Brooklyn-based startup Electra Research is developing battery-powered induction stoves to help balance electricity grid loads and improve household energy efficiency. Due to the lengthy process of connecting directly to the grid, the company is focusing on behind-the-meter energy storage solutions. By integrating high-energy-consuming kitchen appliances with batteries, Electra aims to help households transition to clean energy while providing additional capacity to the grid when needed. The smart stoves, which began shipping across the United States in April, operate with standard 120-volt outlets, eliminating the need for additional electrical infrastructure modifications in kitchens.
Electra Research founder Bert Muthalaly argues that integrating batteries with some of the most energy-intensive household activities, such as water heating, cooling, and cooking, is a practical approach to improving energy efficiency. Manufactured at the company’s Brooklyn facility, the stoves are equipped with a 5-kilowatt-hour battery. The battery charges during periods of high solar generation and discharges during peak demand periods to support the grid. Consuming 80% less peak power than conventional electric resistance stoves, the devices can also continue operating during power outages.
Priced at $3,999, the product stands out by reducing installation costs. Many conventional electric stoves require 240-volt connections, potentially leading to thousands of dollars in additional expenses for electrical panel upgrades or major wiring modifications. Electra’s battery-powered system can be plugged directly into existing outlets, eliminating these costs. The company has shipped 75 units across the United States so far and aims to deliver thousands more by the end of the year.
The company is targeting not only individual households but also multifamily housing projects. An 80-unit apartment project in the Bronx and pilot programs in Burbank, California, are among the initiatives supporting the wider deployment of the technology. In regions such as New York and California, where local building regulations are increasingly restricting natural gas use, demand for electric and low-emission solutions such as Electra’s technology is also growing.
Electra continues to optimize its assembly processes at its Brooklyn facility while expanding its research and development activities. Operating with an “climate research laboratory” vision, the company is evaluating how much of its manufacturing should remain local and how much could be moved overseas to achieve cost advantages. Equipped with lithium iron phosphate batteries, the stoves are designed to improve cooking performance while reducing household carbon footprints and supporting a more sustainable energy consumption model.
Source: Solarbaba – In Turkish
