European heat pump market ushers in a new era of R290 refrigerant

Recently, the European heat pump market has ushered in a green revolution, with a number of leading companies launching heat pump products using R290 refrigerant, marking a solid step forward in promoting low-carbon environmental protection, energy saving and emission reduction in Europe.

At the HVACR & Sanitary Exhibition (MCE) 2024 in Milan, Italy, GMCC Meiji, a system-level solution provider of core components for consumer electrical appliances, and Welling joined hands to showcase a number of system-level solutions for heat pumps using R290 refrigerant. These solutions cover a wide range of applications such as heat pump heating, heat pump water heaters, heat pump dryers and heat pump swimming pools, etc. With the advantages of high energy efficiency, high reliability and environmental protection, these solutions have attracted the attention of many European and global consumers.

GMCC and Welling have been working on R290 refrigerant technology for many years and have been in the leading position in the industry. The products on display include R290 refrigerant rotor, scroll and other specialized compressors for heat pumps, as well as highly efficient and highly reliable compressors for swimming pool heat pumps and rotor compressors for heat pump clothes dryers. These products not only meet the European market demand for high-efficiency, green, environmentally friendly products, but also through technological innovation to enhance the level of energy efficiency and operational stability of the products.

It is worth noting that R290 refrigerant, as a natural refrigerant, has excellent environmental performance and energy efficiency. With the increasingly stringent restrictions on fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-Gases) in Europe, R290 refrigerant is favored for its low global warming potential (GWP). According to the European Commission's proposed EU Fluorinated Gases Bill (F-Gas Bill), from January 2025, integral units (including plug-and-play room and self-contained air conditioning and heat pump units) will be banned from using F-Gases with a GWP of more than 150. This policy has boosted the widespread adoption of R290 refrigerant in the European heat pump market.

At the HVACR and Kitchen & Bath Fair (ISH) in Frankfurt, nearly 40 exhibitors also displayed heat pump models using R290 refrigerant. Most of these products are domestic heat pump triplex products, which can provide multiple functions such as heating, air conditioning and domestic hot water. A number of well-known manufacturers such as Bosch, Daikin, Mitsubishi and Panasonic have made appearances, showcasing their latest achievements in R290 heat pump technology.

According to industry experts, R290 refrigerant heat pump products will see explosive growth in the European market with the gradual implementation of the EU's F-gas bill and increased consumer demand for environmentally friendly products. It is expected that by 2024, millions of R290 air-to-water heat pumps will be put on the market, becoming the new focus of the European HVAC industry.

The wide application of R290 refrigerant in the European heat pump market not only reflects Europe's determination and power of action on environmental protection policies, but also sets a benchmark for the green and sustainable development of the global heat pump industry. In the future, with the continuous progress of technology and market expansion, R290 refrigerant heat pump products will be applied and promoted in more fields, contributing to the global energy saving and emission reduction cause.