World News

Wopke Hoekstra: "The F-gas regulation delivers high ambition while respecting the EU’s international obligations" EUROPE: The European Commission has stood by the F-gas Regulation in…

SWITZERLAND: A two-year survey of over 1,000 heat pump installations across Central Europe claims that 17% of air-source and 2% of ground-source heat pumps fail to meet European efficiency standards. 

GERMANY: Nearly 90% of German homeowners are satisfied or very satisfied with their heat pump and over 80% would recommend the technology to relatives and friends, a new survey reveals.

JAPAN: A high-efficiency IPM motor with reluctance torque used in air conditioners has been awarded Japan’s 18th Electrical Technology Foundation of Electricity Award.

GERMANY: Daikin’s CO2 VRV will be available from next month as a single 10hp unit with the choice of round flow cassette and ceiling concealed indoor units.

UK: A group of environment-focused European NGOs have written to the European Commission to urge support for the roll-out of best-in-class “natural” refrigerant heat pumps.

INDIA: Copeland has inaugurated a new 15,000m2 state-of-the-art engineering and technology centre in Pune, India.

USA: Honeywell has announced the commercial availability of its lower GWP A2L refrigerant blends for the North American market.

GERMANY: In a world first, a passenger train with a propane air conditioning system has completed successful trials in Germany. 

ITALY: Italian customs and law enforcement agencies have seized over a thousand cylinders of refrigerant, containing around 14 tonnes of illegal HFC gas.

JAPAN/GERMANY: Panasonic is to investment €30m in Tado, the Munich-based manufacturer of domestic thermostats and air conditioning controls.

DENMARK: The Danish authorities have been criticised by the air conditioning and refrigeration industry for failing in its responsibilities to police the F-gas regulations.

GREECE: Greek customs authorities claim to have imposed a fine of €2.9m following the seizure of 8.2 tonnes of illegal HFC refrigerant at the port of Thessaloniki.

UAE: Empower has signed an agreement to supply 9,470RT of district cooling to the Palm Gateway project in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. 

USA: Chemours has launched a full-scale product trial of its new two-phase immersion cooling fluid Opteon 2P50 with Japanese IT company NTT Data and engineering firm, Hibiya Engineering.

HUNGARY: Haier Europe Appliances Holdings has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of Klima Kft, a Budapest-based air conditioning wholesaler and contractor, from E.ON MyEnergy.

GERMANY: The cost of buying and installing a heat pump in Germany is sometimes almost twice as high as in the UK, a new report reveals.

DENMARK/NETHERLANDS: Tefcold, the Danish commercial refrigeration equipment wholesaler, has acquired Serrco, a Dutch specialist in beverage cooling including back bars and high-end keg coolers.

EUROPE: The use of renewable energy sources in heating and cooling continues to increase in the EU, with its share of energy from renewables reaching 26.2% in 2023.

POLAND: Investigators looking into the fatal domestic heat pump explosion in Chrząstowice in August, have revealed that the cause was the failure to use a non-reactive gas during pressure testing.

UK: To mark International Women’s Day, the International Network of Women in Cooling (INWIC) has officially launched a Mentorship Programme to encourage knowledge exchange and career development in the industry. 

USA: Ritchie Engineering has announced the sudden death of company president Tom Ritchie after he suffered a stroke on March 2.

CANADA: Panasonic looks to increase availability of its residential heat pumps across Canada following the signing of a distribution agreement with Emco. 

USA: Carrier has joined forces with Google Cloud in a move that the company says will enhance grid flexibility and support smarter energy management.

The INS Ranvir INDIA: The wrong refrigerant used in the air conditioning system of an Indian Navy destroyer has been blamed for a “blast” which…

USA/CHINA: UL Solutions has announced new testing capabilities for low GWP refrigerants at its laboratory in China.

USA: Wieland, the German manufacturer of copper and copper alloy tubes and components has broken ground on a $500m capital investment in its facility located in East Alton, Illinois.