Panasonic will be making a complete move to R32 in 2018.
According to 2014 EU F-Gas Regulation (517/2014), Europe must reduce the Global Warming Performance year by year. This regulation defines how each industry needs to contribute to reach the total European target.
In the air conditioning industry, this affects single split air conditioning systems containing less than 3kg of fluorinated greenhouse gases. The refrigerant within this system must be less than 750 global warming potential (GWP) by the year 2025. Panasonic is ready now to supply any kind of residential single split and multi split system with up to five ports, in addition to commercial splits of up to 14kW.
For many years, R32 has been used as a component part of the R407C and R410A refrigerant blends. On its own, however, R32 offers a number of significant advantages over blended refrigerants.
The A2L-classed R32 has a much lower impact on global warming when compared to its blended predecessors - its GWP is significantly lower than that of R410A. When considering future legislation and the anticipated reduction in the availability of refrigerants, plus a drive towards the use of lower GWP refrigerants, Panasonic products will be future-proofed. R32 is also a more efficient alternative to R410A, with realistic efficiency increases of up to 10 percent, according to the company, leading to significant energy savings for building services managers.
Alfredos Armaos, UK country manager at Panasonic Heating and Cooling, said: “Consolidating our portfolio to be compatible with R32 is an important step towards reducing the impact of air conditioning on our environment. For suppliers, it allows them to offer a more sustainable solution, and for installers, it introduces the opportunity to offer a more energy-efficient and cost effective option to clients.”