Cutting Carbon in 2025: New Year Resolutions that Matter
By
Kiana Kazemi
January 14, 2025
Forget crash diets and unused gym memberships—this year at Harvest, we’re focused on carbon resolutions. Let’s make the future proud of us with a few practical (and impactful) commitments to reducing emissions.
Embrace energy transparency. Knowledge is power. Resolve to better understand your energy usage by leveraging tools and apps that track consumption. The more you see where your energy dollars are going, the easier it becomes to make greener choices.
A few top apps to get you started:
EnergyHub: An app that connects and controls energy smart home devices, helping you monitor your energy usage and optimize efficiency.
Sense: A smart energy monitor that provides a real-time view of your overall energy use, with tips on how to save and be more efficient.
Tesla Energy App: This app allows you to manage your energy system from anywhere with a comprehensive view of your home – including your solar production, utility rate plan, Powerwall energy usage value, and more.
Think beyond the thermostat. Sure, turning the heat down a notch helps, but why stop there? Pair your thermostat habits with meaningful upgrades, like better insulation or energy-efficient windows. It’s all about getting more with less energy.
A few examples to dive in:
Seal it Up! Renters, this one’s for you: weather-stripping doors and windows can make a big difference in keeping your home cozy and energy-efficient. It’s affordable, non-permanent, and super renter-friendly. Plus, it’s a great first step toward reducing drafts.
Insulate your home properly can have a huge impact. Check out this video from HVAC Dope, where they break down on how much impact insulation can have on a home’s temperature, with a before and after comparison.
Energy-efficient windows are another great upgrade, as they help maintain indoor temperature and reduce energy loss. This video from Rate It Green dives into the pros and cons of different types of windows and how they can optimize energy efficiency.
Get familiar with incentives. Did you know there are federal and state incentives designed to help you with these resolutions? Tax credits, rebates, and grants can make sustainable upgrades more affordable than ever. Pro tip: Many homeowners offset a significant portion of their investment in systems like ours by tapping into these opportunities.
Here’s an overview of some common rebates you can get (learn more here):
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) offers a 30% federal tax credit on heat pump installations (uncapped for systems that include storage, like Harvest).
In California, the TECH Clean California program offers up to $13,820 in incentives for the installation of energy-efficient heat pump systems, with an additional $1,500 for using low-global-warming-potential refrigerants.
[JFYI, Harvest installations qualify for the uncapped 30% federal tax credit AND if the TECH incentive.]
Rewiring America provides an IRA Incentive Calculator to help you estimate savings and available credits based on your home’s specific needs.
Spread the word. Your carbon resolution doesn’t have to end at your front door. Share your journey with friends, family, or even your neighbors (bonus points if you convince your HOA to green-light a cool energy-efficiency initiative).
Here’s some community examples:
Start a neighborhood challenge: Organize a friendly competition where neighbors try to reduce their energy bills, cut down on emissions, or even install energy-efficient solutions like LED lighting or smart thermostats.
Host a sustainability talk or workshop: Invite friends over to discuss ways to reduce household energy consumption and talk about the incentives available for sustainable upgrades, like heat pumps or solar panels. Bonus points if you bring in a local expert or contractor to help.
Upgrade to smarter systems. Last, but most impactful: upgrade from gas to smarter systems. And no surprise, Harvest's Smart Thermal Battery is designed to slash your carbon footprint while keeping your home cozy year-round. It’s the biggest thing you can do to decarbonize your home— even bigger than an electric vehicle! Think of it as the gift that keeps on giving: comfort, savings, and sustainability wrapped into one. And surprise, surprise—Harvest is the smartest choice for the job!
Every step toward carbon reduction—big or small—adds up. Whether it's upgrading your HVAC system or switching to energy-efficient appliances, making energy conscious create a ripple effect in your community. A study at EPFL found that people are 89% more likely to install solar panels if they know someone who has already done so. Wild!
One person’s choice to make their home more sustainable can inspire a whole community to do the same. Together, we can make 2025 a year of meaningful progress for our planet (while also saving some money).
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Id volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida arcu. Quisque sagittis purus sit amet. Dolor morbi non arcu risus quis varius.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Id volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida arcu. Quisque sagittis purus sit amet. Dolor morbi non arcu risus quis varius.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Id volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida arcu. Quisque sagittis purus sit amet. Dolor morbi non arcu risus quis varius.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Id volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida arcu. Quisque sagittis purus sit amet. Dolor morbi non arcu risus quis varius.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Id volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida arcu. Quisque sagittis purus sit amet. Dolor morbi non arcu risus quis varius.
We look into the future of heat pump water heaters in Part 3 of our series on heat pump water heaters. How will their costs compare to gas? And what will grid flexibility mean to the homeowner with thermal storage in their tank? Pierre Delforge explains the economics of the electric grid why thermal storage gives consumers the biggest bang for their buck.
In part 2 of our conversation with Pierre Delforge, we take a look at incentives for heat pump hot water heaters that makes now a great time to buy one. If your heat pump water heater is a thermal battery, you'll compound your savings for years to come.
Heat Pump Water Heaters - what are they, and why are they so helpful for homeowners? How do they differentiate from other types of heat pumps, and what type of homes are they the best fits for?
Dive deep into the differences between heat pump types with Harvest's COO. Learn all about Heat Pump Water Heaters and the emission and cost savings they provide.
Home battery storage sees new innovation with Harvest's smart thermal battery solution. Designed for both hot water and home heating, saves on gas bills with an electric HVAC system