LG said Thursday it has signed an agreement with three universities in Norway and Italy to form the European Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research (ECAHR) to develop heat pumps capable of high performance even in extreme cold conditions down to minus 40 degrees Celsius.
Oslo Metropolitan University and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Norway, and the University of Naples Federico II in Italy are participating in the partnership signed in Oslo on Tuesday (local time).
This follows LG's opening of an Advanced Cold Climate Heat Pump Laboratory in Alaska last November. In August, LG also plans to partner with top universities in China to set up another cold climate heat pump R&D center in Harbin.
With this three-pronged approach across different regions, LG aims to develop next-generation heat pump systems optimized for diverse climates and building structures worldwide. The systems will be used for the company’s next-generation HVAC systems.
Leveraging its core component technologies like compressors and motors developed in-house, LG seeks to differentiate its heat pump solutions amid the global shift towards electrification and eco-friendly heating and cooling. The company is also building a localized end-to-end ecosystem for HVAC spanning R&D, sales, installation and after-sales service across 62 regions.
"Through next-gen heat pump tech tailored to regional climate conditions, we will enhance LG's influence in the global HVAC market," said Lee Jae-sung, president of LG's air solution business.
