As part of its “Project 68”, the International Energy Agency updated, on July 10, 2026, its database of heat pumps capable of reaching and exceeding a starting temperature of 130°C.
THE “Project 68” of the International Energy Agency (IEA in English for International Energy Agency) runs from May 1, 2025 to April 30, 2028. This program, led by Denmark and in which eleven other countries participate, including France, aims to develop high-power heat pump technologiescapable ofachieve and exceed fluid flow temperatures above 100°C for industry and district heating.
About heat pumpsthe IEA manages nine other projects: “Project 59” for develop heat pumps for dryingrenovation of heat pumps in large commercial buildings, 61 for heat pumps in district heating62 for collective pacs in collective housing buildings63 for theacoustics of heat pumps64 for security measures around pac using flammable fluids65 about thecircular economy of pac, 66 for theoptimization of heat pump sizingand 67 for digital services associated with pacs.
The IEA works with other organizations, including the Heat Pump Accelerator Platform managed by the European Union.
The International Energy Agency’s “Project 68” lasts until April 2028 and aims to facilitate the development of high-power heat pumps with high starting temperatures. © IEA
With its Sabroe brand, Johnson Controls offers the HyePAC range at R717 or R718, capable of reaching 110°C flow temperature and powers from 0.56 to 2.1 MW, as well as the HitemHP range at R600 and R600ade 0.3 to 1MW for flow temperatures of 125°C.
Everllence reaches flow temperatures of 300°C with its range of High Temps VCC heat pumps, equipped with centrifugal turbochargers and using in particular R290, R600 and CO2. © Everllence
Already 50 manufacturers and up to 300°C starting temperature
There latest version of large power and high temperature heat pump database lists more than 50 manufacturers, none French however, except perhaps Johnson Controls Johnson which manufactures chillers and high water/high temperature water heat pumps from 500 kW to 20 MW for district heating and for industry in Carquefou, near Nantes. The Carquefou site brings together the marine refrigeration, industrial refrigeration and high temperature and high power heat pumps from Johnson Controls. In the IEA database, heat pumps are classified by starting temperature: ≤120°C, ≤140°C, ≤160°C, ≤200°C and >200°C. the database contains 554 models.
When it comes to temperature, two Manufacturers offer models with a starting temperature of 300°C : Everllence and Karman Industries. Everllence is the former MAN Energy Solutions and offers heat pumps of 10 to 100 MW of power, using R290, R717 (ammonia NH3), R744 (CO2), R600, R134a and R1233zd.
Karman Industries is a start-up of Cleantech, launched in 2024 in Los Angeles. She offers pac from 1 to 20 MW of power, capable of reaching 300 °C starting temperatureusing R718 (water), ethanol and water vapor. The company seems to be moving towards cooling large data centers and recovering the heat extracted.
A little below, SynchroStor offers pacs of 0.5 to 1.5 MW of power, with a maximum starting temperature of 275 °C, using piston compressors, and argon, R744 (CO2) and R728 (nitrogen) as fluids.
The American Karman Industries offers a prototype of 1 to 20 MW, capable of reaching 300°C. It has just launched its Heat Processing Units (HPU), 10 MW CO2 power modules, intended for cooling high-power data centers. GigaWerx, their first factory will be operational in the third quarter of 2026 with an annual production capacity of 1 GW, or 100 HPU. Production capacity is expected to increase in 2028. © Karman Industries
Heat pumps reaching 250°C are standardized
Then, no less than five manufacturers market heat pumps capable of reaching 250°C starting temperature :
– Spilling (1 to 15 MW);
– Turboden (5 to 40 MW);
– Enerin (0.3 to 10 MW);
– Lübbers Anlagen-und Umwelttechnik (1.5 to 50 mW);
– And Airthium (0.1 to 5 MW).
R704, helium, is appearing from two manufacturers, as well as R245fa or penthafluoropropane, a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), classified B1, but with a GWP of 1030. Both pac whose starting temperature reaches 300 °C are still experimental machines, as those which peak at 250°C are part of the very customizable, but standard, commercial offers.
© Johnson Controls
