Communications chief joins EHPA board

BELGIUM: Julia Panzer, Danfoss director, strategic communication, has joined the board of the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA).

Panzer was elected last week at the association’s general assembly in Vienna. Commenting on the appointment, she said: “I am delighted to be joining EHPA’s board and would like to contribute strategic and communications insights in our effort to decarbonise the heating and cooling sector, starting with heat pumps.”

The new board will represent the industry until 2020, which the EHPA sees as a crucial period to push the decarbonisation of heating and cooling high on the list of priorities of the next European Commission. Board member Georg Blümel of Daikin/Rotex stated: “My motivation for serving on the EHPA board: fighting to make heat pumps the best option for heating and cooling – because governments are losing ambition.”

EHPA’s secretary general, Thomas Nowak said: “Heat pump technology is central to delivering the EU climate and energy targets. We need a strong and united voice that will bring our vision in the ongoing policy discussions. We need to make sure that heat pumps will play their part and help bridge among various technologies. I am therefore delighted that the new board is set to tackle this challenge and bring many successes ahead of us.”

In addition to Julia Panzer and Georg Blümel the board comprises: Prof Wim Boydens, Boydens Engineering (Belgium); Dr Johannes Brugmann, Stiebel-Eltron (Germany); Eric Delforge, Mayekawa (Belgium); Dr Thomas Fleckl, Austrian Institute of Technology; Martin Forsen, Nibe (Sweden); Jussi Hirvonen. SULPU – Finnish Heat Pump association; Dina Koepke, Emerson Climate Technologies (Germany).