With the implementation of the European F-Gas III regulation bringing further restrictions on high-GWP refrigerants, the pressure is growing on manufacturers and the wider supply chain to adapt.
Poolstar Group, available in the UK through Automated Environmental Systems, has decided not to wait for the regulatory timetable to dictate the pace of change. The manufacturer has announced plans to convert its complete Poolex heat pump range to R290 refrigerant by 2027.
For the trade, the move signals where the company sees the pool heating market heading and gives installers and distributors a clear roadmap for the transition.
R32 has become a familiar refrigerant across the heat pump market. However, with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 675, it remains subject to increasing environmental scrutiny. R290, by contrast, is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon refrigerant with an exceptionally low GWP. Poolstar puts its GWP at 0.02.
That represents a significant reduction and makes R290 an increasingly important technology as European legislation continues to drive the industry towards lower-GWP alternatives.
For installers, specifying R290 equipment also offers an opportunity to address one of the questions increasingly being asked by customers: how future-proof is the system I’m buying today? The case for R290 isn’t purely about compliance. Its thermodynamic properties make it well suited to heat pump applications, particularly when ambient temperatures begin to fall. That is significant for swimming pools, where demand for heating doesn’t necessarily stop when summer ends.
Maintaining heating performance during the cooler months can help homeowners and operators extend the swimming season into spring and autumn, while keeping energy efficiency firmly on the agenda.
Poolstar says several models in the Poolex range achieve SCOP A-class performance, giving installers another specification point when discussing running costs and efficiency with customers. Installers need access to suitable equipment, technical information and training, while distributors need confidence that product availability will be maintained throughout the changeover.
Poolstar says its strategy is designed to support that transition. The Poolex range will cover capacities from 3 to 100 kW, providing solutions for applications ranging from residential spas and swimming pools through to larger commercial and public pool installations.
The company also intends to maintain R32 stock during the transition period. That means distributors and installers will not be faced with an overnight switch, while the market gradually moves towards R290 technology.
AES
Tel. 01284 658770
automatedenvironmentalsystems.co.uk
