After serving for 15 years as the internet’s leading marketplace for hydrocarbon cooling and heating technologies and trusted source for industry news, Hydrocarbons21.com is shutting down, with the website’s marketplace and news moving to the brand new NaturalRefrigerants.com. “I’m really proud of what we’ve done for propane with Hydrocarbons21.com, which is globally recognized as a trusted source of information,” said Marc Chasserot, Founder and CEO of ATMOsphere, the publisher of Hydrocarbons21.com and NaturalRefrigerants.com. The new NaturalRefrigerants.com is a one-stop shop for natural re ..read more

In laboratory testing, Lithuanian OEM Refra has found that a new magnetic expansion valve, manufactured by Siemens, increases the winter time operation efficiency of 30kW (8.5TR) propane (R290) heat pumps by 16% compared to an electronic expansion valve. According to Aleksej Pavšukov, Refra CEO, the new Siemens MVL702 valve allows the superheat control to be within 0.1‒0.2K. Electronic valves control superheat to within 2‒3K, making 7K the normal temperature difference for heat pumps. “With the higher level of control, we can set the superheat values lower and get as close as possible to 5K to ..read more

Norway-based Vestre calls itself the “world’s greenest furniture company,” and part of its sustainability credentials are based on its use of propane (R290) heat pumps and chillers at its newest factory, The Plus. Vestre has manufactured furniture for more than 70 years and makes outdoor benches, chairs, recycling bins and more using metal, wood and concrete. In 2022 it opened The Plus, which it has dubbed “the world’s most environmentally friendly furniture factory.” The Plus is located in the town of Magnor on the Swedish border and covers 7,000m2 (75,347ft2). Vestre says the factory’s energ ..read more

Japan-based Panasonic Corporation has announced plans for a September European release of its new Aquarea M Series R290 (propane) air-to-water (A2W) heat pump, suitable for multi-dwelling complexes, offices, stores and other light commercial applications. The M Series extends the existing R290 Aquarea line, which has six residential models with heating capacities from 3 to 16kW (0.85 to 4.55TR), to commercial applications with three models providing 20, 25 and 30kW (5.7, 7.1 and 8.5TR) capacities, according to a Panasonic press release. “R32 refrigerant has been mainstream for A2W in multi-dwe ..read more

Aira, a Swedish home energy company, has launched a new propane (R290)-based domestic air-to-water heat pump for the European market that will be sold directly to consumers through a monthly payment plan with zero upfront costs. Aira is a portfolio company of Swedish climate venture capital firm Vargas and began operations in June 2023, with its first heat pumps supplied by German OEM Vaillant. The specifics: The heat pump can produce water temperatures up to 70°C (158°F) for space heating (via radiators or underfloor piping) and domestic hot water. The system includes an outdoor unit, hot wat ..read more

Hoshizaki America, a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan-based foodservice equipment manufacuturer Hoshizaki, has announced it has acquired 25% of Fogel, a commercial refrigeration-solutions provider based in Panama with manufacturing facilities in Guatemala, for $28 million (€25.6 million). With more than 55 years of refrigeration experience, Fogel manufactures isobutane (R600a) and propane (R290) refrigerators, freezers and beverage coolers. The company has distributors in Latin America and the United States. “The integration of Fogel into the Hoshizaki Alliance will enable the group to offer a ..read more

In a report written to support the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), industry experts concluded that investments must be made in alternative heat pump designs such as hydronic loop systems to facilitate the transition to natural refrigerants in this equipment, particularly propane (R290). These “indirect systems,” such as chillers and air-to-water heat pumps, which are commonly employed in Europe, “can leapfrog to natural refrigerants more easily and be used for combinations of purposes (e.g., space heating, cooling, and domestic hot water),” the report said. These ..read more

It will most likely not be until “2025 or later” before an ASHRAE standards committee approves the use of up to 4.9kg (10.9lbs) of flammable (A3) refrigerants like propane (R290) in outdoor (indirect) heat pumps and air conditioners in the U.S., according to the committee’s chair. “This is not going to be a quick process,” said Jim VerShaw, chair of ASHRAE’s SSPC (Standing Standard Project Committee) 15.2 and Chief Engineer, Residential HVAC for Trane Technologies. SPCC 15.2 oversees ASHRAE’s 15.2-2022 Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems in Residential Applications. The proposed amendmen ..read more

Italian component manufacturer Carel has announced in a LinkedIn post that it will showcase two new “A3-ready” components for residential heat pumps, its E2V-K hermetic electronic expansion valve and a three-phase inverter with active power factor correction (PFC), at the 2024 Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE). Both products are defined by Carel as safe for use with A3 refrigerants, which includes hydrocarbons such as propane (R290). MCE will be held March 12‒15 in Milan, Italy, at the Fiera Milano Exhibition Center.  Carel said in a press release, “[Our] commitment to reducing emissions ..read more

The share of R290 (propane) equipment in China’s light commercial refrigeration sector is forecast to reach 60% by 2024, according to Ping Yang, General Manager at China IOL, which collects data on the country’s HVAC&R industry.  R290 refrigeration equipment accounted for 58% of the light commercial refrigeration equipment market in 2022, with China IOL estimating that figure will reach 59% in 2023 and 60% in 2024.   “In refrigerated sales ‒ aside from R134a and R404A ‒ R290 and R600a (isobutane) have started to be used as environmentally friendly refrigerants,” Yang said.&n ..read more