A heating system includes a heat pump that provides heat to a major fluid circuit and a minor fluid circuit for performing different heating operations. The system includes a power source having a variable cost and a controller configured to regulate flow of the major and minor fluid circuits to perform the heating operations. The controller is configured to receive information regarding the variable cost of the power source and distribute flow between the major and minor fluid circuits to perform the heating operations to minimize the electricity cost. The combined enhanced demand regulation and enhanced output regulation amplifies the total heat output and power consumption while permitting greater use of a power source of varying cost (e.g. PV)thereby minimizing overall daily operating cost.

A system for space heating or cooling a heated space includes a heat pump including a refrigeration circuit for transferring heat between a heat source and a heat load for heating and cooling operations. A controller controls the heat pump to perform the heating and cooling operations. A user interface receives user inputs, wherein the user inputs include an indication of discomfort based on temperature. The controller creates a profile for a minimum comfortable temperature level and a maximum comfortable temperature level, and the controller controls the heat pump to perform the heating and cooling operations in accordance with the profiles for the minimum and maximum comfortable temperature levels. The controller may generate an optimized heat demand plan in accordance with predictions of outdoor and indoor temperature, cost, and demand. The plan is optimized to cost-effectively maintain the temperature of the heated space within the comfortable temperature range defined by the profiles.

The present invention relates to an energy management system for a building, comprising at least one heat pump, at least one first thermal energy storage device for providing domestic hot water, at least one second thermal energy storage device for providing space heating, at least one renewable energy generation device, at least one first state of charge analyser for determining the state of charge of the at least one first thermal energy storage device, at least one second state of charge analyser for determining the state of charge of the at least one second thermal energy storage device, and a controller configured to control the at least one heat pump, the at least one first thermal energy storage device, the at least one second thermal energy storage device, and the at least one renewable energy generation device. The controller is configured to control, in dependence on at least the state of charge of the at least one first thermal energy storage device and/or the state of charge of the at least one second thermal energy storage device, whether one of and which of the at least one first thermal energy storage device and the at least one second thermal energy storage device is charged with energy provided by (a heat pump operation of) the at least one heat pump and/or energy provided by the at least one renewable energy generation device. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of using the energy management system.