EP. 58: A Truly Differentiated Heat Pump — with Dr. Jane Melia of Harvest Thermal

🎓Join Eric Fitz's latest training: How to Design a Heat Pump System That Will Not Come Back to Haunt You Eric has given this training a few times now, and it's been a huge hit. Our friends at Mitsubishi are hosting a webinar for it — open to anyone. What he'll cover: → Key Manual J assumptions and how to verify them in the home quickly → How to apply advanced Manual S procedures the right way for variable speed systems → When to use strip heat, dual fuel, or no supplemental at all — and how that relates to duct capacity → Hidden operating cost traps in different regions and how to avoid them → How targeted envelope improvements can reduce HVAC headaches and what to prioritize first → Real-world case studies showing how high-performance heat pump design can be simple, scalable, and profitable June 18th | 2:00 PM Eastern Register here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/ev... ---------------------------------------------------------- In this episode of the Heat Pump Podcast, hosts Ed Smith and Eric Fitz sit down with Dr. Jane Melia, co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Harvest Thermal, to explore a new approach to home electrification: combining high-efficiency heat pumps with smart thermal storage. As electrification accelerates, heating and hot water, which account for the majority of a home’s energy use, are becoming central to the conversation about grid flexibility, energy costs, and system performance. Jane shares how Harvest’s “smart thermal battery” system shifts energy use to the most efficient and affordable times, helping homeowners lower bills while reducing strain on the electrical grid. The conversation also dives into how this technology emerged from Jane’s own home retrofit, the role contractors play in scaling innovative solutions, and why load shifting may become one of the most important strategies in the future of residential HVAC. Expect to Learn How smart thermal batteries work alongside heat pumps Why heating and hot water represent the biggest energy opportunity in homes How load shifting can reduce both homeowner energy bills and grid demand The origin story behind Harvest Thermal and the real-world problem that sparked the idea Why electrification needs smarter energy timing, not just more efficient equipment How innovative HVAC technologies are creating new opportunities for contractors What the future of grid-aware home energy systems could look like Timestamps [00:00] – Episode teaser: Rethinking home energy use and load shifting [03:36] – Meet Dr. Jane Melia and the story behind Harvest Thermal [08:17] – The problem with traditional heating systems and energy timing [09:38] – What a “smart thermal battery” actually does [13:04] – How load shifting benefits homeowners and the electrical grid [15:05] – Real-world performance: lowering bills while electrifying homes [22:57] – Why contractors are key to scaling new HVAC technologies [42:05] – The future of grid-aware heating and home energy systems [44:53] – A key resource for contractors growing a heat pump business Follow Jane Melia: LinkedIn:   / janemelia   Website (Company): https://www.harvest-thermal.com/ LinkedIn (Company):   / harvest-thermal   Facebook (Company):   / harvestthermal   YouTube (Company):    / @harvestthermal2023   Instagram:   / jane.harvest   Instagram (Company): https://www.instagram.com/harvestther... Follow the Hosts: Ed Smith:   / ed-smith-5aa8716   Eric Fitz:   / ehfitz   Amply Energy Website: https://www.amply.energy/ Amply Energy YouTube:    / @amplyenergy   Amply Energy Facebook:   / amplyenergy   Amply Energy Instagram:   / amply_energy   Listening Links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3pJxxoC... Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Podcast Site: https://info.amply.energy/blog/tag/he...