From left to right: Thomas Yoon, LG Electronics’ North America CEO, Sean Parnell, University of Alaska’s chancellor, and James Lee, global president of the LG Electronics Air Solutions business unit, celebrate their new partnership during a signing ceremony for the Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research.Anchorage, Alaska — New research is being conducted on cold climate heat pumps as part of a partnership between LG Electronics and the University of Alaska. The newly formed Consortium for Advanced Heat Pumps Research will conduct studies in two dedicated labs, located in Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska.
“The Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research will raise the bar and push the limits of the high-performance, high-capacity heat pump industry,” said James Lee, global president of the LG Electronics Air Solutions business unit. “Results from the joint research will be used in North America and Europe to help shape the future of the HVAC industry.” He said Alaska is the perfect place to do this research, “both for the opportunity to work closely with the talented UAA engineering faculty and graduate students and because of the state’s extreme temperatures.”
These facilities will be configured like real-world homes and feature ducted and ductless indoor and outdoor units. The research program will also be utilizing heat pump water heaters.
“This cutting-edge Consortium sets the stage for a new era of electrification, enabled by heat pump innovations as well as energy storage systems and smart appliances. Working with the University of Alaska will further accelerate LG’s efforts to drive market transformation supporting the decarbonization of buildings throughout North America and around the world,” explains Thomas Yoon, LG Electronics’ North American CEO