Mitsubishi Electric has announced the launch of its Ecodan R290 heat pump, a residential unit using R290 refrigerant and manufactured at its factory in Livingston, Scotland1. The announcement was published on 13 November 20231.
The company states the unit can achieve Coefficient of Performance (COP) values greater than four in heating mode, and that even at temperatures as low as -15°C it can reach a heating temperature of 75°C, which it describes as matching a traditional gas boiler1. It also states the product is designed to operate quietly and allows for multiple zone control1. Mitsubishi Electric describes R290 as a hydrocarbon refrigerant with low global warming potential (GWP)1.
On running costs, the company says that for a typical household, using the Ofgem definition and the recent October price cap figures, running the system at a lower flow temperature would result in greater overall savings, with more to be gained where a household integrates solar PV panels, accesses an agile tariff, or uses energy storage via a buffer tank1. No specific figures for those savings, and no unit price for the heat pump, are given in the announcement1.
James Chaplen, Head of Product Marketing and Communications for Mitsubishi Electric's Residential Product Group, said:
"The case for heat pumps to be the default technology for home heating and hot water just got stronger. And with that, so has the future for the decarbonisation of home heating."
The company frames the launch around the government target of Net Zero by 20501. Further technical detail, including capacity ratings by model size, sound power figures and warranty terms, has not been reported in the announcement1.
| Claim | Figure given |
|---|---|
| COP in heating mode | greater than four |
| Lowest stated operating temperature | -15°C |
| Maximum stated heating temperature | 75°C |
| Place of manufacture | Livingston, Scotland |
Why it matters for households
The refrigerant a heat pump uses affects both its performance and its regulatory position. R290 is a hydrocarbon with low global warming potential, which places it differently from the fluorinated refrigerants covered by the F-Gas rules, and it is the subject of a separate comparison against R32 in R290 vs R32 heat pumps and in the wider guide to heat pump refrigerants.
The stated ability to reach 75°C at -15°C is the claim with the most direct bearing on a home's energy independence, because it suggests the unit can serve existing radiators and hot water cylinders without the fabric upgrades that lower-temperature operation often assumes. Mitsubishi Electric's own cost commentary points the other way, noting that lower flow temperatures produce greater savings, which is the trade-off a household weighs between keeping existing emitters and running the system at its most efficient. The reference to solar PV, agile tariffs and buffer-tank storage describes a home that generates or shifts its own electricity, which is the route to independence from grid price movements rather than from the grid itself.
The unit sits within the company's existing Mitsubishi Electric heat pump range and alongside other heat pump manufacturers supplying UK homes. Households comparing it against the main alternative can read Daikin Altherma vs Mitsubishi Ecodan, and those weighing electrified heating against combustion can read heat pump vs biomass boiler.
What happens next
No availability date, price, model range or installer certification requirements are given in the announcement1. The company directs readers to its product page for further information1.
Sources1 cited
- Mitsubishi Electric Launch R290 Ecodan | Mitsubishi Electric, les.mitsubishielectric.co.uk