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Samsung begins domestic production of heat pump boilers as Korea pushes electrification
Workers at a the production plant of Samsung Electronics’ EHS heat pump boilers / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
By Lee Kyung-min
Samsung Electronics is bringing production of its heat pump boilers home, betting that a locally made system can help accelerate the electrification of residential heating in Korea.
The company said Monday that it began trial production Aug. 19 at a new 2,132-square-meter line at its Gwangju plant, with full-scale production scheduled to begin in late September, after equipment and product quality checks.
The move makes Samsung the first heat pump manufacturer participating in Korea’s heating electrification programs to shift production from an overseas facility to a domestic production line, the company said.
The new line can produce more than 100,000 EHS heat pump boilers a year, with all units earmarked for the Korean market.
Samsung said it plans to increase the share of components and manufacturing processes sourced domestically, while supporting suppliers and the local economy.
The EHS heat pump boiler uses heat from outdoor air and electricity to provide indoor heating and hot water, generating nearly five times as much heat as the electrical energy it consumes under specified conditions.
The product has a seasonal coefficient of performance of 4.9 based on a 35-degree Celsius water outlet temperature, according to Samsung.
The company said the system offers higher energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions than fossil-fuel boilers and could further reduce energy costs when powered by renewable electricity generated by residential solar panels.
Samsung is also expanding field tests and deployments across Korea as it seeks to adapt the technology to different climates and housing conditions.
The company is participating in a heating electrification program in Jeju and plans to take part in a second rollout involving 1,418 households in the second half of the year.
Field testing is underway to assess heating, hot water performance and energy efficiency in actual homes.
Samsung is also working with Samsung C&T at residential research facilities in Jeju and Yongin to test an EHS all-in-one system for cooling, heating and hot water in settings ranging from detached houses to apartments.
It added that domestic production would help the company respond more aggressively to the shift toward electrified heating and expand its heat pump business.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.