EU project will tackle R290 heat pump safety

EUROPE: A new EU project is to develop guidelines for installers and consumers using heat pumps that contain flammable refrigerants. 

Co-funded by the European Union LIFE Programme, the SkillSafe EU project, aims to support the safe handling of outdoor-installed R290-based residential air-to-water monobloc heat pumps. 

Led by Daikin Europe, the project partners include the European Heat Pump Association, the Dutch refrigeration association NVKL and Italian training company CSIM.

The project organiser maintains that the existing safety standards do not consider the total lifecycle of R290 heat pumps and can cause significant safety concerns to individuals in the vicinity, if not handled or installed with appropriate safety. 

This requires an upskilling of current installers in the market to meet the stricter safety levels of installing heat pumps with highly flammable refrigerants.

Backed by €1.3m of EU funding, the project aims to create a robust framework for the safe design, storage, transport, installation, and disposal of these heat pumps. In this way, it aims to ensure the protection of both installers and consumers while accelerating the transition to more sustainable heating and cooling solutions. 

Specifically, the project will focus on identifying existing safety challenges and best practices, developing unified guidelines and risk assessments. Pilot projects will also be carried out in five countries to test the effectiveness of the guidelines in real-world scenarios.