Panasonic has decided to invest €145 million ($144.4 million) to expand the manufacturing capacity of its heat pump factory in Czechia.
The investment will allow the factory to start production of outdoor units within the next fiscal year, in addition to the indoor units already being manufactured. The air-to-water heat pump system technology allows heaters to maintain their heating capacity even at low outdoor temperatures, according to the company.
Panasonic aims to increase its annual production capacity to 500,000 units by March 2026.
“Currently, a shift in energy sources reducing gas and other fossil fuels while enabling for more electrification is rapidly taking place in Europe. Due to the rising environmental awareness and the recent circumstances surrounding energy supply, there has been a pressing need for Panasonic to establish a production capacity to meet such growing demand,” the company said.
Since April, Panasonic has offered an air-source heat pump that can be combined with residential rooftop solar for water heating. The Eco Cute solution includes a heat pump and hot water storage unit that purportedly saves energy by maintaining bathwater temperatures at a constant level.
It also helps homeowners to save energy at night by using heat from their bathwater. In addition, the device reduces energy and water use.
Panasonic started production of air-to-water indoor heat pumps in Plzen, Czechia, in 2018. It also launched an Internet of Things (IoT)-based maintenance business in Denmark in the last fiscal year.
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