Story thread · 3 reports / 3 sources

We’ve Got Sexy Heat Pumps. Now It’s Time for Sexy Water Heaters.

heatmap.news · 3h · first reportShare

There are plenty of ways to leverage everyday household appliances to shift electricity demand and free up capacity on the grid. But when energy nerds talk about these opportunities, they’re mostly focused on distributed energy resources like smart thermostats, residential batteries, and electric vehicle chargers. Water heaters — the vast majority of which are not internet connected — rarely enter the conversation. Boston-based startup Reservoir wants to change that, raising a $8 million seed round to bring its sexier, techier heat pump water heaters to market. Asymmetric Capital Partners led the round, alongside Founder Collective and the climate-focused investor MCJ. The startup has already installed its water heaters in nearly 100 homes around Boston. Each unit pairs an onboard computer with a heat pump, allowing it to learn a household’s hot water habits so it can begin preheating hours in advance of, say, your morning shower. That long lead time matters, as a heat pump can take fi