Panasonic and Reclaim Energy have partnered to develop a new heat-pump hot water system for the Australian market. They claim that it is up to five times more efficient than gas or traditional electric heating.

Panasonic and Australia's Reclaim Energy have teamed up to offer heat pump technology that can heat water up to 80 C, for both residential and commercial use.

The offering pairs Panasonic’s CO2 Heat Pump with Reclaim Energy’s hot water system design. It will be available in Australia from December.

Panasonic’s CO2 Heat Pump boasts a 6.1 coefficient of performance, meaning for every unit of electrical energy used, 6.1 units of heating energy is produced.

Heat pumps are gaining traction in Australia, with a recent report from Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator noting that air source heat pumps installations are up 70% compared to the first half of 2022.

The heat pump system collects heat from the external air using a heat exchanger and uses it as energy for the refrigerant. It then transfers this energy from the hot refrigerant to produce hot water. Both the heat pump and storage tank are designed for external installation.

Panasonic said it has installed approximately 2 million hot water heat pumps in the Japanese market.

Paul Reid, managing director of Panasonic Australia