JP7627296B2 - Environmental Contribution Recognition System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an environmental contribution recognition system that helps raise consumers' awareness of decarbonization regarding energy consumed in the home.

In recent years, efforts have been made to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources in order to reduce _CO2 emissions and realize a decarbonized society.
Companies and various organizations are becoming aware of decarbonization and are making efforts in this area, partly due to legal reforms, but ordinary consumers are also being called upon to take part in the decarbonization effort.
The main sources of energy consumed in the homes of general consumers are electricity and combustible gas. With regard to electricity, decarbonization can be achieved by installing solar power generation systems in homes, but with regard to combustible gas, it is currently impossible to reduce _CO2 emissions to zero.

Meanwhile, homes that have installed photovoltaic power generation systems sell surplus electricity that is not consumed by the homes to power supply companies (hereinafter referred to as power companies), and cover the costs of introducing the system with the selling price. Electricity generated by renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic power generation has an additional environmental value in that it emits less or _{no CO2} when generated compared to fossil fuels, in addition to its value as electricity. A method has also been considered for transferring the environmental value that is latent due to self-consumption to power companies (Patent Document 1). Such a method can be said to support homes that have installed photovoltaic power generation systems in terms of costs, and to contribute to the promotion of the introduction of photovoltaic power generation systems.
In addition, the combustible gases supplied to homes are mainly LP gas and city gas. Gas supply companies (hereafter referred to as gas companies) are trying to popularize mixed gases that have lower _CO2 emissions, such as gases that do not contain carbon, such as hydrogen. However, there are issues with the cost of the mixed gases, and at this point in time, it is difficult to expect consumers to be encouraged to adopt them due to the cost aspect.

JP 2021-105926 A

In order to realize a decarbonized society, it is most important to raise consumers' awareness of contributing to a decarbonized society. In other words, even if there is a cost burden, if consumers themselves are aware of decarbonization, it can be said that a decarbonized society can be realized sooner.
However, with a typical solar power generation system, it is not easy for consumers to understand how much they are contributing to decarbonization.
When it comes to combustible gas, consumers are very conscious of the cost aspects, such as gas consumption, but it is not easy for them to grasp how much they are contributing to decarbonization. For example, as consumers become more conscious of contributing to a decarbonized society, we can expect the spread of environmentally friendly combustible gases such as the above-mentioned mixed gases.
Furthermore, tap water is used within the home, and _CO2 is emitted even before tap water is distributed to the home. _CO2 is also emitted during the treatment of wastewater from the home. Therefore, reducing tap water usage (saving water) not only reduces _CO2 emissions from tap water treatment, but also leads to reduced _CO2 emissions by reducing the amount of wastewater, thus contributing to environmental conservation.

The objective of the present invention is to provide an environmental contribution recognition system that helps raise consumer awareness of decarbonization by making it easy to understand the degree to which electricity and other items consumed in a home contribute to decarbonization.

Consuming combustible gas and tap water in a home can be considered a negative from an environmental perspective because it emits _CO2 . All electricity generated by renewable energy sources in a home can be considered to have reduced _CO2 emissions, but the amount of electricity consumed in the home, excluding the amount sold and not consumed in the home, is a substantial reduction in _CO2 emissions and can be considered a positive from an environmental perspective. Based on this idea, we provide this system.

The present invention is a system applicable to a home having a renewable energy power generation system and a combustible gas combustion appliance, the system comprising: a gas meter that measures a gas flow rate of combustible gas consumed in the home; an information collection terminal that is electrically connected to the power generation system and the gas meter and is provided in the home; and a server that is electrically connected to the information collection terminal via a network, wherein the information collection terminal acquires the home's electricity consumption and gas consumption from the power generation system and the gas meter, respectively, and transmits the home's consumption and gas consumption to the server, and the server acquires the home's consumption and gas consumption, calculates a _CO2 emission reduction amount from the home's consumption amount based on a predetermined conversion formula, and calculates _CO2 emissions from the gas consumption amount based on the predetermined conversion formula.
Preferably, the information collection terminal further acquires water consumption from a water meter and transmits the water consumption to the server, and the server acquires the water consumption and calculates the amount of _CO2 emissions from the water consumption based on a predetermined conversion formula.
Preferably, the server transmits the CO ₂ emission reduction amount and the CO ₂ emission amount to the information collecting terminal, and the information collecting terminal outputs the transmitted CO ₂ emission reduction amount and CO ₂ emission amount.

The system of the present invention can convert the amount of electricity consumed in a home and other consumption amounts into the form of _CO2 emission reductions and _CO2 emissions and present them to consumers. The form of _CO2 emission reductions and _CO2 emissions makes it easy to understand the level of _CO2 emissions, and presenting them to consumers in this form can raise their awareness of decarbonization.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the entire system. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a solar power generation system. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information collecting terminal. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a server. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing information stored in a customer database. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing information stored in an electricity emission coefficient database. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing information stored in a gas emission coefficient database. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing information stored in a water discharge coefficient database. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing information stored in an acquisition database. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing information stored in a processing value database.

<System Configuration>
Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a system 100. Referring to Fig. 1, the system 100 of the present invention includes an information collecting terminal 10, a server 20, and a network 30. The network 30 is a telecommunication line, and includes, for example, a carrier network for mobile phones, the Internet network, and the like.
The information collecting terminal 10 is installed at a predetermined position in a residence J, and is generally installed at a predetermined position indoors. The residence J includes a detached house, a collective housing such as an apartment, a store, and the like.
Although only one information collecting terminal 10 is shown in FIG. 1, in reality, a plurality of information collecting terminals 10 are connected to the server 20 via the network 30 .
House J is equipped with home appliances, a power generation system using renewable energy, a gas meter that measures gas flow, a water meter that measures water consumption, combustion appliances (combustion appliances here refer to appliances that consume combustible gas), and the like.

The information collecting terminal 10 can be electrically connected to a gas meter 40 , a power generation system 50 and a water meter 60 by wired communication or wireless communication, and can also be electrically connected to a server 20 via a network 30 .
The information collecting terminal 10 wirelessly communicates with the gas meter 40, the power generation system 50, the water meter 60, etc., using a communication method that utilizes, for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and acquires information from them. The information collecting terminal 10 has a gateway function that provides data exchange between a plurality of communication standards, and controls so that data can be exchanged smoothly between networks with different protocols.
In addition, the information collecting terminal 10 is configured to be able to communicate with the server 20 via the network 30, for example, by using a mobile phone communication method such as 4G or 5G (4th (5th) Generation) or any wireless communication method that will become widespread in the future.

<Renewable energy power generation system (solar power generation system)>
Examples of the power generation system 50 using renewable energy include solar power generation, wind power generation, geothermal power generation, fuel cell power generation using hydrogen, etc. Fuel cell power generation is also included in the renewable energy power generation in a broad sense because it is carbon-free.
In general, the solar power generation system 50 is installed in a house J of an ordinary household.
Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a photovoltaic power generation system 50 provided in a house J. The photovoltaic power generation system 50 is conventionally known, and the configuration shown in Fig. 2 is merely one example.
The solar power generation system 50 includes a solar panel 51, a power conditioner 52, a distribution board 53, measuring instruments 54a, 54b, and 54c, an electricity measuring unit 55, a controller 56, a communication unit 57 including a communication module, a display device (not shown), and a storage battery (not shown).

The solar panel 51 generates electricity by converting solar energy into electric power. The direct current power generated by the solar panel 51 is converted into alternating current power by a power conditioner 52 and sent to a distribution board 53.
The distribution board 53 is connected to a commercial power source 58 of a power company. The distribution board 53 relays the purchase of electricity from the power company and the sale of electricity. The distribution board 53 is also connected to various home appliances 59 in the house J and supplies electricity to them. Examples of the home appliances 59 include lighting devices, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, air conditioners, and televisions.

The meter 54a measures the amount of power (power generation amount) generated by the solar panel 51. The meter 54b measures the amount of power (power selling amount) sold to the commercial power source 58. The meter 54c measures the amount of power (power purchase amount) purchased from the commercial power source 58. The power amount measurement unit 55 collects power information including the amount of power generation, the amount of power sold, and the amount of power purchased from each meter via electrical connection such as wired communication or wireless communication, and stores the information together with time information.
Here, in this specification, time information includes the time corresponding to the amount of electricity, gas consumption, water consumption, etc. (hereinafter referred to as the corresponding time) and the point in time when the amount was measured or acquired (hereinafter referred to as the acquisition date and time). For example, the corresponding time in electricity information refers to the time from the start of measurement of power generation, etc. to the end of measurement, the corresponding time in gas information refers to the time from the start of measurement of gas consumption, etc. to the end of measurement, and the corresponding time in water information refers to the time from the start of measurement of water consumption, etc. to the end of measurement. The acquisition date and time refers to the date and time when the amount of power generation, gas consumption, etc. was measured or acquired.

The controller 56 includes a HEMS (Home Energy Management System) and is connected to the distribution board 53 and the power metering unit 55 by wired or wireless communication, and is a device that centrally manages the supply of power generated by the solar panel 51, the charge and discharge amounts of the storage battery, and the amount of power purchased and sold from the commercial power source 58. The controller 56 has a processor and a storage unit such as a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory.

The controller 56 performs various controls, such as controlling the storage and discharge of electricity while taking into account the time difference of the electricity price by exchanging information with the management server 510, and transmitting various information such as the amount of electricity sold and the amount of electricity consumed by the user to the information collection terminal 10 through the communication unit. The controller 56 also obtains electricity information such as the amount of electricity generated, the amount of electricity sold, the amount of electricity purchased, and time information from the electricity amount measurement unit 55, stores the information in a non-volatile memory, and displays various information such as the amount of electricity generated on a display device. The controller 56 also calculates the amount of electricity consumed by the user (the amount of electricity consumed by the user = the amount of electricity generated - the amount of electricity sold) from the amount of electricity generated and the amount of electricity sold, and stores the information together with the time information in a non-volatile memory. The amount of electricity generated is often measured in relatively short periods such as 30 minutes or one hour, but the controller 56 can also create the amount of electricity generated by one day or one month by adding them up.
The amount of self-consumption stored in the controller 56 may be calculated by a management server 510 (described later) according to a predetermined standard. For example, the controller 56 or the power metering unit 55 may transmit power information such as the amount of power generated, the amount of power sold, and the amount of power purchased, as well as time information, to the management server 20, and the management server 510 may calculate the amount of self-consumption based on the information in accordance with the specifications of the power generation system 50, and transmit the calculated amount to the controller 56 for storage.

The controller 56 can be connected to a management server 510 operated by a provider of the power generation system 50 or the like via a network (e.g., the Internet) through the communication unit 57. The controller 56 can also be connected to the information collection terminal 10 via a wireless communication method such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) through the communication unit 57. The controller 56 transmits power information (power information together with time information) in association with time information to the information collection terminal 10. The power information transmitted to the information collection terminal 10 includes the amount of self-consumption and/or the amount of power generated and the amount of power sold, and also includes the amount of power purchased as necessary. Note that the power amount measurement unit 55 may have a communication unit so that the power amount measurement unit 55 can transmit the power information together with the time information to the information collection terminal 10.

<Gas meters and combustible gas>
The gas meter 40 measures the amount (gas flow rate) of combustible gas flowing from a supply source 42 to the house J and consumed. The combustible gas flowing in the house J is consumed by a combustion appliance 41.
Combustible gas is generally divided into LP gas and city gas. When the flammable gas in the house J is LP gas, the supply source 42 is a gas cylinder, and when it is city gas, the supply source 42 is a pipe connected to a gas company. Combustible gas burning appliances 41 in the house J include a gas stove, a water heater, a gas fan heater, etc.

The gas meter 40 has at least a gas flow measurement function, a communication function, and a clock function, and in order to perform each function, the hardware has a control unit including a clock, a measuring device, a communication unit, a processor, and a memory. For example, a smart gas meter 40 can be used as such a gas meter 40. The gas meter 40 measures the gas flow rate and creates gas information. The gas information may include gas consumption or an integrated amount (integrated value) of the gas flow rate, or may include both. The gas consumption amount refers to the total amount of gas flow rate during a certain period of time, and the integrated amount refers to the accumulated value of the gas flow rate at the time of measurement. The gas consumption amount is calculated by subtracting the integrated amount (integrated value) at the time of measurement from the integrated amount (integrated value) at the time of measurement immediately before.
The gas meter 40 can be connected to the information collecting terminal 10 by a wireless communication method such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The gas meter 40 transmits gas information to the information collecting terminal 10, and preferably transmits the gas information together with time information.

<Water meter>
The water meter 60 measures the amount of tap water (water consumption) flowing from the local waterworks (water purification plant) that supplies the water to the residence J. The tap water flowing in the residence J is consumed in the bath, washroom, kitchen, and so on.
The water meter 60 has at least a flow measurement function, a communication function, and a clock function, and in order to perform each function, the hardware has a control unit including a clock, a measuring device, a communication unit, a processor, and a memory. For example, a water smart meter can be used as such a water meter 60. The water meter 60 measures the flow rate and creates water information. The water information may include water consumption or an integrated amount (integrated value) of the flow rate, or may include both. Water consumption refers to the total amount of water flow during a certain period of time, and the integrated amount refers to the accumulated value of the water flow rate at the time of measurement. The water consumption is calculated by subtracting the integrated amount (integrated value) at the time of measurement from the integrated amount (integrated value) at the time of measurement immediately before.
The water meter 60 can be connected to the information collecting terminal 10 by a wireless communication method such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The water meter 60 transmits water information to the information collecting terminal 10, and preferably transmits the water information together with time information.

<Information gathering terminal>
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the information collecting terminal 10. As shown in FIG.
The information collection terminal 10 has a main control unit 11, a first communication unit 12 and a second communication unit 13 each including a communication module, an output unit 14 including a speaker, and an input unit 15 including an operation interface, and each unit is connected by a bus 16 to exchange data signals.
The main control unit 11 performs various controls such as communication with the gas meter 40 and the like, communication with the server 20, output of information to the output unit 14, and input from the input unit 15. The main control unit 11 has a processor 111 and a storage unit 112 such as a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory. The processor 111 is an arithmetic device that controls the overall operation according to a program stored in the non-volatile memory or the like, and performs information processing necessary for controlling transmission and reception of data and executing processing.
The first communication unit 12 is for communicating with devices provided in the house J, such as the gas meter 40, the power generation system 50, and the water meter 60. The information collecting terminal 10 (main control unit 11) communicates with the devices through the first communication unit 12 including a short-range wireless communication module, such as a Bluetooth module. The second communication unit 13 is for communicating with the server 20, and the information collecting terminal 10 (main control unit 11) communicates with the server 20 through the second communication unit 13 including an LTE module, for example.
The information collecting terminal 10 may communicate with other devices, such as home appliances, installed in the house J to obtain various types of information from them.

The output unit 14 has a speaker and may further have a display device as necessary. The speaker converts the sound data output from the main control unit 11 to emit sound, and the display device converts the image data output from the main control unit 11 to display an image.
The input unit 15 receives various instructions from a user and includes operation buttons for causing the output unit 14 to output a predetermined sound or image or to stop the output, an emergency contact button, and the like.
The information collecting terminal 10 may have other functions and devices for realizing those functions in addition to those described above. For example, the information collecting terminal 10 may have a function of having a camera and capturing images of the inside of the house J with the camera and transmitting the captured image data to the server 20, a function of having a gas sensor for detecting a gas leak and activating a gas shutoff valve when a gas leak is detected, a function of transmitting a detected gas leak to the server 20, and a function of sounding an alarm from a speaker when a gas leak is detected.

<Server>
The server 20 is an information processing device that provides the services of the system 100 .
As shown in FIG. 4 , the server 20 has a control unit 21 having a processor 211 and a memory unit 212, a storage unit 22, a communication unit 23 including a communication module, an input/output unit 24, a customer database DB1, an electricity emission coefficient database DB2, a gas emission coefficient database DB3, a water emission coefficient database DB4, an acquisition database DB5, and a processed value database DB6, and each unit is connected by a bus 26 to exchange data signals and the like.
The processor 211 is a computing device that controls the operation of the entire server 20, controls the transmission and reception of data between each element, and performs information processing necessary for executing programs, etc. The storage unit 212 is composed of a main memory made of a volatile memory such as a DRAM, and an auxiliary memory made of a non-volatile memory such as a HDD.
The storage unit 22 is configured with a non-volatile memory such as a HDD. For example, the BIOS and various settings required when starting up the server 20 are stored in an auxiliary memory, and programs for executing processes are stored in the storage unit 22.
The communication unit 23 connects the server 20 to the network 30. The input/output unit 24 receives various instructions from the system operator and outputs images and the like.

The customer database DB1 stores customer information, the electricity emission coefficient database DB2 stores information on the _CO2 emission coefficient of electricity, the gas emission coefficient database DB3 stores information on the _CO2 emission coefficient of combustible gas, the water emission coefficient database DB4 stores information on the CO2 emission coefficient of water, the acquisition database DB5 stores various information acquired from the information collection terminal 10 (identification information, time information, electricity information, gas information, water information, etc.), and the processed value database DB6 stores information obtained by information processing by the server 20 ( _CO2 emission reduction amount and _CO2 emission amount).

Customer information is stored in customer database DB1. The customer information includes at least identification information of the information collecting terminal 10, personal information, and equipment information. The identification information is an ID uniquely assigned to each information collecting terminal 10. The personal information includes the name, address, etc. of the subscriber of the information collecting terminal 10. The equipment information is information about the equipment installed in the house J, and includes the electric power company from which the power generation system 50 sells and buys electricity, the type of combustible gas supplied to the house J (LP gas, city gas), the source of the water supplied to the house J, etc.
In the customer database DB1, personal information, facility information, etc. are associated with identification information (one piece of identification information) of each information collecting terminal 10 to form a set of data, and this set of data is created for each of the multiple information collecting terminals 10.
For example, Fig. 5 shows an example of the configuration of information stored in customer database DB1. In the figure, in row (1), personal information and equipment information are associated with one piece of identification information and recorded, and in row (2), personal information and equipment information are associated with another piece of identification information and recorded. Note that if the power company and/or type of combustible gas of the installed house J is unknown or cannot be recorded in the database for some reason, they are left blank, as shown in row (9) in the figure.

The electricity emission coefficient database DB2 at least stores information on a plurality of electric power companies and information on the _CO2 emission coefficients of the respective electric power.
Here, the _CO2 emission coefficient for electricity, also known as the _CO2 emission unit, is an index showing how much _CO2 is emitted by an electric power company when it produces 1 kWh of electricity, and is expressed, for example, as kg- _CO2 /kWh (hereinafter, the _CO2 emission coefficient for electricity is referred to as the electricity emission coefficient). Electricity emission coefficients differ for each electric power company, and even for the same electric power company, the electricity emission coefficient changes over time. Electricity emission coefficients are published by the Ministry of the Environment in the "List of Emission Coefficients by Electricity Supplier."

In the power emission coefficient database DB2, one power company and the power emission coefficient of that company are associated with each other and recorded as a set of data for each of multiple power companies. In addition to this, the power emission coefficient database DB2 also records an average power emission coefficient as one piece of data.
For example, Fig. 6 shows an example of the configuration of information stored in the power emission coefficient database DB2. In the figure, in row (1), one power company and its associated power emission coefficient are recorded, and in row (2), another power company and its associated power emission coefficient are recorded. In addition, in row (9), the average value of the power emission coefficients is recorded. The average value refers to the average value of the power emission coefficients in the power emission coefficient database DB2. This average value is a power emission coefficient that is provisionally used when a power company in the customer database DB1 is referenced and is blank (not recorded).
It should be noted that the specific values of the electricity emission coefficients, gas emission coefficients, and water emission coefficients shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 are merely examples.

The gas emission coefficient database DB3 stores at least information on the _CO2 emission coefficients of different types of combustible gases.
Here, the _CO2 emission coefficient of gas is an index that indicates the amount of _CO2 generated when combustible gas is burned, and is expressed, for example, as kg- _CO2 / ^m3 or kg- _CO2 /kg (hereinafter, the _CO2 emission coefficient of combustible gas is referred to as the gas emission coefficient).
Gas emission factors vary depending on the type of combustible gas (LP gas, city gas), and may change in the future.

In the gas emission coefficient database DB3, the types of gas and the average gas emission coefficients for each type are associated with each other to form a set of data, which is recorded for each type of gas.
For example, Figure 7 shows an example of the configuration of information stored in the gas emission coefficient database DB3. In the figure, in row (1), LPG and its associated average gas emission coefficient are recorded, and in row (2), city gas and its associated average gas emission coefficient are recorded. In addition, in row (3), the average value of the gas emission coefficients of LPG and city gas is recorded. This average value is the gas emission coefficient that is provisionally used when the type of gas in the customer database DB1 is referenced and is blank (not recorded).

The water discharge coefficient database DB4 stores at least information on the source of water supply.
Here, the _CO2 emission coefficient of water supply is an index that indicates the amount of _CO2 generated to supply 1 ^m3 of water, and is expressed, for example, in g- _CO2 / ^m3 or kg- _CO2 / ^m3 (hereinafter, the _CO2 emission coefficient of water supply is referred to as the water supply emission coefficient).
The water emission coefficient varies depending on the local waterworks bureau that supplies the water. For example, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's waterworks bureau's water emission coefficient (amount of _CO2 emitted per cubic ^meter ) for fiscal year 2020 is 245g- _CO2 / ^m3 (0.245kg- _CO2 / ^m3 ) as a reference, and the Osaka City Waterworks bureau's water emission coefficient for fiscal year 2020 is 157g- _CO2 / ^m3 (0.157kg- _CO2 / ^m3 ) as a reference.
In the above, the water emission factor used in calculating the _CO2 emissions is an emission factor based on water supply (from purified water to water distribution) as explained by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Waterworks Bureau and others. However, the water emission factor is not limited to this and can be changed as appropriate. For example, the Japan Restroom Industry Association recommends using a value of 0.54 kg- _CO2 / ^m3 (conversion factor published in 2020) in calculating the _CO2 emissions resulting from water use generated by using water-related products connected to water and sewerage systems, and the conversion factor of this association may be used as the water emission factor of the present invention. The _CO2 emissions per 1 ^m3 published by the Waterworks Bureau and the conversion factor published by the association may change in the future due to technological advances, etc.

In the water discharge coefficient database DB4, the water discharge coefficient of the water supplier and its average water discharge coefficient are associated with each other and stored as a set of data.
For example, Fig. 8 shows an example of the configuration of information stored in the water discharge coefficient database DB4. In the figure, in row (1), a certain water supply source and its associated water discharge coefficient are recorded, and in row (2), another supply source and its associated water discharge coefficient are recorded. In addition, in row (9), the average value of the water discharge coefficients is recorded. The average value refers to the average value of the water discharge coefficients in the water discharge coefficient database DB4. This average value is a water discharge coefficient that is provisionally used when a water supply source in the customer database DB1 is referenced and is blank (not recorded).

The acquisition database DB5 at least stores various information (identification information, power information, gas information, time information, etc.) acquired from the information collecting terminal 10.
In the acquisition database DB5, the identification information of the information collecting terminal 10 and power information (self-consumption amount, power generation amount, power sale amount, etc.) including time information are associated with each other to form a set of data, and the set of data is recorded for each of the information collecting terminals 10. Similarly, in the acquisition database DB5, the identification information of the information collecting terminal 10 and gas information (gas consumption amount, etc.) including time information are associated with each other to form a set of data, and the set of data is recorded for each of the information collecting terminals 10. Similarly, in the acquisition database DB5, the identification information of the information collecting terminal 10 and water information (water consumption amount, etc.) including time information are associated with each other to form a set of data, and the set of data is recorded for each of the information collecting terminals 10.
For example, Fig. 9 shows an example of the configuration of information stored in the acquisition database DB5. The [Electricity Information] table in the figure shows a database of electricity information acquired from the information collecting terminal 10, the [Gas Information] table shows a database of gas information acquired from the information collecting terminal 10, and the [Water Information] table shows a database of water information acquired from the information collecting terminal 10. In the figure, the corresponding time and acquisition date and time are the above-mentioned time information associated with the time when the electricity information, gas information, and water information were measured.
9, A1 to A2 mean, for example, October 1, 2021, 0:00 to October 2, 2021, 0:00, and A3 means, for example, October 1, 2021, 14:30, and the same applies to B1 to B3, C1 to C3, D1 to D3, E1 to E3, F1 to F3, G1 to G3, H1 to H3, J1 to J3, K1 to K3, L1 to L3, and M1 to M3. In the [Power Information] in the same figure, each row such as rows (1)-(a1) is one unit of information acquired from the information collecting terminal 10. For example, rows (1)-(a1) refer to information at a certain point in time obtained from the information collecting terminal 10 with ID: 1234567890 (for example, information such as power information received by the server 20 from the information collecting terminal 10 on October 10th (a certain point in time)), and rows (1)-(b1) refer to information at another point in time obtained from the information collecting terminal 10 with ID: 1234567890 (for example, information such as power information received by the server 20 from the information collecting terminal 10 on November 10th (another point in time)). The same is true for rows (1)-(a1) of [Gas Information] and [Water Information] in the figure.

The processed value database DB6 stores information ( _CO2 emission reduction amount and _CO2 emission amount) obtained by the server 20 processing the information.
In the processing value database DB6, the identification information of the information collecting terminal 10, the processing values ( _CO2 emission reduction amount and _CO2 emission amount) and the period to which the processing values apply are associated and compiled into a single set of data, and are recorded for each of the multiple information collecting terminals 10.
For example, Fig. 10 shows an example of the configuration of information stored in the processing value database DB6. In the figure, each row such as row (1)-(a) is a processing value (one unit) obtained by the server 20 performing one calculation process. For example, row (1)-(a) means the _CO2 emission reduction amount and _CO2 emission amount for a certain target period for the information collecting terminal 10 with ID: 1234567890 ( _CO2 emission reduction amount and _CO2 emission amount calculated from the self-consumption amount, gas consumption amount and water consumption amount of the terminal from October 1st to the end of October, for example), and row (1)-(b) means the _CO2 emission reduction amount and _CO2 emission amount for another target period obtained from the information collecting terminal 10 with ID: 1234567890 ( _CO2 emission reduction amount and _CO2 emission amount calculated from the self-consumption amount, gas consumption amount and water consumption amount of the terminal from November 1st to the end of November, for example).

Each database may contain any other appropriate information besides the above.

<System operation (processing procedure)>
The information collecting terminal 10, the server 20, etc. execute the following processes according to the programs. Note that although the processes are executed by a processor in the information collecting terminal 10, etc., the following description will be given in terms of the information collecting terminal 10, the server 20, etc.

(Acquisition of electricity, gas and water information through information collection terminals)
When the information collecting terminal 10 receives an instruction to acquire electric power information, gas information, and water information from the server 20, the information collecting terminal 10 acquires the electric power information, gas information, and water information together with time information from the power generation system, gas meter, and water meter, and transmits them to the server 20. Alternatively, a start time for acquiring electric power information, gas information, and water information may be set in advance in the information collecting terminal 10, and when the information collecting terminal 10 determines that the date and time has arrived, the information collecting terminal 10 acquires the electric power information, gas information, and water information together with time information from the power generation system and gas meter, and transmits them to the server 20.

The acquisition of electricity information, gas information, and water information by the information collecting terminal 10 may be performed synchronously or separately (at different dates and times). In order to simplify the processing by the information collecting terminal 10, it is preferable to acquire electricity information, gas information, and water information synchronously (concurrently). The information collecting terminal 10 may transmit these pieces of information to the server 20 substantially simultaneously, or may transmit each piece of information to the server 20 independently at different times.
In addition, the acquired electricity information, gas information, and water information may be for the same period or may be for different periods. The same period means that the response times of the electricity information, gas information, and water information are the same (for example, electricity information, gas information, and water information from October 1, 2021 to the end of October 2021 (response time)). Different periods means that the response times of the electricity information, gas information, and water information are different (for example, gas information such as gas consumption is from October 1, 2021 to the end of October 2021, and electricity information such as self-consumption is from October 1, 2021 to October 2, 2021).

In order to simplify the processing by the information collecting terminal 10 and reduce the number of data groups to be acquired, it is preferable that the information collecting terminal 10 acquires electricity information, gas information, and water information for the same period.
Generally, combustible gas meter reading is performed on a monthly basis, so it is preferable that the information collecting terminal 10 acquires gas information with a response time of one month accordingly, and acquires electricity information and water information with a response time of one month accordingly. However, the information collecting terminal 10 may acquire gas information and/or electricity information and/or water information on a daily basis (response time is one day), etc.

The following describes the acquisition of gas information, the acquisition of electricity information, and the acquisition of water information separately.
When the information collecting terminal 10 receives an instruction from the server 20 or when a preset date and time arrives, it transmits an instruction to the gas meter via wireless communication or the like, and receives gas information transmitted from the gas meter. For example, the information collecting terminal 10 receives gas information from the gas meter when it receives an instruction from the server 20 on the last day of each month, or when, for example, the last day of each month (a preset start time) arrives. In this manner, in the case of monthly units, the information collecting terminal 10 obtains gas information such as one month's gas consumption amount from the gas meter. The gas information includes the gas consumption amount and/or the accumulated amount, as described above.
If the gas meter measures only the integrated amount of gas flow, the information collection terminal 10, after receiving the integrated amount from the gas meter, calculates the gas consumption amount by subtracting the integrated amount at the time of reception from the integrated amount immediately before, and stores the calculated amount together with time information in a non-volatile memory, etc. The gas consumption amount is calculated by gas consumption amount = current integrated amount (integrated value) - integrated amount (integrated value) at the time of the previous acquisition.
Furthermore, if the gas meter cannot accommodate time information, the information collection terminal 10 acquires the gas information (integrated amount or gas consumption amount), creates time information including the corresponding time, and stores the gas consumption amount together with the time information in a non-volatile memory, etc. In this case, the corresponding time is from the previous acquisition date and time to the current date and time, which is one month in the above example.
The information collecting terminal 10 transmits its own identification information, gas information including the gas consumption amount, and time information thereof to the server 20 .

When the information collecting terminal 10 receives an instruction from the server 20 or when a preset date and time arrives, the information collecting terminal 10 transmits an instruction via wireless communication or the like to a controller (or a power amount calculation unit) of the power generation system, and receives the power information and time information transmitted from the power generation system. When the information collecting terminal 10 receives an instruction from the server 20, for example, on the last day of each month, or when the last day of each month (a preset start time) arrives, the information collecting terminal 10 receives the power information and time information from the controller (or a power amount calculation unit) of the power generation system. In this manner, in the case of monthly units, the information collecting terminal 10 acquires power information for one month. The power information includes the amount of self-consumption, and further includes the amount of power generated, the amount of power sold, the amount of power purchased, etc., as necessary.
If the power generation system is a system that does not calculate the self-consumption amount, the information collecting terminal 10 may obtain the amount of power generated and the amount of power sold from the power generation system and calculate the self-consumption amount by subtracting the amount (amount of power generated - amount of power sold). If the power generation system is a system that does not calculate the self-consumption amount, the information collecting terminal 10 may transmit the amount of power generated and the amount of power sold obtained to the server 20, and the server 20 may perform the subtraction. In this way, even when the information collecting terminal 10 or the server 20 calculates the self-consumption amount from the amount of power generated and the amount of power sold, in the present invention, it is considered that the information collecting terminal 10 has obtained the amount of self-consumption of electricity from the power generation system.
The information collecting terminal 10 transmits its own identification information, power information including the amount of self-consumption, and time information thereof to the server 20 .

The information collecting terminal 10 transmits instructions to the water meter via wireless communication or the like when it receives an instruction from the server 20 or when a preset date and time arrives, and receives water information transmitted from the water meter. For example, the information collecting terminal 10 receives water information from the water meter when it receives an instruction from the server 20 on the last day of each month, or when it receives the last day of each month (a preset start time). In this manner, when it is on a monthly basis, the information collecting terminal 10 obtains water information such as one month's worth of water consumption from the water meter.
If the water meter measures only the integrated amount of water flow, the information collection terminal 10, after receiving the integrated amount from the water meter, calculates the water consumption amount by subtracting the integrated amount at the time of reception from the integrated amount immediately before, and stores the result together with time information in a non-volatile memory, etc. The water consumption amount is calculated by water consumption amount = current integrated amount (integrated value) - integrated amount (integrated value) at the time of the previous acquisition.
In addition, if the water meter is not capable of attaching time information, the information collection terminal 10 acquires water information (accumulated amount or water consumption amount) and creates time information including the corresponding time, and stores the water consumption amount together with the time information in a non-volatile memory or the like.
The information collecting terminal 10 transmits its own identification information, water information including the amount of water consumption, and time information thereof to the server 20 .

(Storage of electricity, gas and water information by server)
The server 20 acquires electricity information including the amount of personal consumption, gas information including the amount of gas consumption, water information including the amount of water consumption, and the like from the information collecting terminal 10, and then stores them.
The server 20 updates the acquisition database DB 5 based on the identification information acquired from the information collecting terminal 10 .
9, when the server 20 receives information including identification information of ID: 1234567890, private consumption of --- kWh, and time information such as A1 to A2 from the information collecting terminal 10, the server 20 writes rows (1)-(a1) in the [electricity information] table of the acquisition database DB5. Similarly, when the server 20 receives information including identification information of ID: 1234567890, gas consumption of --- m ^3, and time information such as E1 to E2 from the information collecting terminal 10, the server 20 adds rows (1)-(a1) in the [gas information] table of the acquisition database DB5. Similarly, when the server 20 receives information including identification information of ID: 1234567890, water consumption of --- m ^3, and time information such as J1 to J2 from the information collecting terminal 10, the server 20 adds rows (1)-(a1) in the [water information] table of the acquisition database DB5.
The server 20 may update the acquisition database DB5 in the same manner for other information received from the information collecting terminal 10.

(Calculation and storage of _CO2 emission reduction amount and _CO2 emission amount by server)
When the server 20 determines that the preset treatment time has arrived, it calculates the amount of _CO2 emission reduction from the amount of self-consumption based on a predetermined conversion formula, calculates the amount of _CO2 emission from the amount of gas consumption and the amount of water consumption based on the predetermined conversion formula, and records these in the treatment value database DB6.
The frequency of the process (process of calculating the _CO2 emission reduction amount and the _CO2 emission amount) is not particularly limited. The purpose of calculating the _CO2 emission reduction amount and the _CO2 emission amount is to present them to consumers to raise their awareness of decarbonization, so it is preferable to present to consumers the _CO2 emission reduction amount and the _CO2 emission amount for a period that is easy for consumers to understand, such as one month, rather than presenting to consumers the _CO2 emission reduction amount and the _CO2 emission amount for a very short period.
The following description will be given taking as an example a case where the calculation process is performed once a month.

The server 20 is programmed with a setting such that the calculation process of the CO ₂ emission reduction amount and the CO ₂ emission amount is started on a specific day of each month (for example, the 10th of each month).
When the server 20 determines that the specific day has arrived, it refers to the acquisition database DB5 in Fig. 9 and extracts the home consumption, gas consumption, and water consumption for a specified target period (e.g., one month) from the identification information of the specific information collecting terminal 10 (the information collecting terminal 10 that is the subject of calculation; hereinafter, referred to as the specific terminal). For example, if the specific day (the start date of the calculation process) is November 10, the home consumption, gas consumption, and water consumption for the previous month, for example, the home consumption, gas consumption, and water consumption from October 1 to the end of October, are extracted.
In addition, if the acquisition database DB5 records electricity information and/or gas information and/or water information on a less than monthly basis, such as on a daily basis, the server 20 extracts the information for the relevant month from the information and adds them up to create the monthly amounts of self-consumption, gas consumption and water consumption.

In parallel with retrieving or creating the home consumption, gas consumption and water consumption, the server 20 refers to the customer database DB1 in Figure 5 to identify the power company (e.g. AA Power Company) of the residence in which the specific terminal is installed from the identification information of the specific terminal, and refers to the power emission coefficient database DB2 in Figure 6 to retrieve the power emission coefficient of that power company (e.g. 0.512 kg-CO ₂ /kWh, etc.).
When the power company of the home where the specific terminal is installed is unknown (blank) by referring to customer database DB1, the power emission coefficient database DB2 in Fig. 6 is referred to to extract the average power emission coefficient (0.441 kg- _CO2 /kWh). Also, when the power company of the home where the specific terminal is installed is identified by referring to customer database DB1 but the power company is not recorded in power emission coefficient database DB2, the average power emission coefficient is extracted.

Similarly, the server 20 refers to the customer database DB1 in Figure 5 to identify the type of combustible gas in the house in which a specific terminal is installed from the identification information of the specific terminal, and refers to the gas emission coefficient database DB3 in Figure 7 to extract the gas emission coefficient (6.6 kg- _CO2 / ^m3 or 2.2 kg- _CO2 / ^m3 ) corresponding to that type of combustible gas.
When the type of combustible gas in the house in which the specific terminal is installed is unknown (blank) by referring to the customer database DB1, the gas emission coefficient database DB3 in FIG. 7 is referred to to extract the average gas emission coefficient (4.4 kg-CO ₂ /m ³ ).
Similarly, the server 20 refers to the customer database DB1 in Figure 5 to identify the water supply source of the house in which a specific terminal is installed from the identification information of the specific terminal, and refers to the water emission coefficient database DB4 in Figure 8 to extract the water emission coefficient corresponding to that supply source (e.g., 0.234 kg- _CO2 / ^m3, etc.).
When the customer database DB1 is referenced and the source of supply for the residence in which the specific terminal is installed is unknown (blank), the water emission coefficient database DB4 in FIG. 8 is referenced and the average water emission coefficient (0.214 kg-CO ₂ /m ³ ) is extracted.

The server 20 substitutes the extracted self-consumption amount and power emission coefficient into the following conversion formula (1) to calculate the CO ₂ emission reduction amount (kg).
The server 20 substitutes the extracted gas consumption amount and gas emission coefficient into the following conversion formula (2) to calculate the CO ₂ emission amount (kg).
The server 20 substitutes the extracted water consumption amount and water emission coefficient into the following conversion formula (3) to calculate the CO ₂ emission amount (kg).
Conversion formula (1): _CO2 emission reduction (kg) = self-consumption amount × electricity emission coefficient.
Conversion formula (2): _CO2 emissions (kg) = gas consumption x gas emission coefficient.
Conversion formula (3): _CO2 emissions (kg) = water consumption x water emission factor.
The server 20 may calculate the difference between the _CO2 emission reduction amount and the _CO2 emission amount as necessary. The difference can be calculated by _CO2 emission reduction amount - _CO2 emission amount. In the above case, the _CO2 emission amount used for calculating the difference is the sum of the _CO2 emission amount based on gas consumption and the _CO2 emission amount based on water consumption.
The server 20 records the obtained CO ₂ emission reduction amount, CO ₂ emission amount, and difference in the processing value database DB 6 of FIG.
By executing similar processing thereafter, the CO ₂ emission reduction amount and the CO ₂ emission amount for each period (for example, one month) can be accumulated in the processing value database DB 6 .
Furthermore, by using blockchain technology to add an electronic signature to each piece of data on _CO2 emission reductions and _CO2 emissions accumulated in the processing value database, it is possible to turn the data into public data that can be provided to government agencies, etc., or highly reliable data for the circulation and buying and selling of _CO2 emission rights.

(Updates to the electricity emission factor database, gas emission factor database, and water emission factor database)
As mentioned above, the electricity emission factors, gas emission factors and water emission factors are subject to change in the future.
For example, the electricity emission factor may change in the future due to the efforts of electric power companies, etc. Similarly, the gas emission factor may decrease in the future due to gas companies blending in carbon-free gases such as hydrogen, etc. Similarly, the water emission factor may decrease in the future due to the installation of water purification plants, etc.
In order to present relatively accurate _CO2 emission reduction amounts and _CO2 emission amounts to consumers, it is preferable to update the electricity emission coefficients, gas emission coefficients, and water emission coefficients in the electricity emission coefficient database DB2, the gas emission coefficient database DB3, and the water emission coefficient database DB4 to their latest values.
The latest electricity emission coefficients, gas emission coefficients and water emission coefficients may be input by the system operator to update each database (manual input), or may be automatically updated by the server 20, but the latter is preferred.

For example, it is assumed that a server that provides the latest electricity emission coefficients, gas emission coefficients, and water emission coefficients is connected to the network (hereinafter, this server is referred to as a separate server).
Server 20 of this system 100 connects to the separate server at a predetermined time (for example, once a month), obtains the latest electricity emission coefficients, gas emission coefficients, and water emission coefficients, and updates electricity emission coefficient database DB2, gas emission coefficient database DB3, and water emission coefficient database DB4, respectively.

( _CO2 emission reduction amount and _CO2 emission amount output by server)
The server 20 presents the amount of _CO2 emission reduction, etc. to the consumer in some form.
For example, the server 20 transmits the _CO2 emission reduction amount, _CO2 emission amount, and difference associated with certain identification information to the information collecting terminal 10 specified by that identification information. The information collecting terminal 10 outputs them at an output unit. Specifically, the information collecting terminal 10 that receives the data on the _CO2 emission reduction amount, _CO2 emission amount, and difference stores them and outputs them from a speaker or a display device according to instructions from the terminal contractor.
Alternatively, the server 20 may transmit the amount of _CO2 emission reduction and the amount of _CO2 emission, etc. to the smartphone or personal computer in response to a request from the smartphone or personal computer of the terminal subscriber, and display the amount of CO2 emission reduction and the like on the smartphone, etc. In this case, an application is installed on the smartphone, etc., and the application executes processes such as making requests to the server 20 and displaying the amount of _CO2 emission reduction and the like.
Alternatively, the server 20 may transmit the CO ₂ emission reduction amount, the CO ₂ emission amount, and the difference to an email address recorded in the customer database.
Alternatively, the system operator may create a homepage for terminal subscribers on a separate web server, and the subscribers may log in to the homepage to have the amount of _CO2 emission reductions and the amount of _CO2 emission, etc., presented on the site.

<Effects of this system>
In homes equipped with power generation systems, the electricity generated is consumed within the home, so it can be said to be a positive from an environmental perspective in the sense that it reduces _CO2 emissions (compared to electricity generated using a method that would normally emit _CO2 , it reduces _CO2 emissions because no _CO2 is emitted). On the other hand, in homes equipped with combustible gas combustion appliances, combustible gas is consumed and _CO2 is emitted, so it can be said to be a negative from an environmental perspective. Similarly, the act of consuming tap water can be said to be a negative from an environmental perspective, because _CO2 is emitted in the process of drawing water, purifying it, and supplying it to the tap.
Based on this idea, this system separates the energy consumed within the home into the positive side, which is self-consumption of generated electricity, and the negative side, which is consumption of gas and water, and presents this to the consumer in the form of _CO2 emission reductions and _CO2 emissions, respectively.

Even if consumers know their electricity and gas consumption, it is difficult for them to become conscious of decarbonization. With this system, the amount of _CO2 emissions reduction and _CO2 emissions can be converted and presented in a form that is easy for consumers to understand, so consumers can easily understand the degree to which they are contributing to decarbonization. This strengthens consumers' awareness of contributing to decarbonization.
As consumers become more aware of decarbonization, it is expected that consumers will introduce combustible gases that emit little or no _CO2 , or that can be evaluated as reducing _CO2 emissions, and the spread of such combustible gases will be promoted. Combustible gases that emit little _CO2 include, for example, hydrogen mixed gas in which hydrogen and LP gas are mixed, combustible gases that do not emit _CO2 include, for example, pure hydrogen gas, and combustible gases that can be evaluated as reducing _CO2 emissions include green hydrogen produced using renewable energy and green LP gas synthesized using CO or _CO2 as a raw material.

＜Other＞
According to the system of the present invention, the electricity consumed in a house can be presented to consumers as the amount of _CO2 emission reduction, and the amount of _CO2 emission reduction can also be evaluated as environmental value. Furthermore, if the difference between the amount of _CO2 emission reduction obtained by the system of the present invention and the amount of _CO2 emission is positive, the positive amount can also be evaluated as environmental value. Such environmental value may be tokenized on the Internet and circulated in the market. For example, Ethereum is known as an Internet system for distributing tokens. The environmental value may be any token, and the token may be traded and circulated on a network using blockchain technology.

<Modification>
In the above embodiment, the information collecting terminal acquires the amount of self-consumption, the amount of gas consumption, and the amount of water consumption, and transmits them to the server, and the server calculates the amount of _CO2 emission reduction and the amount of _CO2 emission from the amount of self-consumption, the amount of gas consumption, and the amount of water consumption based on a predetermined conversion formula, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the information collecting terminal may acquire the amount of self-consumption and the amount of gas consumption, and transmit them to the server, and the server may calculate the amount of _CO2 emission reduction and the amount of _CO2 emission from the amount of self-consumption and the amount of gas consumption, or the information collecting terminal may acquire the amount of self-consumption and the amount of water consumption, and transmit them to the server, and the server may calculate the amount of _CO2 emission reduction and the amount of _CO2 emission from the amount of self-consumption and the amount of water consumption, or the information collecting terminal may acquire at least one selected from the amount of self-consumption, the amount of gas consumption, and the amount of water consumption, and transmit them to the server, and the server may calculate the amount of _CO2 emission reduction and/or the amount of _CO2 emission from the amount of self-consumption, the amount of gas consumption, and the amount of water consumption. Also, the information collecting terminal may acquire the self-consumption amount, the gas consumption amount, and the water consumption amount and transmit them to the server, and the server may calculate the _CO2 emission reduction amount and/or the _CO2 emission amount from at least one selected from the self-consumption amount, the gas consumption amount, and the water consumption amount. Furthermore, as for the difference between the _CO2 emission reduction amount and the _CO2 emission amount, the difference between the _CO2 emission reduction amount and the _CO2 emission amount based on the gas consumption may be calculated, or the difference between the _CO2 emission reduction amount and the _CO2 emission amount based on the water consumption may be calculated.

10 Information collecting terminal 20 Server 30 Network 40 Gas meter 50 Power generation system

Claims (3)

A system applied to a house having a renewable energy power generation system and a combustible gas combustion appliance,
a gas meter that measures a flow rate of combustible gas consumed in the house;
an information collection terminal that is electrically connected to the power generation system and the gas meter and is provided in the residence;
a server electrically connected to the information collecting terminal via a network,
the information collecting terminal acquires the amount of electric power self-consumption and the amount of gas consumption from the power generation system and the gas meter, respectively, and transmits the amount of self-consumption and the amount of gas consumption to the server;
An environmental contribution recognition system, wherein the server acquires the self-consumption amount and the gas consumption amount, calculates the amount of _CO2 emission reduction from the self-consumption amount based on a predetermined conversion formula, and calculates the amount of _CO2 emission from the gas consumption amount based on the predetermined conversion formula. The information collecting terminal further acquires water consumption from a water meter and transmits the water consumption to the server;
The environmental contribution recognition system according to claim 1 , wherein the server acquires the amount of water consumption and calculates the amount of CO ₂ emissions from the amount of water consumption based on a predetermined conversion formula. The server transmits the _CO2 emission reduction amount and the _CO2 emission amount to the information collecting terminal,
The environmental contribution recognition system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information collecting terminal outputs the transmitted CO ₂ emission reduction amount and CO ₂ emission amount.

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