Changing of the guard in heat pumps: R-32 bows out, R-454C and R290 take over
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ENInformational and educational content, prepared by Q-Tech from public sources and data declared by manufacturers. It is not technical or legal advice. Legal notice and sources at the end of the article.
1. Panasonic's N series: R-454C at low capacity
At Chillventa 2026 Panasonic presented, as a pre-launch, the Aquarea High-Performance N series, its air-to-water split with R-454C for the gap that R-32 leaves from 2027.
| Item | N series (declared by Panasonic) |
|---|---|
| Refrigerant | R-454C (A2L, GWP below 150) |
| Type | Split: refrigerant piping between outdoor and indoor unit |
| Capacities | 3, 5, 7 and 9 kW |
| Refrigerant piping | Up to 50 m length and 30 m height difference |
| Energy class | A+++ at 35 °C, A++ at 55 °C; DHW up to A+ |
| Indoor unit | All-in-one, 1,575 mm high, 599 × 602 mm footprint |
| Noise | 58 dB(A) sound power (ErP), 5 kW outdoor unit |
| Connectivity | Cloud adaptor as standard (Comfort Cloud and Service Cloud) |
| Not yet published | Maximum water temperature, operating range, refrigerant charge, numerical SCOP |
| Spanish price list | Not in Panasonic's 2026-2027 Spanish price list, which still carries its R-32 splits (generation K) |
2. Three gases in the same conversation
| R-32 | R-454C | R290 (propane) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composition | Difluoromethane (CH₂F₂), single component | Blend: 21.5 % R-32 + 78.5 % R-1234yf (by mass) | Propane (C₃H₈), single component |
| Family | HFC | HFC + HFO blend | Hydrocarbon, natural refrigerant |
| Safety class (ISO 817) | A2L, mildly flammable | A2L, mildly flammable | A3, highly flammable |
| GWP in Regulation 2024/573 | 675 | 145.5 | Not a fluorinated gas |
| GWP with IPCC AR6 values | 771 | About 166 (Q-Tech calculation) | 0.02 |
| Temperature glide | None | 6–8 K | None |
| Critical temperature | 78.1 °C | 85.7 °C | 96.7 °C |
| Practical charge limit | 0.061 kg/m³ | 0.059 kg/m³ | 0.008 kg/m³ |
| Charging and recharging | Vapour or liquid phase | Liquid phase; avoid partial top-ups after a leak (Thermor) | With gas detector and ATEX tools |
| Spanish tax on recharging | €10.13/kg | €0 | €0 |
| Patents on the gas | No | Yes | No |
| Status | Being phased out | Compliant today, 3 % below the limit | No end date |
R-32 on its way out, R-454C arriving with a patent, R290 asking for a safety zone. So what do we do with this tangle of gases? The installer with R-32 in the warehouse, the engineer signing off a 20-year project and the user who just wants hot water and a cool house in August are all asking at once. One step at a time.
F-Gas rules by equipment type (Regulation (EU) 2024/573, Annex IV; ban on placing new equipment on the market with the stated GWP or higher):
| Equipment type | Capacity | Until 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | Later | Gases that fit in 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-contained: monobloc or hydrosplit | Up to 12 kW | — | GWP 150 | Proof of earlier placing on the market for stock | — | — | 2032: no fluorinated gases | R-454C until 2031; R290 with no end date |
| Self-contained: monobloc or hydrosplit | 12 to 50 kW | — | GWP 150 | — | — | — | — | R-454C and R290 |
| Other self-contained | Over 50 kW | — | — | — | — | GWP 150 | — | R-32 until 2029 |
| Air-to-water split | Up to 12 kW | 2025: GWP 750 if under 3 kg | GWP 150 | Proof of earlier placing on the market for stock | — | — | 2035: no fluorinated gases | R-454C until 2034; R290 |
| Air-to-air split | Up to 12 kW | 2025: GWP 750 if under 3 kg | — | — | GWP 150 | — | 2035: no fluorinated gases | R-32 until 2028 |
| Air-to-air and air-to-water split | Over 12 kW | 2025: GWP 750 if under 3 kg | — | — | GWP 750 | — | 2033: GWP 150 | R-32 until 2032 |
| Cooling-only chiller | Up to 12 kW | — | GWP 150 | — | — | — | 2032: no fluorinated gases | R-454C until 2031; R290 |
| Cooling-only chiller | Over 12 kW | — | GWP 750 | — | — | — | — | R-32, R-454B, R-454C, R290 |
Source: European Commission, “Air conditioning: climate-friendly alternatives to F-gases” (April 2025), and Annex IV of the Regulation. “No fluorinated gases”: natural refrigerants only, such as R290, unless the safety exception applies.
| Key point | What the Regulation says |
|---|---|
| Self-contained or split | Self-contained (Art. 3(38)): complete factory-made equipment with no refrigerant connections made on site. Split (Art. 3(39)): units connected by refrigerant piping on site. A hydrosplit, with all the refrigerant in the outdoor unit and only water to the indoor unit, is self-contained: it follows the monobloc dates |
| Chiller or heat pump | A reversible heat pump chiller follows the self-contained dates for its capacity; a cooling-only chiller follows the chiller dates. This is how Daikin classifies its chiller range |
| Safety exception | If the safety rules at the site rule out the alternative, the limit becomes GWP 750. The operator decides, with a documented risk assessment; the customer's own internal requirements do not count, and the unit carries the label “prohibited to be operated unless required by safety requirements” with the rule applied (Rittal, F-Gas seminar 2026). Where R290 is ruled out for safety, A2L refrigerants with GWP below 150 are allowed (Commission, via EHPA) |
| The date that counts | The date the equipment is placed on the EU market, not the installation date. Equipment placed on the market earlier may be sold, installed, maintained and repaired. Once a ban has applied for a year (2028 for the 2027 bans), the distributor must keep proof that the unit was placed on the market earlier (Art. 11, per the Commission) |
| Replacing one unit of a split | For the Commission, replacing the indoor or outdoor unit makes it a new system (Umweltbundesamt). Example: Daikin offers to replace R-410A VRV outdoor units, keeping piping and indoor units, only until 31-12-2028; from 2029 the switch is to R-32 |
| Servicing | Since 2026, recharging heat pumps and air conditioners with gases of GWP 2,500 or more is banned (Art. 13(4)). R-410A (2,088) and R-32 (675) can still be recharged |
| Leak checks | Mandatory from 5 t CO₂ eq (Art. 5): about 7.4 kg of R-32 or 34 kg of R-454C. Pure HFOs, newly in scope, are checked by mass: from 1 kg (Tennaxia) |
| Installer certificates | Existing certificates remain valid; refresher training or assessment before 12-3-2029, then every 7 years (Tennaxia). Training now covers alternative refrigerants such as R290 |
| Other milestones | What happens | Affects |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 and 2030 | The EU HFC quota falls from 42.9 Mt CO₂ eq (2025–2026) to 21.7 Mt (2027–2029) and 9.1 Mt (2030–2032): halved in 2027 and another sharp cut in 2030 (Gas Servei, Solimpeks) | Price and availability of R-32 and R-410A for recharging |
| 1-1-2028 | Germany: the federal BEG EM subsidy only covers heat pumps with natural refrigerants | R-454C and R-32 lose the subsidy in Germany |
| 1-1-2028 | ETS2, emissions trading for heating and transport, starts: every €50/t of CO₂ adds about 1 cent per kWh to natural gas (Solimpeks) | Widens the running-cost gap in favour of heat pumps |
| Before 1-1-2030 | Commission report on the application of the Regulation, including splits with bans not yet in force | Dates from 2032 to 2035 |
| No date | GWP values updated with new IPCC reports (Art. 35) | R-454C: about 166 with current values |
What type of machine each range is in the 2026 Spanish price lists:
| Type under F-Gas | How to spot it in the catalogue | R290 | R-32 or R-410A still listed | R-454C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-contained (monobloc or hydrosplit), up to 50 kW | Only water between units: “monobloc”, “hydrosplit”, “hydraulic bi-bloc”, “100 % hydraulic”. Samsung puts it this way: “fully hydraulic installation, with no need to handle refrigerant” | Carrier AquaSnap 30AWH-P (4–14 kW); Daikin Altherma 4 Silent EPSK (6–14 kW); Hisense Hi-Therma II R290 (5–15.5 kW); Midea M-Thermon HT, Nature Plus, Mars Plus and Mars (4–40 kW); Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan PUZ-WZ (6–18 kW); Panasonic Aquarea L and T-CAP M (5–30 kW); Samsung EHS Mono R290 (5–16 kW); Vaillant aroTHERM exclusive ES, plus ES and perform (4–21 kW); Viessmann Vitocal 150-A, 250-A and 200-A ie (up to 18.5 kW) and 250-A Pro (39.5 kW); Domusa Teknik Dual Clima HT PRO (6–22 kW) | R-32: Daikin Altherma 3 Monobloc, Domusa Teknik Dual Clima R, Hisense Hi-Therma R32 Monobloc, Midea M-Thermon A, Panasonic monobloc generation J | Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan Power+ CAHV-R (40 kW, commercial) |
| Air-to-water split | Refrigerant piping to a hydrokit or indoor module: “split”, “bibloc” | No range in the price lists reviewed | R-32: Carrier XP Energy 38AW-R; Daikin Altherma 3 Bibloc and Supra; Hisense Hi-Therma R32 Split; Midea M-Theri and M-Thermur; Mitsubishi Electric SUZ-SWM, PUZ-SWM, PUZ-SHWM and PUHZ-SW; Panasonic High Performance and T-CAP generation K; Samsung EHS Split, TDM Plus and Quint; Vaillant aroTHERM Split plus and pure; Viessmann Vitocal 100-S and 111-S. R-410A: Vaillant aroTHERM Split plus 12 kW, Viessmann Vitocal 200-S and 222-S | Panasonic N series (pre-launch at Chillventa 2026; not yet in the Spanish price list) |
| DHW-only split | DHW heat pump with outdoor unit and refrigerant piping | — | — | Midea Combo Split R-454C (1.8 kW, 0.9 kg) |
| Commercial heat pump and chiller | “iB”, “Power+” ranges, 13 to 40 kW | Mitsubishi Electric MEHP-iB-G09 (13–38 kW, announced as coming soon) | Mitsubishi Electric MEHP-iB-G07 (R-32) | Mitsubishi Electric CAHV-R |
Source: 2026 price lists and catalogues from Carrier, Daikin, Domusa Teknik, Hisense, Midea, Mitsubishi Electric, Panasonic, Samsung, Vaillant and Viessmann.
Reading: in self-contained units the offer is already R290. In splits nearly everything is still R-32: air-to-water splits up to 12 kW can only be sold if placed on the EU market before 1 January 2027; those over 12 kW, until 2032. R-454C appears in only two products in the price lists reviewed.
3. Do you have to choose between R-454C and R290?
Rarely because of the gas. What you choose is the equipment.
| Horizon or criterion | R-454C | R290 | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance, short term | Class A+++ at 35 °C (N series) | Class A+++ at 35 °C | Equal; the theoretical calculation gives the same heating COP (2.31 at −10 °C and 55 °C water) and a 1–2 % difference in cooling |
| Performance, long term | No change | No change | The gas does not age differently |
| Legal framework, long term | 3 % below the 150 limit (“close to the limit”, according to Rittal, which rules out R-454C for its products); Art. 35 allows GWP values to be updated (about 166 with current IPCC values); Commission review before 2030 | No exposure | Advantage R290 |
| Offer up to 9 kW | Panasonic N series | All manufacturers | There is a choice |
| Offer from 12 to 16 kW | None among the manufacturers reviewed | All manufacturers | R290 only |
| Manufacturer and series | Gas | Type | Capacities | SCOP 35 °C / 55 °C | EER A35W7 | Cooling (outdoor) | DHW up to (outdoor) | Max water | Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panasonic Aquarea High-Performance N | R-454C | Split | 3, 5, 7 and 9 kW | A+++ / A++ | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Panasonic Aquarea T-CAP M | R290 | Monobloc | 9, 12 and 16 kW | 4.73–5.00 / 3.46–3.70 | 3.61 (9 kW); 2.85 (12 kW); 2.87 (16 kW) | +10 to +43 °C | +43 °C | 75 °C | Not stated |
| Daikin Altherma 4 Silent EPSK | R290 | Hydrosplit | 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 | A+++ / A+++ | 3.3–3.9 (at maximum capacity) | +10 to +43 °C | +40 °C | 70 °C (single-phase); 75 °C (three-phase) | 1.1–1.4 kg |
| Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan PUZ-WZ | R290 | Monobloc | 6.2 to 18.3 kW (maximum A7W35) | 4.47–4.71 / 3.48–3.51 | 2.9–3.3 | Not stated | Not stated | 75 °C | Not stated |
| Viessmann Vitocal 250-A | R290 | Monobloc | 10 and 13 kW | 4.96–5.01 / 3.87–3.93 | 3.3–3.4 | +10 to +45 °C | Not stated | 70 °C | 1.2–2.0 kg (150-A and 250-A) |
| Midea Nature Plus | R290 | Monobloc | 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 kW | 4.72–5.35 / 3.85–4.06 | 2.70–3.35 | −5 to +46 °C | +46 °C | 80 °C | 1.1–1.5 kg |
| Samsung EHS Mono R290 | R290 | Monobloc | 5, 8, 12 and 16 kW | 4.70–5.10 / 3.55–3.65 | Not stated | +10 to +46 °C | +43 °C | 75 °C | 0.63–1.25 kg |
| Vaillant aroTHERM plus ES | R290 | Monobloc | 5, 8, 12 and 15 kW | A+++ / A+++ | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | 70 °C | 0.5–1.05 kg |
| Carrier AquaSnap 30AWH-P | R290 | Monobloc | 4 to 14 kW | 4.69–4.82 / 3.34–3.35 | 2.90–3.15 | Up to +46 °C | Not stated | 75 °C | 0.39–1.07 kg |
| Domusa Teknik Dual Clima HT PRO | R290 | Monobloc | 6, 9, 12, 16, 19 and 22 kW | 5.06–5.21 / 3.87–4.01 | Not stated | +10 to +45 °C | Not stated | 75 °C | 0.80–2.0 kg |
Data declared by each manufacturer in its 2026 Spanish price lists and catalogues; SCOP for Panasonic, Mitsubishi Electric and Viessmann from their data sheets. Compare the SCOP and EER of the model, not the gas. All R290 units from 8 to 16 kW carry between 0.6 and 2.0 kg of refrigerant. In hot-summer zones, the outdoor limit for cooling and DHW is the figure to check.
4. When summer dominates and when winter dominates
| Situation | R-454C | R290 | What tips the balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer dominates (Spanish CTE climate zones 3 and 4: Málaga A3, Almería A4, Seville and Córdoba B4), with DHW | Valid | Valid | R290 stores hotter DHW: more litres and more hours free for cooling |
| Winter dominates (zones D and E: Madrid D3, Burgos and León E1) | Valid if the manufacturer declares capacity at −10 and −15 °C | Valid | R290 delivers 70–75 °C water in severe cold without a backup heater |
Cooling (Q-Tech theoretical calculation, 7 °C flow, same equipment design):
| Outdoor | COP R-32 | COP R-454C | COP R290 | Discharge R-32 | Discharge R-454C | Discharge R290 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 °C | 2.93 | 3.02–3.09 | 3.03 | 110 °C | 75 °C | 71 °C |
| 40 °C | 2.54 | 2.60–2.66 | 2.62 | 120 °C | 81 °C | 77 °C |
| 43 °C | 2.33 | 2.38–2.43 | 2.40 | 126 °C | 85 °C | 81 °C |
| 47 °C | 2.09 | 2.11–2.16 | 2.15 | 135 °C | 90 °C | 85 °C |
All three gases lose around 30 % of COP from 35 to 47 °C; R-454C and R290 stay 1 to 6 % above R-32. The R-454C range depends on how its glide is used.
Heating (Q-Tech theoretical calculation, same equipment design):
| Condition | COP R-32 | COP R-454C | COP R290 | Discharge R-32 | Discharge R-454C | Discharge R290 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C outdoor, 35 °C water | 3.40 | 3.51 | 3.46 | 120 °C | 73 °C | 69 °C |
| −10 °C outdoor, 55 °C water | 2.32 | 2.31 | 2.31 | 173 °C without injection | 100 °C | 96 °C |
| −15 °C outdoor, 55 °C water | 2.19 | 2.17 | 2.17 | 184 °C without injection | 104 °C | 100 °C |
| Winter data | Reading |
|---|---|
| Volumetric capacity of R-454C | 39 to 48 % lower than R-32: the manufacturer compensates with a larger compressor. Ask for its capacity curve at −10 and −15 °C |
| R290 units in the table | Declare 70–75 °C water and operation down to −25 or −28 °C |
| Panasonic, technical seminar | COP of its R290 units up to 20–26 % higher than equivalent R-32 units at −20 °C and 55 °C (GLOBEnergia) |
In cooling and heating they perform the same for the same design. In the south, R290 adds DHW margin; in the north and inland, temperature margin.
5. What R290 does add: temperature
Its critical temperature (96.7 °C) allows 70–75 °C water without an electric heater.
| Use | What it allows | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| DHW | Storing at 65–70 °C: 25 to 43 % more water at 45 °C than storing at 55 °C | Thermostatic mixing valve at the cylinder outlet |
| Buffer | More energy in the same tank: fewer compressor starts and more consumption shifted to cheap hours | Mixing valve towards the emitters. A bigger tank means more litres per kW: above 40 L/kW, VDI 2035 requires demineralised water |
| Underfloor heating | Accepts a buffer or DHW at high temperature | Always with a mixing valve; maximum flow 45 °C |
| Radiators | Running existing radiators at a higher temperature | If the heat-loss calculation allows it; low-temperature radiators remain preferable |
| Summer | While producing DHW the heat pump does not cool: 200 L a day at 40 °C takes about 38 minutes at 9 kW, with any gas. Charging at night (off-peak 2.0TD tariff, 0 to 8 h) or from PV leaves the afternoon for cooling | Scheduled charging; DHW has an outdoor limit (manufacturer table) |
| Storage temperature | DHW 200 L: energy (mains 15 °C) | DHW 200 L: litres at 45 °C (mains 15 / 20 °C) | Buffer 100 L: energy (return 30 °C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45 °C | — | — | 1.7 kWh |
| 55 °C | 9.3 kWh | 267 / 280 L | 2.9 kWh |
| 60 °C | 10.5 kWh | 300 / 320 L | 3.5 kWh |
| 65 °C | 11.6 kWh | 333 / 360 L | 4.1 kWh |
| 70 °C | 12.8 kWh | 367 / 400 L | 4.7 kWh |
Q-Tech calculation: energy = volume × 1.163 × temperature rise ÷ 1,000; litres = volume × (storage − mains) ÷ (use − mains). Manufacturers publish it the same way: Vaillant states that its 188 L uniTOWER, storing at 70 °C with 10 °C mains water, equals 376 L at 40 °C.
R-454C can also store hot water, with less margin: Daikin declared 65 °C for its R-454C model; the N series has not yet published its maximum.
The price: declared SCOP drops by 22 to 27 % from 35 to 55 °C. Storing hot pays off with cheap energy (off-peak or PV), not at any hour.
6. The downside: water at high temperature
| Factor | What happens at 60–70 °C | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Scale | Bicarbonates turn into carbonates and precipitate above about 60 °C (Caleffi); the coil loses heat transfer | Water softener or anti-scale treatment with hard water |
| Conductivity | Rises by about 2 % per degree: more galvanic corrosion and faster anode consumption | Caleffi reference for DHW: below 1,500 µS/cm, pH 6.5–8.5, iron below 0.5 mg/L |
| Chlorides | Together with temperature, the main cause of pitting in stainless steel | Choose the material based on a water analysis |
| Legionella | In favour: 60 °C or more makes control easier | Mandatory in installations within the scope of Spanish Royal Decree 487/2022 |
| Cylinder material | Protection | For | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glass-lined carbon steel (DIN 4753-3) | Magnesium or impressed-current anode | Cost; the material of many DHW heat pumps (Midea Combo: enamelled steel and magnesium anode) | Anode consumption with hot, conductive water |
| Stainless AISI 316L (1.4404) | Self-passivating, with molybdenum | No anode with normal drinking water; twice the chloride tolerance of 304L and up to 90 °C (Lapesa) | High chlorides |
| Ferritic stainless AISI 444 (1.4521) | Self-passivating, with molybdenum, nickel-free | Pitting resistance similar to 316L; no chloride stress corrosion cracking | Welding and manufacturing quality |
| Duplex 2205 (1.4462) and lean duplex 2101 (1.4162) | Self-passivating | Twice the yield strength: thinner walls and a lighter tank; Trinnity declares 8 bar, 95 °C, no anode and a 10-year warranty (2205); Mitsubishi Electric offers its 200 L cylinder in a duplex 2205 version, and Domusa Teknik uses duplex 2205 in its Hydrea DHW heat pumps | Price and availability |
And the primary circuit. The reference is the German VDI 2035 guideline, which manufacturers cite in their manuals (for example, Vaillant):
| VDI 2035 (Part 1, 2021) | Low-salt (recommended) | Saline |
|---|---|---|
| Conductivity at 25 °C | 10–100 µS/cm | 100–1,500 µS/cm |
| Dissolved oxygen | Below 0.1 mg/l | Below 0.02 mg/l |
| pH | 8.2–10.0 (8.2–9.0 with aluminium) | 8.2–10.0 (8.2–9.0 with aluminium) |
| Fill and make-up water hardness | Depends on capacity and litres per kW of the system; above 40 L/kW, demineralised water (below 0.3 °dH) | |
The full hardness table, the pH, conductivity and oxygen values and how to fill the system are in our article VDI 2035: water quality in heat pumps and heating systems. Storage types will get an article of their own.
7. The Chillventa injunctions
| Company | Measures | Basis | Gases cited | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemours (Opteon) | Against four exhibitors | Patents on blends with R-1234yf | R-454B, R-452A, R-454A, R-454C and R-513A | Cooling Post, 21-10-2026 |
| Solstice Advanced Materials (formerly Honeywell) | Five preliminary injunctions from the regional courts of Frankfurt and Nuremberg; bailiffs removed marketing material from the stands | European patents on the manufacturing process of an HFO and the composition of a proprietary blend | Not specified | Cooling Post, 17-10-2026 |
The exhibitors concerned have not been named. The measures target those offering the gas, not heat pump manufacturers using it under licence.
| For | What it means |
|---|---|
| Installer | Buy R-454C only through authorised channels: unlicensed gas can be withdrawn and its composition is not guaranteed |
| Engineer and owner | R-454C supply depends on the patent holders while the patents are in force |
| R290 | No composition patents: refrigerant-grade propane |
8. Practical differences, manufacturers and news
| Aspect | R-454C | R290 |
|---|---|---|
| Configurations | Split (refrigerant up to the indoor unit) | Monobloc and hydrosplit (refrigerant outside); ground source and some splits with R290 indoors, with charge limited by IEC 60335-2-40 and room volume |
| Refrigerant inside the home | Yes, within A2L charge limits | No, except indoor units (for example, Domusa Teknik Nanoclima, with no outdoor unit: 0.40 kg) |
| Refrigerant circuit on site | Piping, vacuum and charging | Factory sealed (monobloc and hydrosplit) |
| Degassing of the water circuit | Not applicable: the gas does not travel inside through the water | Gas separator in the outdoor unit so propane cannot enter the heating system if the heat exchanger fails: standard on Viessmann (“patented gas separator”) and Vaillant, optional on Carrier AquaSnap and on Domusa Teknik (“recommended option”); gas-liquid separator on Panasonic M; indoor air vents as per the manual |
| Who installs | Refrigeration company with F-gas certified staff | No F-gas certificate needed (Panasonic highlights this in its price list), but Spanish refrigeration safety rules (RSIF) apply: a RITE-registered or level-1 refrigeration company if the unit is not opened on site (CNI) |
| Maintenance | F-gas certified staff | Mandatory contract with a level-2 refrigeration company from 0.5 kg, even for monoblocs (CNI). In the price lists reviewed, all R290 units from 8 to 16 kW exceed that charge; below that, some do not (Carrier 4 kW: 0.39 kg) |
| Circuit repair | F-gas certified | Level 2, gas detector and ATEX tools (FEGECA) |
| Periodic leak checks | Not required: 2 kg is about 0.3 t CO₂ eq, well below 5 t | Not applicable |
| Long-term gas supply | Patented; R-1234yf is included in the EU PFAS restriction proposal | No restrictions foreseen |
| Owner's €500,000 liability insurance | Depends on the charge and the installation's RSIF classification | Not required below 50 t CO₂ eq (CNI) |
| Home insurance | No specific rule; notify the installation | Same |
| Gas | Manufacturers |
|---|---|
| R-454C | In 2026 Spanish price lists: Mitsubishi Electric (Ecodan Power+ CAHV-R, 40 kW) and Midea (Combo Split R-454C, DHW). Not yet listed: Panasonic (Aquarea High-Performance N, 3–9 kW, in pre-launch at Chillventa 2026); Daikin (Altherma 4 H, 4 to 8 kW, announced in 2023). Thermor states that it does not use it |
| R290 | Carrier (AquaSnap 30AWH-P), Daikin (Altherma 4 Silent), Hisense (Hi-Therma II R290), Midea (M-Thermon HT, Nature Plus, Mars), Mitsubishi Electric (Ecodan PUZ-WZ), Panasonic (Aquarea L and M), Samsung (EHS Mono R290), Vaillant (aroTHERM exclusive ES, plus ES and perform), Viessmann (Vitocal 150-A, 250-A and 200-A ie), Domusa Teknik (Dual Clima HT PRO, Nanoclima). Also LG (Therma V R290) and Thermor |
| Date | News | Affects |
|---|---|---|
| 1-1-2027 | End of R-32 in new residential heat pumps (monobloc and air-to-water split up to 12 kW) | R-32 |
| October 2026 | Injunctions at Chillventa | R-454C and other HFO blends |
| October 2026 | Panasonic extends its R290 M range (Refindustry) | R290 |
| In progress | ECHA PFAS restriction proposal, which includes R-1234yf | R-454C |
What to choose and what to avoid
| Situation | Option | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 9 kW, a split is wanted | R-454C (N series) | Buying a new R-32 split after 2026: it can no longer be placed on the market |
| Up to 9 kW, a monobloc fits | R290 or R-454C depending on the model | Deciding by gas without comparing SCOP and EER |
| 12 to 16 kW | R290 | — |
| High DHW demand or a hot south with heavy cooling | R290 with mixing valve and off-peak charging | Storing at 70 °C without checking the water and the cylinder |
| Hard water or high chlorides | Any gas, with treatment and a suitable cylinder | Glass-lined tank without anode monitoring at high temperature |
| Harsh winter (zones D and E) | R290, or R-454C with declared capacity at the design temperature | Choosing without the capacity curve at −10 and −15 °C |
| 20-year project or sale in Germany | R290 | Relying on the R-454C GWP margin |
| R-32 unit already installed | Keep it | Replacing it only because of the regulation |
Heat pumps with Q-Tech
Q-Tech advises on and integrates the heat pump with the controls, DHW and the rest of the home's systems. Refrigerant handling and legal registration are carried out by a qualified partner installation company. It is also supplied as a pre-assembled plant room, with the mixing valve and the cylinder already integrated. Q-Tech also offers Panasonic Aquarea technical support. More models in heat pump systems.
To discuss a project: Q-Tech WhatsApp or info@q-tech.es.
Legal notice on this content
Purpose. This article summarises, for purely informational, educational and outreach purposes, the changes that Regulation (EU) 2024/573 on fluorinated gases brings to heat pumps and what Q-Tech saw at Chillventa 2026 (Nuremberg). Data reviewed on 6 November 2026.
Origin of the information. The content is based on the public sources listed below and on the data that manufacturers declare in their price lists, catalogues and data sheets. Q-Tech's calculations are theoretical and based on the assumptions stated in each table.
Scope. It is not technical, legal or professional advice, and it does not replace the official text of the regulations, the manufacturer's documentation or the design of each project by a competent engineer or an authorised company. Regulations and data may change after the review date, and the content may contain errors or omissions. It does not guarantee the performance, consumption or regulatory compliance of any specific installation.
Liability. Before designing, buying, installing or maintaining equipment, the requirements must be checked against current regulations (Official Journal of the EU and the Spanish BOE), with the manufacturer and with an authorised professional. Q-TECH HOUSES DIVISION S.L.UNIP. accepts no liability for decisions taken solely on the basis of this content.
Trademarks and images. The trademarks and trade names mentioned belong to their owners and are cited only to identify products and sources. Texts and infographics: © 2026 Q-TECH HOUSES DIVISION S.L.UNIP. (q-tech.es). They may be quoted with a link to this page; full reproduction or modification requires prior permission.
Sources consulted
- Panasonic: Aquarea T-CAP M catalogue (2025); WH-WXG installation manual (R290); Refindustry, “Panasonic expands Aquarea range with new M and N series models” (20 October 2026).
- Daikin: Altherma 4 H catalogue (2025); Cooling Post, “Daikin Altherma 4 on R454C and R290” (March 2023).
- Mitsubishi Electric: Ecodan R290 PUZ-WZ data sheets (2025); Ecodan CAHV-R manual.
- Viessmann: Vitocal 250-A data sheet. Midea: 2026 price list. Vaillant: aroTHERM plus installation manual. Domusa Teknik: heat pump price list 2026-2.
- Thermor: “Fluide R454C: caractéristiques, réglementation et installation”.
- Cooling Post: Solstice (17 October 2026) and Chemours (21 October 2026) injunctions at Chillventa.
- CNI: “Refrigerante R290: atención en la instalación y el mantenimiento” (3 April 2025). FEGECA: “Uso seguro de las bombas de calor compactas con R-290”.
- European Commission: “Air conditioning: climate-friendly alternatives to F-gases” (9 April 2025). Umweltbundesamt: F-Gas Regulation FAQ, section 9.
- Regulation (EU) 2024/573, Articles 3, 5, 13 and 35 and Annex IV. EHPA: guide to the new F-Gas Regulation (November 2024). Spanish Law 16/2013, Article 5.
- Bundesverband Wärmepumpe: BEG EM changes (20 July 2026).
- 2026 Spanish price lists and catalogues: Carrier (AquaSnap 30AWH-P, XP Energy), Daikin (April 2026), Domusa Teknik (2026-2), Hisense, Midea, Mitsubishi Electric (Ecodan), Panasonic (2026-2027), Samsung (EHS), Vaillant (general catalogue) and Viessmann (residential price list, September 2026). Asofrío: “Nuevas prohibiciones de la F-Gas en 2027” (4 September 2026). European Commission: F-gas obligations for equipment and products (October 2025).
- Rittal: “New F-Gas Regulation” seminar (2026). Daikin: “Ahora o nunca” VRV replacement leaflet.
- Gas Servei: “Nuevo reglamento F-Gas” (HFC quota by period). Solimpeks: F-Gas and R290 guide (15-9-2026) and ETS2 guide (14-9-2026). Vaillant: fluorinated gas regulations.
- Caleffi: water quality in DHW systems. Lapesa: DHW cylinder catalogue. Trinnity: duplex 2205 cylinders.
- VDI 2035 Part 1, March 2021 (heating water quality; incorporates the former Part 2). Royal Decree 487/2022 (Legionella). CoolProp: thermodynamic properties for the Q-Tech calculation.
Deutsche Version lesen
Wachablösung bei der Wärmepumpe: R-32 tritt ab, R-454C und R290 übernehmen
Informativer und allgemein verständlicher Inhalt, von Q-Tech auf Grundlage öffentlicher Quellen und der Herstellerangaben erstellt. Keine technische oder rechtliche Beratung. Stand der Daten: 6. November 2026.
Auf der Chillventa 2026 stellte Panasonic als Vorpremiere die Serie Aquarea High-Performance N vor: einen Luft-Wasser-Split mit R-454C (A2L, GWP unter 150) in 3, 5, 7 und 9 kW, für die Lücke, die R-32 ab 2027 hinterlässt. In der spanischen Panasonic-Preisliste 2026-2027 ist die Serie noch nicht enthalten. Wir vergleichen R-32, R-454C und R290.
In 30 Sekunden
- Regelwerk: Ab 1.1.2027 dürfen Kompaktgeräte (Monoblock und Hydrosplit) bis 50 kW und Luft-Wasser-Splits bis 12 kW nur noch mit F-Gasen unter GWP 150 neu in Verkehr gebracht werden (Verordnung (EU) 2024/573, Anhang IV). Maßgeblich ist das Inverkehrbringen, nicht die Installation; bereits installierte Geräte dürfen weiter betrieben und gewartet werden.
- R-454C: Gemisch aus 21,5 % R-32 und 78,5 % R-1234yf, A2L, GWP 145,5 und damit 3 % unter dem Grenzwert. Patentiert; R-1234yf ist im PFAS-Beschränkungsvorschlag der ECHA enthalten.
- R290: Propan, natürliches Kältemittel der Klasse A3, keine Patente auf die Zusammensetzung, kein Ausstiegsdatum. Kritische Temperatur 96,7 °C: Wasser mit 70–75 °C ohne elektrischen Heizstab.
- Effizienz: Bei gleicher Gerätekonstruktion liefern beide Gase laut theoretischer Berechnung von Q-Tech praktisch denselben COP. Verglichen werden SCOP und EER des Modells, nicht das Gas.
- Angebot: In den spanischen Preislisten 2026 sind Kompaktgeräte bereits R290; von 12 bis 16 kW gibt es bei den untersuchten Herstellern nur R290. R-454C taucht nur bei zwei Geräten auf.
Was wählen und was nicht
| Situation | Option | Vermeiden |
|---|---|---|
| Bis 9 kW, Split gewünscht | R-454C (N-Serie) | Nach 2026 einen neuen R-32-Split kaufen: Er wird nicht mehr in Verkehr gebracht |
| Bis 9 kW, Monoblock möglich | R290 oder R-454C je nach Modell | Nach dem Gas entscheiden, ohne SCOP und EER zu vergleichen |
| 12 bis 16 kW | R290 | — |
| Hoher Warmwasserbedarf oder Süden mit viel Kühlung | R290 mit Mischventil und Laden im Niedertarif | Mit 70 °C speichern, ohne Wasser und Speicher zu prüfen |
| Hartes oder chloridhaltiges Wasser | Jedes Gas, mit Wasseraufbereitung und passendem Speicher | Emaillierter Speicher ohne Anodenkontrolle bei hoher Temperatur |
| Strenger Winter | R290 oder R-454C mit angegebener Leistung bei Auslegungstemperatur | Ohne Leistungskurve bei −10 und −15 °C wählen |
| Projekt über 20 Jahre oder Verkauf in Deutschland (BEG EM ab 1.1.2028 nur mit natürlichem Kältemittel) | R290 | Sich auf den GWP-Spielraum des R-454C verlassen |
| Bereits installiertes R-32-Gerät | Behalten | Nur wegen der neuen Verordnung austauschen |
Wärmepumpen mit Q-Tech in Málaga (Spanien)
Q-Tech berät und integriert die Wärmepumpe mit der Regelung, dem Warmwasser und den übrigen Systemen des Hauses. Den Umgang mit dem Kältemittel und die behördliche Anmeldung übernimmt ein zugelassener Partner-Fachbetrieb. Lieferbar auch als vormontierter Technikraum, mit bereits integriertem Mischventil und Speicher. Kontakt: WhatsApp von Q-Tech oder info@q-tech.es (auf Spanisch oder Englisch).
Rechtlicher Hinweis: Dieser Inhalt dient ausschließlich Informations-, Bildungs- und Aufklärungszwecken. Er ersetzt weder den amtlichen Wortlaut der Vorschriften noch die Unterlagen des Herstellers noch die Planung durch einen zugelassenen Fachbetrieb und kann Fehler oder Auslassungen enthalten. Q-TECH HOUSES DIVISION S.L.UNIP. haftet nicht für Entscheidungen, die allein auf Grundlage dieses Inhalts getroffen werden. Texte und Infografiken: © 2026 Q-TECH HOUSES DIVISION S.L.UNIP. (q-tech.es); Zitieren mit Link auf diese Seite erlaubt.
Quellen: Verordnung (EU) 2024/573 (Art. 3, 5, 13 und 35, Anhang IV); Europäische Kommission; EHPA; Umweltbundesamt; Bundesverband Wärmepumpe; spanische Preislisten und Kataloge 2026 von Carrier, Daikin, Domusa Teknik, Hisense, Midea, Mitsubishi Electric, Panasonic, Samsung, Vaillant und Viessmann; Cooling Post; Refindustry; CNI; FEGECA; Thermor; Rittal; Caleffi; VDI 2035; CoolProp. Vollständige Liste in der spanischen Version.
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