Heat pump operation method and heat pump system

A heat pump operation method for a heat pump which generates heat using power generated by a power generation device, the method comprising:

• obtaining, on a per time unit basis, generated power which is an amount of the power generated by the power generation device, load power which is an amount of the power consumed by an electric load which operates using the power generated by the power generation device, and surplus power which is a difference between the generated power and the load power;
• and
• controlling operation of the heat pump,
• wherein in the controlling, an amount of the power consumed by the heat pump for generating heat is adjusted to follow a per unit time increase or decrease in the surplus power when a first condition is met, the first condition being that the surplus power remains greater than a given amount of power at which the heat pump can generate heat at or above a certain level of efficiency, for a given period of time or longer.

A heat pump operation method for a heat pump which generates heat using power generated by a power generation device, the method comprising:

• obtaining generated power which is an amount of the power generated by the power generation device, load power which is an amount of the power consumed by an electric load which operates using the power generated by the power generation device, and surplus power which is a difference between the generated power and the load power;
• and
• controlling operation of the heat pump by transmitting, to the heat pump, an amount of power to be consumed by the heat pump for generating heat as a power consumption command value,
• wherein in the controlling,
• the power consumption command value is calculated to follow the surplus power when the surplus power remains greater than a given amount of power at which the heat pump can generate heat at or above a certain level of efficiency, for a given period of time or longer.

A heat pump system which includes a heat pump which generates heat using power generated by a power generation device, the heat pump system comprising:

• an information obtaining unit configured to obtain, on a per time unit basis, generated power which is an amount of the power generated by the power generation device, load power which is an amount of the power consumed by an electric load which operates using the power generated by the power generation device, and surplus power which is a difference between the generated power and the load power;
• and
• an operation control unit configured to control operation of the heat pump,
• wherein the operation control unit is configured to adjust an amount of the power consumed by the heat pump for generating heat to follow a per unit time increase or decrease in the surplus power when a first condition is met, the first condition being that the surplus power remains greater than a given amount of power at which the heat pump can generate heat at or above a certain level of efficiency, for a given period of time or longer.

A heat pump system comprising:

• a heat pump which generates heat using power generated by a power generation device;
• and
• a heat pump (HP) control device which controls the heat pump,
• wherein the HP control device includes:
• an information obtaining unit configured to obtain an amount of the power generated by the power generation device, an amount of load power, and a status of a power grid;
• and
• an operation control unit configured to calculate a power consumption command value for controlling the amount of power consumed by the heat pump for generating heat using a value of surplus power calculated based on the amount of power generated and the amount of load power, and
• the operation control unit is configured to calculate the power consumption command value to follow the surplus power when the surplus power remains greater than a given amount of power at which the heat pump can generate heat at or above a certain level of efficiency, for a given period of time or longer.