The adoption of heat pumps has been growing, and one company has given consumers yet another reason to be excited about the devices after unveiling its new state-of-the-art technology.
As PV Magazine detailed, multinational conglomerate Johnson Controls has developed a first-of-its-kind commercial heat pump using a refrigerant with a lower "global warming potential," or GWP, than other types.
In other words, the United States-based company has made a heat pump that's even more environmentally friendly while not eliminating any of the money-saving advantages that come with the energy-efficient devices.
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"We're not waiting for the future. We're engineering it," the manufacturer wrote on its website.
The "YVWH-200 Water-to-Water Variable Speed Dual Screw Heat Pump" reportedly has a combined coefficient of performance of 4.1, meaning that about four units of heat power are generated by each single unit of input power, per Adams Air.
Johnson Controls also stated that the pump — in another first — is able to heat water up to 80 degrees Celsius (176 degrees Fahrenheit). At the same time, it can reliably chill water to five degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit).
According to the manufacturer's website, using the pump cuts carbon pollution linked to rising global temperatures by 20% annually.
While this product is designed for commercial use, the lower-GWP refrigerant is good news more broadly as well. And Johnson Controls isn't the only company to invest in the development of a next-generation heat pump, as it joined Bosch, Daikin, and Midea in the U.S. Department of Energy's Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge back in 2021.
According to MSN, Lennox International, Carrier, Trane Technologies, and Rheem have also been part of the initiative.
PV Magazine noted that the new product from Johnson Controls is already available for commercial purchase, making the company well ahead of the game as the U.S. looks to transition to more planet-friendly technology.
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Beginning next year, the Environmental Protection Agency intends to start restricting the use of compounds known as hydrofluorocarbons that have higher GWPs.
"Low-GWP refrigerants and the electrification of heating and cooling with heat pumps are two essential pieces of a successful sustainability strategy," Todd Grabowski, the vice president and general manager of Applied Equipment at Johnson Controls, said in a press release.
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