All of your questions answered

Last week, we gathered with friends at Copper's beautiful West Berkeley space for an evening all about electrifying your home and unlocking incredible incentives. The energy (pun intended!) was fantastic, and we loved diving deep into your questions alongside our partners at Quick Carbon. For those who couldn't make it, or if you just want a recap, here's a taste of the real talk and key takeaways from our Q&A:

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The Golden Ticket: California Energy Smart Homes Incentives: You asked, we answered! The California Energy Smart Homes program is a game-changer, offering substantial rebates for making the full switch from gas to electric.

So, do I really have to go all-electric?

• Here’s the deal for the California Energy Smart Homes program: it's an all-in kind of party! You unlock the full rebate stack when you completely eliminate all gas points from your home, and the utility actually comes out to cap your gas main. Think of it as a clean slate, and a much cleaner home.

‍What if I'm not ready to go all the way? 

• We get it, Rome wasn't electrified in a day! There are still other programs and tax credits available for individual upgrades, including those from local community choice aggregators. Full home electrification incentive is just the big "the pot of gold".

Can I stack these with federal tax credits? 

• You can absolutely double dip! You can typically stack most federal tax credits with the California incentives. This year is looking like a great time to do upgrades and claim those federal tax credits.

How fast do I get my money back?

• The approval process for the California Energy Smart Homes program is about 1 to 3 weeks, and then you can expect your physical check within 30 to 90 days of approval.

What if I can't float the money while waiting for the check?

•  Don't let that hold you back! There are low-cost financing programs, like one offered by the state Treasurer's office, where you can borrow the money and pay it back once your check arrives.

Can I apply if I've already started electrifying?

• Good news! This is a rare program that offers effectively a retroactive reward. If you've done upgrades like water heating and heating since January 2022, you might still qualify for incentives. Just a friendly heads-up: having photos of your old appliances can be super helpful, if not downright required, for your application.

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Addressing Common Concerns: Panels, Costs, and Comfort: We heard some really thoughtful questions about the practicalities of electrifying older homes.

My electrical panel is full! How can I electrify without an expensive upgrade? 

• This is a classic dilemma for many beautiful, older homes, and trust us, you're not alone! We're familiar with many workarounds to avoid or delay major panel upgrades. Our pod is designed to be ultra-low amperage, often fitting within existing electrical capacity. While technically it’s 240V, it has a very low load and rarely triggers an upgrade. Even homes with 100 amps, and some with 60 amps, can get completely off gas with these low-amp solutions.

Will going electric make my energy bill skyrocket, especially with an older home? 

• This is a super valid question. While electricity rates can vary, our smart battery is specifically engineered to address this. We use a thermal energy storage system that shifts your heating and hot water load to the warmest, cheapest times of the day, optimizing for time-of-use rate structures. Harvest customers typically see 25% to 30% cost savings when transitioning from gas to electric.

Why are Harvest and Copper products getting these special advanced technology bonuses?

• These bonuses are specifically focused on the impact on the grid. Harvest offers "battery embedded" or energy storage appliances, which means they have low impact and low draw on the grid, and offer flexibility in energy use. As we collectively electrify our homes, this kind of intelligent, flexible energy consumption helps solve grid capacity issues, making the whole system smarter and more resilient.

‍I'm knee-deep in a remodel and won't finish until next year. Can I still get the incentives?

• The California Energy Smart Homes program requires the project to be finished to apply. However, you can start the application process before completion to get your checklist in order. While the base incentive may slightly adjust each year, they also add technology bonuses that can make it even better for Harvest customers. And, if we can share one piece of hard-earned wisdom from working with incentive programs: they often go much, much faster than you anticipate  – so move with a little urgency if you can!

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Looking Ahead: The Future is Electric and Smart: The conversation also touched on the broader future of energy.

‍Is solar hot water still a good idea? 

• While solar hot water heating definitely had its moment and still serves a purpose in some large-scale commercial applications, for most residential homes, the reliable, cost-effective present and future points squarely to solar photovoltaic (PV) combined with highly efficient heat pumps and other electric appliances. It’s a more integrated, robust approach. 

What about changing electricity rates and things like AB 942 impacting solar contracts?

• The threat to NEM 2.0 solar contracts is certainly concerning, and we encourage everyone to contact their representatives to advocate for keeping those contracts in place. While solar is a generation source, our point-of-use products are different. For point-of-use products like ours, the risk isn't the same as with generation sources like solar. As more homes electrify, rate structures will evolve, and having products that offer control and protection against dynamic rates – like Harvest's load-shifting capabilities – will be crucial.

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It was an incredible evening of learning and connecting. Thank you to everyone who came out with such thoughtful questions. We're building a better way to heat and cool homes—and a better grid while we’re at it.