Cumulative shipments of Eco-Cute units surpassed 10 million as of the end of March, accelerating decarbonization efforts.
On 11 March, The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan (FEPC), The Heat Pump & Thermal Storage Technology Center of Japan (HPTCJ), and The Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association (JRAIA) announced that the cumulative shipments of household natural refrigerant heat pump water heaters (Eco-Cute) had surpassed 10 million units as of the end of March, reaching this major milestone in just under a quarter of a century since the product was launched in 2001. The three organizations have expressed their commitment to further promoting the adoption of Eco-Cute, recognizing it as an indispensable technology for decarbonizing hot water supply. To commemorate the milestone, a special page has been launched on the JRAIA website.
Eco-Cute is a water heating system that uses heat pump technology to extract heat from the atmosphere—a renewable energy source. It has gained widespread popularity in Japan due to its high energy efficiency enabled by this technology.
Since its launch in 2001, shipments have continued to grow, with the cumulative total surpassing 1 million units in 2007. However, growth was not always steady. In the early 2010s, the pace slowed due to headwinds against all-electric homes following the Great East Japan Earthquake and other factors.
Even so, from the late 2010s through recent years, shipment levels have remained robust—driven primarily by replacement demand for units well beyond their expected service life—leading to the major milestone of 10 million units.
Currently, there is a growing call for further adoption of the system, not only for decarbonizing hot water supply using renewable energy sources, but also as a demand response (DR) resource that can absorb surplus electricity from solar power generation.
In response to the milestone, the heads of the three organizations also offered comments. Kingo Hayashi, Chairman of the FEPCJ, stated that the FEPCJ would “work to promote electrification to the fullest extent possible on the demand side” and contribute to Japan’s decarbonization through wider adoption of the system.
Hiroshi Komiyama, Chairman of the Japan Heat Pump and Thermal Storage Center, emphasized the need for further expansion, saying, “Ten million units is just a milestone along the way.” Katsuyuki Sawai, Chairman of the Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association (JRAIA), expressed his determination by stating, “As a manufacturer, we will continue to promote wider adoption in pursuit of carbon neutrality.”