Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions has confirmed that its Aquarea L Generation heat pumps, which use the natural refrigerant R290, are available from spring 2023. The company set out the detail in a news item published on 3 May 2023, which also reported a visit by the Rt Hon Grant Shapps, MP, Secretary of State for the Department of Energy Security & Net Zero, to its Welwyn Garden City headquarters and heat pump training centre1.
The L Generation is described as being based on the same new design as the Aquarea K Generation, but using R290, which Panasonic says has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of only 31. The K Generation units are described as redesigned units that recently gained a "BEST 100 Design Award 2022", and are presented as suitable for all types of properties, new or retrofit1. Panasonic states that it introduced its first heating and cooling product into Europe more than 60 years ago1.
The same announcement covered an installer incentive scheme. Panasonic said it offers £500 in Rewards on completion of accredited heat pump training and a first Panasonic installation, with terms and conditions applying, and that the scheme is due to launch in May 20231. The Secretary of State described the scheme as encouraging installers to train in low-carbon technologies and receive £500 upon completion of their training and their first installation of a low-carbon heat pump1.
"the new Aquarea 'L' Generation, available from spring 2023, is also based on the same new design, however using the natural refrigerant R290"
The announcement also referred to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which it said provides upfront capital grants to support the installation of heat pumps and biomass boilers in homes and non-domestic buildings in England and Wales1. No grant rates, eligibility conditions or dates for that scheme are given in the announcement.
| Item | Detail as reported |
|---|---|
| Aquarea L Generation availability | Spring 20231 |
| Refrigerant | R290, GWP of 31 |
| Aquarea K Generation | Redesigned units, BEST 100 Design Award 20221 |
| Installer incentive | £500 in Rewards on completion of accredited training and first Panasonic installation; terms and conditions apply1 |
| Incentive launch | May 20231 |
Why it matters for households
The refrigerant inside a heat pump is one of the factors that determines its environmental footprint, and R290 sits at the low end of that scale with a GWP of 3 as reported here1. Households weighing up a Panasonic Aquarea air source heat pump may see R290 and R32 units presented as alternatives; the differences between them are set out in the site's comparison of R290 vs R32 heat pumps, and the regulatory background is covered in Heat Pump Refrigerants: R290, R32 and the F-Gas Rules. For a home's energy independence, the refrigerant choice does not change how much heat a system delivers per unit of electricity, but it does affect the emissions associated with the equipment itself over its life.
The installer training scheme matters indirectly to households, because the quality of installation affects how well a heat pump performs in practice. Panasonic's own head of renewables said training helps ensure installations are of a high quality and provides reassurance in their reliability and high level of energy efficiency, which he said helps reduce carbon and energy costs1. The wider heat-pumps hub carries related coverage.
What happens next
Panasonic said the installer incentive scheme is due to launch in May 20231. No further dates for the L Generation range, and no UK pricing, were reported in the announcement.
Sources1 cited
- Panasonic HQ Heat Pump Training Centre in Welwyn Receives Ministerial Visit, aircon.panasonic.eu