# Smart Water Heaters Could Replace New Power Plants | Luke Winston-Almanzar

- Show: [Hardware to Save a Planet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet)
- Published: 2026-08-06
- Length: 49m
- Episode: 102
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2026-08-06-smart-water-heaters-could-replace-new-power-plants-luke-winston-almanzar
- Listen: https://podcasts.fame.so/e/pnm7x91n-smart-water-heaters-luke-winston-almanzar

## Summary

Luke Winston-Almanzar, CEO and Co-founder of Reservoir, explains how his company’s intelligent heat pump water heater uses predictive software and industrial controls to optimize energy use and user comfort. He details the hardware integration, including multiple heating elements and leak detection sensors, which allows the device to act as a thermal battery for grid stabilization. Winston-Almanzar discusses the company's early-stage commercialization in the Boston metro area, focusing on direct installation and rapid customer feedback loops to refine the product and pricing strategy.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2026-08-06-smart-water-heaters-could-replace-new-power-plants-luke-winston-almanzar#t=0) Introduction: Luke Winston-Almanzar and Reservoir
- [2:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2026-08-06-smart-water-heaters-could-replace-new-power-plants-luke-winston-almanzar#t=169) Winston-Almanzar's background at Formlabs and founding Reservoir
- [9:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2026-08-06-smart-water-heaters-could-replace-new-power-plants-luke-winston-almanzar#t=586) The problem with existing heat pump water heaters
- [13:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2026-08-06-smart-water-heaters-could-replace-new-power-plants-luke-winston-almanzar#t=804) Reservoir's predictive software and hardware features
- [23:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2026-08-06-smart-water-heaters-could-replace-new-power-plants-luke-winston-almanzar#t=1413) Grid impact and thermal battery capacity
- [30:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2026-08-06-smart-water-heaters-could-replace-new-power-plants-luke-winston-almanzar#t=1824) Product development, customer feedback, and pricing
- [43:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2026-08-06-smart-water-heaters-could-replace-new-power-plants-luke-winston-almanzar#t=2632) Future vision and scaling strategies

## Topics

- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Reservoir (company)
- Formlabs (company)
- Siemens (company)
- Tesla Model Y (product)
- Calmac (company)
- Harvest Thermal (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Frontier Forum: Unlocking next-generation VPPs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-06-frontier-forum-unlocking-next-generation-vpps) (Catalyst)
- [Automating the Home with Keith Burzinski](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-02-05-automating-the-home-with-keith-burzinski) (The Amp Hour)
- [HIBT Lab! SOURCE Global: Cody Friesen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-09-15-hibt-lab-source-global-cody-friesen) (How I Built This)
- [Tapping the heat beneath your feet with Kathy Hannun of Dandelion Energy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-08-tapping-the-heat-beneath-your-feet-with-kathy-hannun-of-dandelion-energy) (How I Built This)
- [Professional Scooter Charger](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2022-10-24-professional-scooter-charger) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

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