Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Experts & Thought Leaders

Mitsubishi Electric, the UK’s largest heat pump manufacturer, is proud to announce that its Training Centre in Hatfield has been approved as an LCL Level 3 training center for air source heat pumps. This prestigious accreditation is a testament to the company’s commitment to providing top-tier education and training for installers in the renewable heating sector. LCL Level 3 training Installers who register for the LCL Level 3 training at the Hatfield Training Centre, and who meet the grant eligibility criteria, can benefit from a £500 grant to cover most of the training cost. On completion of the three-day course, installers will receive an LCL Awards Level 3 Certificate, which is recognized by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). In addition to this, Mitsubishi Electric is offering a two-day training course in low temperature and hot water at its Hatfield center. LCL Level 3 award The LCL accreditation ensures that Mitsubishi Electric’s training programs meet the rigorous standards The LCL Level 3 award is a nationally recognized qualification that signifies excellence in training and competency in the installation and maintenance of heat pumps. Mitsubishi Electric manufactures the award-winning Ecodan heat pumps. The LCL accreditation ensures that Mitsubishi Electric’s training programs meet the rigorous standards set by the industry and equip participants with the essential skills and knowledge to advance in the growing renewable energy market. Comprehensive training for a sustainable future The Hatfield Training Centre offers comprehensive courses designed to support the growing demand for sustainable heating solutions. As the government and private sector increasingly invest in renewable energy, the need for skilled installers in air source heat pump technology continues to rise. Mitsubishi Electric’s training programs provide a thorough understanding of heat pump systems, including design, installation, and maintenance, ensuring participants are fully prepared to meet industry demands. sustainability and renewable energy  Lance Hutchison, Head of Customer Experience at Mitsubishi Electric said, “We are thrilled to receive the LCL Level 3 accreditation. This recognition reinforces our commitment to sustainability and highlights the importance of equipping installers with the skills they need to drive the transition to renewable energy sources heating." "There are great and growing opportunities for trained heat pump installers as the nation moves away from gas boilers.” Supporting the UK’s Net Zero Goals Heat pumps play a critical role in this transition by providing energy-efficient heating solutions The UK government has set ambitious targets to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Heat pumps play a critical role in this transition by providing energy-efficient heating solutions that significantly reduce the carbon footprint. Mitsubishi Electric is dedicated to supporting these goals, such as through the manufacture of heat pumps at its factory in Livingston and by offering high-quality training for installers. State-of-the-art facilities and expert trainers Mitsubishi Electric’s Hatfield Training Centre is a state-of-the-art facility with the latest Ecodan heat pumps and is staffed by experienced trainers who are experts in their field. The center offers hands-on training sessions, classroom-based, including pioneering virtual reality technology, and online learning to ensure participants gain a comprehensive understanding of heat pump technologies. Enroll Today Installers interested in advancing their careers in the renewable energy sector can enroll in Mitsubishi Electric’s accredited training programs.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Europe (MHIAE), part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd, a global provider of HVAC solutions, is proud to announce the launch of its latest whitepaper, ‘Commercial heating and cooling approaches in the journey to Net Zero.’ The heating and cooling sector is widely accepted as one of the greatest challenges to meeting Net Zero by 2050. This whitepaper has been specifically developed for specifiers, consultants, and stakeholders within the HVAC industry. Promoting behavioural change It outlines the challenges in designing HVAC systems in new and existing commercial buildings where CO2 emissions remain stubbornly high and offers solutions and approaches for overcoming the issues. The paper considers the financial impacts of compliance (including the cost of purchasing new energy-efficient equipment), rising energy costs, challenges of energy grid integration, and growth in end-user demand. The document presents solutions and innovative approaches, emphasizing the importance of government support through legislative and regulatory adjustments alongside financial incentives. Such measures are crucial for addressing the skills gap, promoting behavioral change, accelerating the uptake of new technologies, and ultimately reaching Net Zero.

A Group company of Japanese multinational Mitsubishi Electric, the Bangalore-headquartered Climaveneta Climate Technologies, is investing over INR 400 crore in the state-of-the-art plant at Narsapura, Kolar district, a key industrial hub located around 50 km from Bengaluru. Climaveneta is a pioneering manufacturer of high-efficiency cooling equipment and precision as well as data center cooling systems. Presently having an order booking of over INR 500 Cr, the company is targeting to double the annual order intake in the next 5 Years.  Export hub in cooling systems The state-of-the-art plant will manufacture central air-conditioning equipment such as Screw Chillers Climaveneta Climate Technologies (CCT), India’s fastest growing chiller producer and market pioneer in Co-location DC Chillers in India, will also be a major export hub in cooling systems for nearby regions.  The state-of-the-art plant will manufacture central air-conditioning equipment such as Screw Chillers, Magnetic Levitation Technology Chillers, Scroll Chillers, Conventional Centrifugal Chillers, High Precision AC units, Heat Pumps, for HVAC application. Data center infrastructure CCT Serves major clients all over India, that include pioneering global DC Companies, Multinational Hotel Chains, Health Care establishments, Malls, Multiplexes, Commercial Projects of Pioneering Developers, Corporate Groups and Industrial applications.  Mr. Anil Dev, Chief Executive Officer, Climaveneta Climate Technologies, India, said: “India’s rapid digitalization, driven by government initiatives, e-commerce, cloud adoption, and AI, calls for a strong data center infrastructure, to support this growth." HVAC products and solutions Climaveneta India is building on the high demand and growth story of the data center markets in India Dev added: "Reliable cooling systems are essential to prevent equipment failures in data centers. CCT’s advanced, sustainable, and efficient air conditioning solutions ensure ideal environments across data centers, commercial buildings, healthcare, manufacturing, and more, supported by intelligent plant automation and optimization solutions to provide the most reliable and efficient environment & infrastructure for such projects." Climaveneta India is building on the high demand and growth story of the data center markets in India. This market is concentrated largely in West India (Navi Mumbai), followed by Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Kolkata. The company is also a pioneer in providing other highly efficient HVAC products and solutions and has to their credit several innovations introduced by them in India. central air conditioning equipment “Bengaluru, with its skilled talent and established industries, is ideal for our facility, which will create approximately 500 jobs. It will also manufacture a wide range of central air conditioning equipment for both domestic and international markets." "We will always strive to bring efficient technologies to the Indian market and pursue ethical growth by giving the highest priority to sustainability and protection of the environment,” added Anil Dev. HVAC monitoring & diagnostic systems HVAC kit accounts for a notable portion of a facility or a building’s energy consumption and operating costs HVAC equipment accounts for a significant portion of a facility or a building’s energy consumption and operating costs. HVAC monitoring & diagnostic systems can help to lower these expenditures by continuously monitoring the environmental conditions, health and operating efficiency of the plant, providing automatic alerts in case of deficiency in performance. They also help to minimize breakdowns. Mr. Masafumi Ando, Chief Executive Officer, Mitsubishi Electric Hydronic and IT Cooling S.p.A, said: “The group is targeting 2050 for achieving complete carbon neutrality and Climaveneta India is playing a major role in this plan. Climaveneta India’s products are vital now given the buoyant Indian economy and also the sudden and rapid change in industrial dynamics." Global warming implications "Europe and many developed countries are phasing out refrigerants that have global warming implications and hence alternative technologies are the need of the hour. The company’s products ensure zero percent ozone depletion, and the current high demand for environment-friendly and energy-efficient cooling systems reflects this change.” “Mitsubishi Electric plans to enhance its investment over the next few years and expand operations in and around Bangalore as well as other locations," said Atsushi Takase, Managing Director, Mitsubishi Electric India. IMEC and TMEIC Mitsubishi Electric Group already has two more of its companies in the Karnataka region Takase added: "The vast availability of skilled manpower and the presence of manufacturing and technology companies in the city and a favorable government policy is the biggest pull factor for Mitsubishi Electric,”  Apart from Climaveneta India, the Mitsubishi Electric Group already has two more of its companies in the Karnataka region – Mitsubishi Elevator India Private Limited (IMEC) and Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation (TMEIC), a 50-50 joint venture between Japan’s Toshiba Corporation and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, which manufacture Elevators, Escalators & UPS Solutions, respectively.  Achievements of Climaveneta Climate Technologies Fastest Growing Chiller Manufacturer in India A Market Pioneer in Co-location DC Chillers  First to manufacture in India & supply AHRI Certified Data Center Application Specific Chillers (Air Conditioning Heating Refrigeration Institute, the Global Performance certifying Agency headquartered in USA)  First to start manufacturing & supply of Lowest Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerant R1234ze based Chillers in India for DC application First to launch & supply Made in India, State of the Art Magnetic Levitation Air Cooled Chillers First to start manufacturing in India “Plug & Play” Chillers with inbuilt Pumps with integrated variable flow control management

“Decarbonising home heating represents one of the biggest challenges to the government achieving net zero,” was a conclusion of the recent National Audit Office report ‘Decarbonising home heating’. The facts, the report states clearly in the opening are: 18% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2021 were from home heating and 55,000 heat pumps were sold in the UK in 2022. decarbonizing home heating Crucial to decarbonizing home heating is the government’s ambitious goal to install 600,000 heat pumps annually by 2028 – just four years away. To achieve this, installations need to increase 11-fold on current levels.  To foster the uptake of heat pumps several actions can be taken including rebalancing the cost of electricity and gas, training more installers to meet demand, and generating more awareness of heat pumps by consumers. Rebalance the cost of electricity and gas In fact, from April 2024, gas prices were capped at 6p/kWh while electricity prices were capped at 24p/kWh In the UK, the wholesale price of electricity is pegged to an expensive source of energy - gas. This means electricity prices are artificially inflated by the price of gas despite more and more of the country’s electricity being generated from renewables. In fact, from April 2024, gas prices were capped at 6p/kWh while electricity prices were capped at 24p/kWh.  Decoupling the price of electricity There is an imbalance of social and environmental levies which are loaded onto electricity bills. These add an average of £131 to a customer’s annual electricity bill, compared to just £34 for the average annual gas bill, meaning that the cost of running a heat pump is artificially high compared to a gas boiler. This can be addressed by rebalancing the cost of electricity with a more progressive and environmentally conscious distribution of levies and by de-coupling the price of electricity from the price of gas. This would make electricity more affordable, which is particularly relevant at a time when the cost of living is causing huge strain across the UK.  Growing the green economy It would also move household energy requirements away from fossil fuels and volatile oil and gas prices, back UK energy security as the nation moves to renewable energy sources, and help to grow the green economy and employment in the UK.  In the long term, the removal of levies on electricity bills would help to balance these costs. In the short term, the Heat Pump Associations’ call for a Domestic Heat Pump Tariff Discount would reduce the price of electricity used for hot water and heating produced by a domestic heat pump.  Train heating engineers We need 33,700 full-time heat pump installers in the UK to support the government’s ambitions Improving upskilling, capacity building, and infrastructure investment is also required to provide the number of heat pump installers needed to meet the government’s annual target. Significant progress has already been made in training heat pump installers. In 2023, close to 8,000 individuals became qualified heat pump installers – compared to just under 3,000 in 2022. The Heat Pump Association estimates that we need 33,700 full-time heat pump installers in the UK to support the government’s ambitions for heat pump uptake. Heat Pump Training Grant We are currently at around 11,000 so we must continue the upward trajectory of the last few years to meet this goal. The government’s Heat Pump Training Grant is supporting this effort by offering £500 towards the cost of training to become a heat pump installer. Beyond this, support for building the UK’s capacity and capability to manufacture heat pumps and their components is vital to be able to meet demand as it increases in the future. Building skills as heat pump engineers Our heat pump manufacturing facility in Livingston, Scotland, already employs some 1,800 people in green jobs and supplies heat pumps for installation across Britain and export to the rest of Europe. As of this year, in addition to our training facility in Hatfield for installers to build their skills as heat pump engineers, we have added new centers in Livingston and Manchester, and are planning for more. We are also proudly working with colleges, supporting them as they take on young people to learn skills in renewable energy. Increase consumer awareness  Ipsos revealed that over 70% of consumers still know little to nothing about how heat pump technology works To increase the uptake of heat pumps, consumer awareness needs to be raised. Research commissioned by Ipsos revealed that over 70% of consumers still know little to nothing about how heat pump technology works. This means that educating consumers on the importance of heat pump technology will also be crucial to encouraging wider uptake. Greater awareness of the benefits of heat pumps, driven by the government, media, and organizations within the heat pump industry, will ultimately accelerate adoption, help decarbonize home heating, and help us hit the all-important net zero goal. Getting to net zero calls for a heat pump boost It is well documented that heat pump uptake needs to grow, or we risk missing our climate goals. The technology to help us achieve this already exists in the form of heat pumps. However, steps must be taken to raise awareness about their potential and benefits, reduce their running cost by rebalancing electricity and gas prices, and ensure there are enough trained heat pump installers to meet demand as it increases. 

In 2019, the UK became the first major economy in the world to pass laws to end its contribution to global warming by 2050 - a landmark moment on the road to net zero. To meet that target, owners and managers of commercial buildings are increasingly facing more standards, regulations, and legislation to promote carbon reduction. This may pose challenges when it comes to investing in building service technologies, but the net-zero goal also provides an opportunity to embrace new approaches to the design and operation of commercial buildings. Heat commercial buildings When we look at reducing the carbon impact of a building, heating is an important factor to consider. Heating and hot water are significant contributors to a building’s carbon emissions. In fact, they create nearly a third (32%) of the total carbon emissions in the UK. Luckily, the technology to heat commercial buildings in a more energy-efficient, renewable way is already out there - in the form of heat pumps. There is legislation focused on the provision of heat to commercial buildings that need to be considered So, what benefits can heat pumps offer, and how can building managers be sure that they are the right solution for a commercial space? There are already regulations in place to help reach net-zero – from the Climate Change Act in 2008 to the Green Growth Strategy in 2017. More specifically, there is legislation focused on the provision of heat to commercial buildings that need to be considered. Energy efficiency standards Part L of the Building Regulations states that non-domestic buildings should be moving to low-carbon heat sources, the minimum energy efficiency standards means it’s illegal to let any property with an EPC rating of less than band ‘E’, and the Non-Domestic RHI has been extended until 2022, in order to help overcome barriers to investing in renewable heating. There is also growing interest in embodied carbon in commercial buildings, and considering the amount of carbon produced by a building across its whole lifecycle, it’s important to understand the full environmental cost of the extraction, processing, manufacture, delivery, and assembly of every single product or material used. Conventional electric heating The government has already set a target of 600,000 heat pump installations per year by 2030 Needing to consider all of these factors may seem like a lot, but it serves to show that focusing on renewable heating now is the best way to future-proof commercial buildings for years to come. Heat pumps are central to reaching this decarbonized future, with the Carbon Trust finding that heat pumps have the potential to deliver CO2 savings of up to 70% compared to conventional electric heating, and up to 65% compared to an A-rated gas boiler. The government has already set a target of 600,000 heat pump installations per year by 2030, and the Committee on Climate Change estimates that 19 million heat pumps will need to be installed by 2050 to achieve the net-zero goal. Offering renewable heating To reach this goal, uptake needs to maintain momentum. As well as offering renewable heating, heat pumps allow for a reduction in running costs and increased efficiencies, and are increasingly becoming the first choice for building managers planning renovations - because they are designed for both retro-fit and new build, are easy to design and install, and are scalable to work with other systems. In the years since heat pumps first became available, the choice of heat pumps has expanded This means they’re a suitable solution for almost any space, and are even able to work alongside existing heating systems in a hybrid situation if required. A heat pump is an ideal solution for commercial buildings, it’s just a case of finding the right one for the job. In the years since heat pumps first became available, the choice of heat pumps has expanded, and building owners are now able to select exactly the right equipment for a building’s requirements. Combining residential homes For example, heat pumps can now work at higher temperatures, meaning they are a great option for spaces like hotels, hospitals, and leisure centers where there is a high demand for hot water at peak times – removing the need to use a gas boiler. This is also a compelling case for heat pumps in mixed-use buildings – which is a burgeoning space in the UK-built environment. Buildings which combine residential homes and commercial businesses have a wide variety of heating and cooling requirements within the same structure. Traditionally, this is where gas boilers, combined heat and power systems, or electric water heating would have come in. Heat pump installations Modern heat pumps can also be applied in buildings alongside other technologies Now, high-temperature heat pumps – like the 40kW Ecodan QAHV – can deliver hot water up to 90°C, helping businesses increase the efficiency of hot water production while slashing their carbon footprint. Other heat pumps can offer options for a modular approach, so that multiple devices can operate in one system. This means that the multiple-unit system can cascade available units on and off, to meet the required load of a building. It also means heat pump installations are scalable, and can work for a small doctor's surgery through to entire district heating projects. Modern heat pumps can also be applied in buildings alongside other technologies, and boost the renewable element of a project – reducing the requirement for heat energy. Commercial heat pumps Finally, to satisfy these needs without compromising on sustainability and the green imperative would have been challenging, before the advent of commercial heat pumps. Reaching net-zero and moving to renewable technology is now a priority for everyone. For building services professionals, there is a real opportunity to lead the way, and encourage clients to take a new approach to heating and hot water in commercial buildings. The heating equipment we install will be in a building for at least a decade, so installing a heating system based on fossil fuels might risk leaving the building as a ‘stranded asset’ in the future. Making the move to renewable heating will help ensure buildings are meeting efficient and environmental standards for years to come.