Hardware Podcasts

Decarbonizing Water Heating with Intelligent Water Heaters: Insights from Michael Rigney of Cala Systems

Hardware to Save a Planet · 10 Oct 2024 · 48m · Episode 63

What this episode covers

Michael Rigney, CEO and co-founder of Cala Systems, explains how his company is decarbonizing residential water heating through an intelligent heat pump water heater that uses predictive control to shift energy load. Rigney details the hardware architecture, including a variable speed compressor and a mixing valve, and the software logic using Model Predictive Control (MPC) to optimize for comfort, cost, and grid interaction. He discusses the challenges of entering a market dominated by incumbents, the unit economics for consumers replacing electric resistance or oil heaters, and the path to commercialization with a first product launch in 2025.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Cala Systems, Enternock, Uplight, GE Wind, National Renewable Energy Lab
Products
Tesla Powerwall

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