On July 14, the world's first demonstration production line for split air conditioners using hydrocarbon refrigerant R290 was completed at Gree Electric in Zhuhai. The much-anticipated R290 refrigerant air conditioner officially went into mass production. This marked the first time that a Chinese enterprise had taken the lead internationally in research and application of new refrigerants. Simultaneously, it also signaled that the previously monopolized refrigerant technology by international giants had been broken by Gree, China’s largest air conditioning manufacturer, heralding a storm of "Chinese creation" sweeping through the air conditioning industry.
Undoubtedly, being a technology owner means having the power to dictate the entire industry. As countries around the world accelerate their pace in developing alternatives to R22 products, Gree has taken the lead in completing all technical research on R290 and successfully shattered the monopoly of R410A and R407C refrigerants by foreign giants.
It is reported that R410A refrigerant was first invented by Honeywell, and currently only a few American and Japanese companies such as DuPont and Daikin hold its intellectual property rights. Regardless of whether domestic air conditioning manufacturers choose R407C or R410A refrigerants, they must bear high costs for purchase or certification.
In addition to cost concerns, from a low-carbon environmental protection perspective, R407C and R410A are not the perfect substitutes for R22 because, although they do not deplete the ozone layer, they still contribute to the greenhouse effect. Therefore, these two agents are destined to have only a short stay in the air conditioning industry.
As the air conditioning industry faces numerous dilemmas in replacing refrigerants, Gree took the lead in breaking the deadlock. Compared to the traditional refrigerant R22 commonly used in the cooling industry, pure natural environmental protection green refrigerant R290 does not contain fluorine elements, does not damage the ozone layer, and does not emit greenhouse gases exacerbating global warming. It has become a key direction for the development of alternative refrigerants for air conditioners. As early as 2008, Gree had already launched air conditioning products and related alternative technology research results using pure natural environmental protection green media such as R290.
To ensure taking the lead in mastering core technologies, Gree invested more than 3 billion yuan in scientific research funds in 2010 alone. Currently, Gree employs over 4,500 scientific research and technical personnel and has established three major technical research institutes: the Refrigeration Technology Research Institute, the Electromechanical Technology Research Institute, and the Home Appliance Technology Research Institute for fundamental research in the refrigeration field. They have built more than 300 specialized laboratories for thermal balance, noise, reliability, etc.
The high-cost investment in technological research and a robust R&D team enabled Gree's R290 development work to proceed smoothly. By the end of 2008, it passed the acceptance inspection organized by the expert group of the China Household Electrical Appliances Association. Subsequently, Gree overcame a series of technical obstacles with R290 and again passed the European authoritative safety certification - Germany's VDE certification in September 2010, obtaining the market access certificate for Europe.
Gree's achievements in researching new environmentally friendly refrigerants have drawn widespread attention from the international community. In 2009, the German government, through its subordinate German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ), reached a cooperation agreement with the National Environmental Protection Department and the China Home Appliance Association. They provided 1.05 million euros in aid to Gree Electric for the design and assembly of an R290 refrigerant air conditioner production line, which is expected to have an annual production capacity of 100,000 units.
Currently, Gree has fully mastered the core technology of R290 refrigerant air conditioners. All components adopt unique safety designs, with more than ten technical patents. The self-developed R290 refrigerant dedicated high-efficiency compressor allows the air conditioner to achieve national level 1 energy efficiency standards. It is reported that the first batch of Gree R290 refrigerant air conditioners has been sold to the Maldives.
Jiang Feng, chairman of the China Household Electrical Appliances Association, stated that Gree's R290 refrigerant air conditioner represents a new breakthrough in the application of green, low-carbon, and environmentally friendly refrigerants in China's room air conditioner industry. It is of great significance in breaking foreign technological monopolies, mastering independent intellectual property rights, and promoting technological progress in China's air conditioning industry.