LG Electronics is set to lead the next-generation heating and cooling market with its industrial heat pump that significantly increases both temperature and capacity.
The company announced on July 8 that it has supplied a large-capacity, high-temperature industrial heat pump system rated at 1,000 refrigeration tons (RT) to Ajin P&P, a paper manufacturing company in Daegu, which began full operation earlier this month.
This initiative is part of a national research and development project overseen by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, involving a total of 15 industry-academia partnerships since 2023.
The supplied product raises the outlet temperature from approximately 90 degrees Celsius to 108 degrees Celsius (with a maximum of 118 degrees), achieving a capacity of up to 1,040 RT. The high-temperature water, exceeding 100 degrees, can be utilized in various industrial processes, including drying in paper mills and sterilization in food, chemical, and oil refining industries, thereby reducing carbon emissions and energy costs.
According to market research firm MarketsandMarkets, the global industrial heat pump market is expected to grow to $4.8 billion (approximately 6.5 trillion won) this year.
The product enhances energy efficiency by utilizing electric energy and waste heat recovery instead of fossil fuels. It also incorporates LG's self-developed large-capacity, oil-free magnetic bearing technology, which lowers maintenance and electricity costs. The system uses an environmentally friendly refrigerant (R-1233zd) with a global warming potential (GWP) of 1.
LG Electronics has previously demonstrated its technological capabilities by winning the 2024 Korea Technology Award and the 2023 IR52 Jang Young-sil Award.
The industrial heat pump business is rapidly expanding internationally. Last year, LG supplied district heating heat pumps to Ørsted in Denmark and is currently actively pursuing contracts in North America and Europe, including the United States, Canada, Norway, and Finland.
Domestically, leveraging 15 years of accumulated business expertise, LG was recently selected as the top contractor for the '2026 Jeju Heat Pump Supply Project.'
Lee Jae-sung, President of LG Electronics' Energy Solutions Division, stated, "We will strengthen our global market strategy in the heat pump sector, fundamentally transforming heating and cooling methods in residential, commercial, and industrial spaces with differentiated core components and technology."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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