Japanese manufacturer Itomic has announced that its large-scale air-to-water CO₂ (R744) CHP-80Y heat pump water heater has been approved for Australian government rebates.

The rebates ‒ offered in Victoria and New South Wales to incentivize energy-efficient products and practices in commercial and industrial applications ‒ apply to new installations and replacements of gas boilers or electric resistance element hot water systems. The CHP-80Y, part of Itomic’s Revere line of air-to-water CO₂ heat pumps, is distributed locally by Automatic Heating.

“Businesses can now take advantage of these rebate programs, unlocking significant cost savings while contributing to a greener future,” Automatic Heating said.

The CHP-80Y is a model in Itomic’s Revere line of CO₂ heat pump water heaters and offers heating capacities up to 76kW (21.6TR) with a COP of up to 4.2. The CHP-80Y can provide both space heating and domestic hot water.

At the 2024 Australian Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration and Building Services (ARBS) Exhibition, Terry Plaisted, Director at Automatic Heating, detailed both the Revere CO₂ heat pump water heater and the government rebate available for it in an exclusive interview with NaturalRefrigerants.com. ARBS was held May 28‒30 in Sydney.

Incentive programs: “Improving the efficiency of water heaters is one of the best ways to reduce a business’s energy bills,” the Victoria State Department says, estimating that heating water for sanitary purposes and space heating accounts for 36% of a commercial building’s energy use. For industrial facilities using processing hot water, the proportion of energy used only climbs.

• Victoria offers the incentive under Activity 44 as Victorian energy efficiency certificates (VEEC), with the value based on project location, installation costs, the provider’s administrative costs and certificate market fluctuations.
• The rebate comes as energy savings certificates (ESCs) and peak reduction certificates (PRCs) in New South Wales as part of its Energy Savings Scheme under Schedule F16/F17 and WH1. PRCs do not apply to new installations. The value of ESCs and PRCs fluctuates based on market demand as electricity retailers seek to meet set annual energy savings targets.

 CHP-80Y specifications: According to Itomic, the CHP-80Y, launched in 2011, meets heavy demands of hot water loads.

• The unit supplies hot water between 60 and 90°C (140 and 194°F) in ambient temperatures ranging from −20 to 43°C (−4 to 109.4°F). Automatic Heating says it’s a fit for commercial, industrial and residential applications.
• With installation in supermarkets, commercial office buildings and hospitals, the CHP-80Y heat pump performs well, Plaisted said, as highlighted by its operation in rigorous conditions from cold ambient temperatures to warm environments.
• “The uniqueness of the CO₂ heat pump is its compactness,” said Plaisted, with the Y-frame construction enabling installation in limited spaces.

Australian installations: Automatic Heating started its partnership with Itomic in 2016. According to Plaisted, the company first showcased the Revere CO₂ heat pump at ARBS 2018. “We brought it back in 2024 as a testimony to its quality and functionality,” Plaisted said.

• At ARBS 2022, Plaisted said the company had installed more than 100 Itomic CO₂ water heaters in Australian commercial projects and multi-family homes.
• Last summer, Automatic Heating reported installing more than 30 Itomic CHP-80Y heat pump water heaters in the past three years in more than 10 supermarkets operated by a large Australian food retailer. The heat pumps were installed in new stores and renovations and used to provide hot water and heating.

Quotable: “For those projects considering a net-zero pathway for decarbonization, the Revere CO₂ package allows for government rebates,” Plaisted said. “I’m confident this heat pump will allow numerous customers to take advantage of the initiatives.”

“For those projects considering a net-zero pathway for decarbonization, the Revere CO₂ package allows for government rebates.”

Terry Plaisted, Director at Automatic Heating