A thermoelectric battery system includes a heat pump configured to generate heat. A buffer tank is thermally coupled to the heat pump and configured to store the generated heat in boiler water. A thermal battery is thermally coupled to the buffer tank. The thermal battery provides at least one of hot water for domestic use, hydro-heating, or hydro-cooling. The first thermal battery includes: an inner tank configured to contain a portion of boiler water and an outer tank containing a phase change material. The outer tank surrounds the inner tank and is separated therefrom by a thermally conductive wall. The outer tank is configured to supply heat to the inner tank. A heat exchanger disposed in the inner tank is configured to heat potable water flowing therethrough to enable potable water to be heated by boiler water to produce domestic hot water.

An apparatus includes a heating body and batteries. The batteries are grouped so as to form a battery bank having a parallelepiped shape which defines anterior and posterior faces of this bank. The heating body forms at least one face located along one of the anterior or posterior faces of the battery bank, or above the battery bank. The apparatus also includes a first thermal insulation plate placed between the battery bank and the heating body.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for recovery of waste energy from a battery energy storage system. A system includes a battery energy storage system including one or more rechargeable batteries; an energy recovery system coupled to the battery energy storage system, wherein the energy recovery system is configured to: capture heat generated by one or more of charging and discharging the one or more rechargeable batteries; and store or use energy associated with the captured heat.

The disclosed technology includes an on-demand water heater which uses an electric heat source to heat the water. The on-demand water heater can have a low fluid capacity heating chamber which has an inlet and an outlet, an electric heat source for heating the water, and a controller to control the electric heat source and maintain the temperature of the water at a predetermined temperature setting. The on-demand water heater can be powered by a direct current power source. The on-demand water heater can also utilize a solar thermal system to provide additional heat to the water.

There is disclosed a partially or wholly electric fluid heater (1) arranged to heat fluid in a first circuit, the fluid comprising heating fluid or tap water. The heater comprises a first electric heating element (8) arranged to heat fluid in the first circuit. The first heating element is arranged to be powered by both an AC power supply (22) and a DC power supply (20). The heater also comprises a controller (24) arranged to control distribution of power to the first heating element from the DC power supply and the AC power supply.

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to preventing or lessening ice in remote water tanks. The remote water tanks can include a body at least partially defining a chamber that receives a liquid and having an open top portion that provides one or more animals access to the liquid. Further, a heat exchanger can be at least partially received within the chamber, and can receive a thermal transfer fluid that is circulated therethrough to maintain a temperature of the liquid in the chamber. Also, an external heat collector can be in fluid communication with the heat exchanger to transfer solar or other heat to the thermal transfer fluid as the thermal transfer fluid is circulated therethrough.

An energy generating system for generating thermal energy and electrical energy for a premises. The system includes an engine that drives an AC power generator to supply supplemental or standby power to the premises. The thermal energy given off by the engine is also coupled to the premises to provide heat thereto. A processor controls the various parameters of both the energy generating system and the premises to coordinate the proper heating and cooling thereof.

A portable electric heater comprises a heater unit, base assembly, and a shaft extending upwardly from the base assembly. The shaft includes a first end secured to the base assembly and a second end to which the heater unit is secured. The portable electric heater also comprises a renewable energy source and a power assembly including a power management module for controlling power distribution of the renewable energy source to the heater unit.

An installation for producing electricity and heat, comprising a gas turbine unit, a photovoltaic unit and a solar thermal unit, and being configured for switching between: a first operation mode, in which the gas turbine unit produces said electricity and said heat, a second operation mode, in which the gas turbine unit produces only part of said electricity and the photovoltaic unit produces a rest of said electricity, and in which the solar thermal unit either produces a rest of said heat or provides heat to the gas turbine unit, and a third operation mode, in which said electricity and said heat are produced by the photovoltaic unit, the solar thermal unit, and optionally one or several steam turbines of the gas turbine unit.

One embodiment provides a cascade phase change material (PCM) natural refrigerant heat pump system that includes multiple heat pumps. A heat exchanger is connected to the multiple heat pumps. A thermal battery bank including multiple PCM battery cells is connected to the heat exchanger in a closed loop. A circulator pump is connected to the heat exchanger and the multiple PCM battery cells.