated product obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction based on the amount of fossil fuel demand and the amount of electricity demand.

8. The management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information acquisition unit acquires a supply and demand adjustment command that includes information regarding the supply and receipt of electricity, and the control unit controls the amount of electricity to be supplied by the power supply system based on the supply and demand adjustment command.

9. The control unit controls the amount of electricity to be supplied by the power supply system based on the amount of electricity demanded by the electricity-consuming consumer, as described in claim 1.

10. The management device according to claim 9, wherein, if the customer is a user of an electric vehicle, and a supply and demand adjustment command including information regarding the supply and receipt of the electricity at the place of consumption is a command indicating an increase in the consumption of the electricity, the control unit has an information transmission unit that transmits information to the user encouraging them to charge the electric vehicle.

11. The power supply system comprises a power storage unit, and the control unit manages the charging and discharging of the power storage unit based on the supply and demand adjustment command, as described in claim 8.

12. The control device according to claim 8, wherein the power supply system includes an organic hydride production apparatus for producing the organic hydride from a dehydrogenated product obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction, and the control unit controls the operation of the organic hydride production apparatus in accordance with the supply and demand adjustment command.

13. The power supply system has a power generation unit that generates electricity derived from renewable energy, and the control unit controls the amount of power supplied by the power supply system based on the amount of electricity generated from renewable energy, according to claim 1 or 2.

14. An energy supply system comprising: a power supply system that supplies electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction of an organic hydride; and a control device that controls the power supply system based on information regarding refueling equipment provided by the power supply system.

15. A management method comprising: an information acquisition step in which a computer acquires information about refueling equipment; and a control step in which a computer controls a power supply system that supplies electricity generated using hydrogen obtained by the dehydrogenation reaction of an organic hydride, based on the information.

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