55
2. Simultaneous development of refrigerant and air conditioners – Speedy
response to environmental issues -
Daikin Industries is the only manufacturer in the world to both manufacture and
sell air conditioners and refrigerants. As global environmental regulations became
stricter, the company quickly adopted refrigerant control that matched the nature of
the refrigerant, thereby achieving both energy saving and environmental performance at the same time. As a result, Daikin developed a new refrigerant called
“R32,” which reduced the global warming potential to about one-third of existing
refrigerants. The company developed the world’s first room air conditioners that
adopted this refrigerant, and they are sold in 43 countries as of March 2015.
3. Split/multi-split type air conditioning – Meticulous refrigerant control technology -
“Multi-technology” for separately controlling multiple indoor units with one
outdoor unit to selectively use cooling and heating is realized by Daikin’s refrigerant control technology. The company started development and sales of multi-split
air conditioners for buildings in Japan in the 1980s, and realized the flexibility of
construction and packaging of design and construction. Based on domestic success,
the company has deployed its business model to Europe, Asia, and China, and
spread Japanese style air conditioning culture.
In addition to Daikin Industries, other major air conditioning manufacturers in
Japan such as Toshiba, Hitachi, and Mitsubishi Electric are rapidly advancing globalization through alliances with foreign companies.
Meanwhile, EcoCute, which succeeded in commercialization in the world for the
first time in 2001, exceeded 5 million in the number of units sold at the end of
March 2016, but its global expansion has been delayed.
Pressed to respond to environmental issues, South Korea and China are also aiming at switching from boilers heat pumps for hot water supply and heating. There is
also concern that Japanese heat pump hot water supply equipment will become
obsolete unless Japanese companies steer their global expansion as they did with air
conditioning.
Under these circumstances, Panasonic began collaborative research with RWTH
Aachen University in Germany in “electric power management technology for heat
pump hot water heating systems.” In addition, Mitsubishi Electric transferred the
design and development functions of heat pump heaters marketed in Europe to a
subsidiary in the UK, and aims at increasing market share by speeding up the introduction of new models and reducing costs. Such moves toward globalization have
been emerging.
In the future, it is expected that heat pump hot water heaters will bloom at once
in China, which is a huge market, and the global strategies of Japanese companies,
including technology and sales alliances with local companies and foreign companies, will be further tested.
3.3 Low Carbon Technologies in the Home and Business Sectors
2. Simultaneous development of refrigerant and air conditioners – Speedy
response to environmental issues -
Daikin Industries is the only manufacturer in the world to both manufacture and
sell air conditioners and refrigerants. As global environmental regulations became
stricter, the company quickly adopted refrigerant control that matched the nature of
the refrigerant, thereby achieving both energy saving and environmental performance at the same time. As a result, Daikin developed a new refrigerant called
“R32,” which reduced the global warming potential to about one-third of existing
refrigerants. The company developed the world’s first room air conditioners that
adopted this refrigerant, and they are sold in 43 countries as of March 2015.
3. Split/multi-split type air conditioning – Meticulous refrigerant control technology -
“Multi-technology” for separately controlling multiple indoor units with one
outdoor unit to selectively use cooling and heating is realized by Daikin’s refrigerant control technology. The company started development and sales of multi-split
air conditioners for buildings in Japan in the 1980s, and realized the flexibility of
construction and packaging of design and construction. Based on domestic success,
the company has deployed its business model to Europe, Asia, and China, and
spread Japanese style air conditioning culture.
In addition to Daikin Industries, other major air conditioning manufacturers in
Japan such as Toshiba, Hitachi, and Mitsubishi Electric are rapidly advancing globalization through alliances with foreign companies.
Meanwhile, EcoCute, which succeeded in commercialization in the world for the
first time in 2001, exceeded 5 million in the number of units sold at the end of
March 2016, but its global expansion has been delayed.
Pressed to respond to environmental issues, South Korea and China are also aiming at switching from boilers heat pumps for hot water supply and heating. There is
also concern that Japanese heat pump hot water supply equipment will become
obsolete unless Japanese companies steer their global expansion as they did with air
conditioning.
Under these circumstances, Panasonic began collaborative research with RWTH
Aachen University in Germany in “electric power management technology for heat
pump hot water heating systems.” In addition, Mitsubishi Electric transferred the
design and development functions of heat pump heaters marketed in Europe to a
subsidiary in the UK, and aims at increasing market share by speeding up the introduction of new models and reducing costs. Such moves toward globalization have
been emerging.
In the future, it is expected that heat pump hot water heaters will bloom at once
in China, which is a huge market, and the global strategies of Japanese companies,
including technology and sales alliances with local companies and foreign companies, will be further tested.
3.3 Low Carbon Technologies in the Home and Business Sectors