Hydrogen Carrier Production Control for Power Price Thresholding

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional hydrogen carrier manufacturing technologies do not consider the market price of electric power, leading to potential insufficient profit margins when producing hydrogen carriers.

Innovation Solution

A control apparatus that includes an information acquisition unit and a threshold setting unit to determine whether to purchase power for manufacturing hydrogen or hydrogen carriers based on consumption area information, setting a threshold for power purchase decisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If hydrogen carriers are manufactured when the market price is high, then production volume may be increased, but profit margin may be insufficient due to high power costs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction volumeVSAvoidprofit margin
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic adjustment of production timing based on real-time power market prices. The control device monitors power prices and dynamically schedules hydrogen carrier manufacturing to occur during low-price periods, while dynamically adjusting sales timing to high-price periods. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain high production volumes while ensuring profitable margins by avoiding fixed production schedules regardless of power price fluctuations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary storage of hydrogen carriers during periods when power prices are low and production costs are reduced. By anticipating future high-price periods, the system accumulates inventory in advance during economical production windows, then releases this pre-stored inventory during high-price periods to maximize profit margins while maintaining overall high productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If power is purchased without considering consumption area information, then manufacturing can proceed continuously, but economic efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous manufacturingVSAvoideconomic efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The control device incorporates feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor power market prices in both the manufacturing area and consumption area. This feedback information is used to adjust production schedules in real-time, ensuring that manufacturing operations are aligned with favorable economic conditions. The system maintains continuous manufacturing capability while optimizing power purchase timing based on reflected market signals, thereby preventing energy waste and improving economic efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters such as production rate and power purchase timing based on power price parameters. When power prices are low, the system increases production parameters and power consumption; when prices are high, it reduces production activity. This parameter adjustment strategy enables the system to maintain overall continuous manufacturing capability while optimizing economic efficiency by adapting to changing power price conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4672126A1Control device, hydrogen carrier manufacturing system, and control method
Publication Date: 2025.12.31 ENEOS CORP
  • EP4672126A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4672126A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4672126A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A control apparatus includes an information acquisition unit configured to acquire consumption area information relating to a consumption area at which at least one of hydrogen or a hydrogen carrier is consumed; and a threshold setting unit configured to set a threshold for determining whether or not to purchase power for manufacturing at least one of the hydrogen or the hydrogen carrier at a manufacturing area at which the hydrogen carrier is manufactured, based on the consumption area information.