LG Electronics is accelerating the shift to carbon neutrality at industrial sites with industrial heat pumps. LG Electronics said on Tuesday it supplied a large-capacity heat pump system to Daegu-based paper company Ajin P&P and began operations in early July. The project is a state-funded task under a national research and development programme led by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and has been pursued since 2023 by 15 industry, academia and research bodies including LG Electronics.

Heat pumps used in industrial sites require higher performance and capacity than those for homes or commercial use. The supplied product raised the outlet water temperature of industrial heat pumps from an existing level of around 90 degrees Celsius to 108 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature reaches 118 degrees Celsius, and it delivers capacity of up to 1,040 RT in refrigeration tons, a unit of cooling capacity.

Hot water above 100 degrees Celsius is used for drying processes essential to paper mills and for sterilisation processes at food factories. It is also expected to be applied to various industrial sites, including chemicals and refining, reducing carbon emissions and energy costs. According to market research firm MarketsandMarkets, the global industrial heat pump market is forecast to grow to $4.8 billion in 2026.

LG Electronics' industrial heat pumps improve energy efficiency by using electric energy and waste-heat recovery instead of burning fossil fuels. The company applied its self-developed large-capacity oil-free magnetic bearing technology that does not require lubricating oil, reducing maintenance and electricity cost burdens. It uses R-1233zd refrigerant, which has a global warming potential of 1, and won South Korea's Technology Awards in 2024 and the 2026 IR52 Jang Young-sil Award.

LG Electronics is expanding its industrial heat pump business at home and abroad. It supplied an industrial water-source heat pump to Korea World Trade Center in 2024, and supplied a district heating product to Denmark's energy company Orsted in 2025. It is continuing order-winning activities at industrial sites in North America and Europe, including the United States, Canada, Norway and Finland.

LG Electronics is leading the market based on its product lineup spanning residential, commercial and industrial models. Recently, it was selected as the top operator after receiving the highest score in an evaluation of the '2026 Jeju Heat Pump Deployment Project in Everyday Life' promoted by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.

Jae-sung Lee (이재성), head of LG Electronics' ES Business Division and president, said, "In the heat pump field, which is fundamentally changing how heating, cooling and thermal energy are used not only in residential spaces and commercial facilities but also at industrial sites, we will strengthen our push into global markets with differentiated core components and technology."