LG Group will showcase next-generation heat pump technology at "Smart Energy Plus (SEP) 2026" that can replace fossil fuel-based cooling and heating. Heat pumps are a technology that utilizes the principle of refrigerants cycling between liquid and gas states to absorb and release surrounding heat. The company aims to highlight its technological competitiveness in electrifying cooling, heating and hot water supply centered on high-efficiency heat pumps, while introducing the results of domestic deployment projects and case studies on their application to Korean-style apartment complexes.
Hosted by the National Assembly Hydrogen Economy Forum and co-organized by Money Today and COEX, "SEP 2026" will be held from the 28th to the 30th of this month at Hall B of COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. LG Group has decided to exhibit LG Electronics' high-efficiency integrated "LG Therma V Heat Pump Boiler." The concept utilizes heat from the air to supply heating and hot water. It can produce thermal energy approximately four to five times greater than the input power, and is expected to reduce energy costs by about 40% to 60% compared to existing fossil fuel-based boilers.
Installation convenience is also a feature. By integrating the outdoor unit and key system components into one, separate refrigerant piping construction is not required, and existing hot water pipes can be utilized. Key distribution pipe parts are also built into the product, reducing installation time and costs while minimizing variations in construction quality.
LG Electronics is achieving results in domestic deployment projects by leveraging this heat pump technology. Under the "2026 Jeju Heat Pump Deployment Project in Daily Life," which is being promoted in accordance with the government's heating electrification policy, the company took charge of 877 out of a total of 2,460 households, ranking as the top overall contractor. This accounts for 35.6% of the total volume, making it the largest scale among participating contractors. The project involves replacing LPG and heavy oil boilers in single-family and row houses equipped with solar power facilities with air-source heat pumps.
The application scope of heat pumps is expanding to apartment complexes as well. On September 15, LG Electronics signed a memorandum of understanding with the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Jeju Development Corporation, and the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology to promote a "Demonstration Project for Electrification of Cooling and Heating in Apartment Complexes and Power to Heat (P2H)." The company plans to build heat pump systems in 12 units at the Hyungyo Apartment in Seogwipo City, complete construction by December, and verify operational performance in actual living environments.
The core of this demonstration is realizing a "boiler-free apartment" model that replaces existing boilers and gas pipes with heat pumps. Heat pumps installed in each unit will handle cooling and floor heating, while a central hot water heat pump in the building's common area and a large-capacity hot water tank will supply hot water. Based on the demonstration data, LG Electronics plans to develop a Korean-style apartment electrification model applicable to public rental housing, remodeling of existing apartments, and new residential complexes.
LG Electronics is also expanding its heat pump business overseas. The company supplies products to residential complexes in Europe, including the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, and France. It has a product lineup that includes the "Therma V R290 Monoblock," which uses R290 refrigerant with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 0.02, and is developing cold-region heating technology in South Korea, the United States, Norway, and China.
This year's "SEP 2026" will be held under the themes of "Energy Transformation in the AI Era" and "Energy Security Amid Rapidly Changing International Conditions." In addition to LG Group, Doosan Enerbility, HD Hyundai Electric, Hyundai Rotem, and Unison will set up booths to introduce energy security strategies. Visitors can also explore electric vehicle and hydrogen vehicle strategies from Hyundai Motor, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, and Polestar. Major institutional investors, including the Army, Seoul Metropolitan Government, and Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, will also participate in the exhibition.
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