We’re officially on The Cool List
By
Kiana Kazemi
%20(3).png)
This week, we’re excited to be featured by The Cool Down, here’s a recap of our conversation with them.
Smarter Than a Heat Pump Alone
All-electric heat pumps are three to five times more efficient than gas systems, and they can be powered by clean energy like solar. But for many homeowners, switching to electric isn’t enough to guarantee lower energy bills.
In parts of the country where natural gas remains cheaper than electricity, swapping a gas furnace for a heat pump can mean higher winter energy bills—even as it reduces emissions. Without smarter management, heat pumps can unintentionally strain the grid during peak hours, when demand and prices are highest. That’s a barrier to adoption. And it’s a problem we set out to solve.
Why We Built Harvest
Harvest was born when our co-founders’ 40-year-old gas furnace failed. Instead of installing a standard heat pump, they paired it with a water heater that could store thermal energy and deliver heating, cooling, and hot water on demand.
The key isn’t just clean energy—it’s when you use it. They created a Smart Thermal Battery that slashes energy costs by shifting electricity use to when it’s cheapest and cleanest—typically midday, when solar and wind are abundant, and stores that energy for use when needed. This results in more savings (up to 30% lower energy bills vs gas), more comfort, and even lower emissions (up to 90% lower vs gas).
As our co-founder, Jane Melia explains, “What we're saying is we're going to run the electricity when you want it, grid operators — but homeowners, tenants, you're getting your heating [cooling, and hot water] when you need it."
Real Homes. Real Results.
In San Mateo, a homeowner using Harvest saw 15% lower energy costs—even during a season when electric rates rose by 30%. That’s what happens when timing your energy use is part of the design.
Our system is already installed in hundreds of homes across California, and we’ve completed our first multifamily projects—bringing benefits to both renters and owners.
A Scalable Solution for a Growing Problem
If we electrify heating across homes nationwide without managing when that electricity is used, we risk overloading the grid—and we all pay for that. Harvest’s system solves this by reducing strain, avoiding peak demand, and lowering emissions in the process.
“Storage will be part of the mix,” Melia says. “It is a capacity issue — [but] it also comes down to a cost issue at the end of the day.”
"When I talk to people about Harvest, people say, 'Yeah, it’s obvious. Why aren’t we doing this already?’” says Melia. “In five years’ time, it’s just going to be a standard for heating and hot water, because it solves so many problems, and it does it cost-effectively.”
Clean energy. Lower bills. Higher comfort. Smart storage. It’s not just cool—it’s the future.
And we’re proud to say: we’re officially on The Cool List.
%20(1).png)
%20(5).png)
%20(3).png)
%20(1).png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
%20(4)%20(1).png)
.png)
%20(11).png)
%20(10).png)
%20(6).png)
%20(4).png)
%20(3).png)
%20(10).png)
%20(6).png)
%20(1).webp)
.jpg)
%20(4).png)
%20(2).png)
.png)
%20(2).png)
.png)
.jpg)
%20copyminimal%20_0.1.jpg)
