An E-Hub is a control system for integrating and optimising on-site renewable energy resources within a local community:
an Intranet of Energy

Capture of energy

• solar thermal collectors (sunlight → heat)
• road solar collectors    (sunlight → heat)
• photovoltaic collectors (sunlight → electricity)
• wind turbines   (movement → electricity)
• wave turbines  (movement → electricity)

Conversion of energy

• a heat pump (using electricity to concentrate and transfer heat)
• a boiler (fuel → heat)
• a sorption cooler (heat → cold)

Transfer of energy

• a ground source heat pump transfers heat (ground → building) to provide space heating in winter
• a ground source heat pump transfers heat (building → ground) to provide space cooling in summer and to store thermal energy
• an air source heat pump transfers heat (air → building) to provide space heating in winter
• an air source heat pump transfers heat (building → air) to provide space cooling in summer

Storage of thermal energy

• heat can be stored in water in insulated vessels
• thermal piles can be used to transfer heat to a thermal bank
• boreholes can be used to transfer heat to a thermal bank in the ground for Underground Thermal Energy Storage
• energy can be stored in thermochemical materials

Delivery of energy

• a heat pump (using electricity to concentrate and transfer heat)
• electric grid
• gas grid
• heat network

Management of energy

• information grid
• control of energy capture
• control of energy conversion
• control of energy storage
• control of energy delivery
• time shifting of energy load demand to suit energy supply availability
• matching supply and demand
• balancing supply and demand for electricity: demand side response
• energy management system
• smart grids
• district heating using heat sharing networks
• virtual power plants

 

Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage has been extensively studied and employed by ICAX, one of the E-Hub partners.