Abstract: A battery management system includes: a battery module accommodation section; a charging and discharging control section; and a shipping target selection section. The battery module accommodation section is configured to separately accommodate a plurality of battery modules in blocks. The blocks each includes a predetermined number of the battery modules. The predetermined number is greater than or equal to 2. The charging and discharging control section is configured to charge and discharge the battery modules in units of the blocks. The battery modules are accommodated in the battery module accommodation section. The shipping target selection section is configured to select, in units of the blocks, the battery modules serving as shipping targets from the battery modules accommodated in the battery module accommodation section.

Abstract: A higher usage fee is set for external supply power as predetermined contract power increases. A battery management system includes: a contract power information acquisition section configured to acquire contract power information indicating the contract power; a power-in-use estimation section configured to estimate power in use in the storage plant in a target time zone in future; a discharge plan creation section configured to create a discharge plan in which discharge power from the battery is supplied as power to be used in the storage plant when the power in use in the target time zone exceeds the contract power; and a discharging control section configured to discharge the battery on the basis of the discharge plan. The power in use in the target time zone is estimated by the power-in-use estimation section.

Abstract: In a route output apparatus, a route searcher is configured to search for a route from a designated departure point to an arrival point with use of a graph including a plurality of nodes and at least one link connecting the nodes and representing map information. A converter is configured to convert coordinates of a point on the graph identified based on a plurality of nodes representing the route searched by the route searcher into a latitude and a longitude. An outputter is configured to output the latitude and longitude calculated by the converter.

Abstract: In a route output apparatus, a route searcher is configured to search for a route from a designated departure point to an arrival point with use of a graph including a plurality of nodes and at least one link connecting the nodes and representing map information. A converter is configured to convert coordinates of a point on the graph identified based on a plurality of nodes representing the route searched by the route searcher into a latitude and a longitude. An outputter is configured to output the latitude and longitude calculated by the converter.

Abstract: A process for producing a light absorbing layer for thin-film solar cell that possesses a film structure having a constituent component of chalcopyrite compound (Cu(In+Ga)Se2) uniformly distributed thereinside. There is provided a process for producing a light absorbing layer, including the precursor forming step of superimposing on an Mo electrode layer, adjacent to the electrode layer, an In metal layer and a Cu—Ga alloy layer according to sputtering technique; a first selenization step of, while accommodating precursor-provided substrate in an airtight space, introducing hydrogen selenide gas in the airtight space conditioned so as to range from room temperature to 250° C.; a second selenization step of additionally introducing hydrogen selenide gas in the airtight space heated so as to range from 250° to 450° C.

Abstract: A process for producing a light absorbing layer for thin-film solar cell that possesses a film structure having a constituent component of chalcopyrite compound (Cu(In+Ga)Se2) uniformly distributed thereinside. There is provided a process for producing a light absorbing layer, including the precursor forming step of superimposing on an Mo electrode layer, adjacent to the electrode layer, an In metal layer and a Cu—Ga alloy layer according to sputtering technique; a first selenization step of, while accommodating precursor-provided substrate in an airtight space, introducing hydrogen selenide gas in the airtight space conditioned so as to range from room temperature to 250° C.; a second selenization step of additionally introducing hydrogen selenide gas in the airtight space heated so as to range from 250° to 450° C.

Abstract: A method of forming a light-absorbing layer of CIGS by first forming a thin-film precursor of Ib-IIIb group metals by sputtering and then treating by heat the precursor in a selenium atmosphere, wherein particles sputtered from an alloy target of Ib group-IIIb group metals and a single metal target of Ib group or IIIb group metal, disposed opposite to each other, are well mixed to form a thin single-layered precursor being free from the occurrence of reaction of metals at a boundary of layers.