A heating and power generating apparatus comprises: a frame installed on the roof of a building and having a predetermined area; a plurality of power generating units arranged inside the frame to collect sunlight and generate electricity; and a hot water supply unit buried inside of the frame to absorb sunlight and perform heating and hot water supply. According to the present invention, hot water can be generated by sunlight in the winter to supply hot water and heat a house, and power can be generated by sunlight in the summer to supply power for cooling a room and thus conserve the electrical energy used in a cooler, thus promoting energy saving and environmental protection.

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.

A method of determining an operating configuration of a water heater that includes: a power cord connected to a receptacle; a housing; a battery disposed within the housing, and a water tank configured to hold a volume of water and having one or more heating elements. The method includes obtaining power availability data; and determining an operating configuration including one of: a full power configuration where the water tank operates at a maximum power greater than 120V input voltage based on power from both the receptacle and the battery or power solely from the battery, and a reduced power configuration where the water tank operates at a reduced power less than the maximum power, based on power solely from the receptacle or power solely from the battery.

A heat pump hot-water supply system includes a heat pump hot-water supply device, an electricity storage device, and a control device. The control device determines an operating time zone of the heat pump hot-water supply device based on power conversion efficiency of the electricity storage device, coefficients of performance of the heat pump hot-water supply device of a current day and a next day, and an electricity rate structure of a commercial power system.

A co-generation system for heating an application includes an energy storage system that dissipates heat upon operation thereof. The co-generation system also includes a first heat exchanger in thermal contact with the energy storage system. A coolant flowing through the first heat exchanger extracts the heat generated by the energy storage system. The co-generation system further includes a second heat exchanger in thermal contact with the application. The second heat exchanger receives the coolant from the first heat exchanger. The coolant flowing through the second heat exchanger exchanges heat with air in the application to at least partially heat the application. The co-generation system includes a first controller communicably coupled with the energy storage system. The first controller is configured to receive a heating requirement of the application and control one or more operating conditions of the energy storage system in order to meet the heating requirement of the application.

A water heater is provided. The water heater includes a heating device having a metallic coil with an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface defines an inner channel between a first end and a second end of the metallic coil. Water enters the inner channel of the metallic coil from the first end of the metallic coil and is heated in the metallic coil. Heated water exits from the second end of the metallic coil. Water is not electrically isolated from the metallic coil. A first electrical connector is connected to the first end of the metallic coil. A second electrical connector is connected to the second end of the metallic coil. A controller connected to the heating device. The controller is configured to control heating of water.

A water heater pilot control system includes a supercapacitor; a battery; a controller configured to control ignition of a flame; and voltage control circuitry. The voltage control circuitry includes a first power converter configured to convert a voltage from one or both of the supercapacilor and the battery to a predetermined voltage; a second power converter configured to convert a voltage from a thermoelectric device to the predetermined voltage; and charging circuitry configured to charge the supercapacitor using the predetermined voltage from one or both of the first power converter and the second power converter, wherein one or both of the first power converter and the second power converter are configured to supply the predetermined voltage to the controller.

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.