Exergy hub based modelling and performance evaluation of integrated energy system

•Smart Exergy Hub approach is proposed for IES modelling of China for the year 2020. IES contains electricity, district heating and individual heating infrastructure.•Comparison of energy hub and exergy hub results are provided by dividing the work into three case studies including IRES integration, TS addition and HP inclusion.•IRES integration proves the most cost-efficient and decarbonized alternative in exergy hub while in energy hub TS addition is the best case alternative.