Existing gas-fired units can be retrofitted for hydrogen use, accelerating the shift toward carbon neutrality.
Panasonic Corporation’s Air Quality & Air Conditioning Company, together with Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. and its subsidiary Daigas Energy Co., Ltd., has announced the industry’s first absorption chiller-heater capable of operating on both hydrogen and natural gas. The new system allows for multi-fuel operation with a mixing ratio from 0% to 100%, making it possible to convert existing natural gas units into hydrogen-ready models simply by replacing certain components.
Panasonic’s absorption chillers have been widely adopted for over 50 years and hold a top domestic market share in Japan. Using water as a refrigerant instead of fluorocarbons, they minimize environmental impact while providing high efficiency. The systems typically use gas or waste heat, helping reduce electricity demand peaks and strengthening resilience during power outages or disasters.
The newly developed burner and combustion control technology allow seamless switching between hydrogen, natural gas, or a mixture of both. By optimally adjusting combustion air flow, the system maintains stable operation and achieves low NOx emissions (under 40 ppm), even under hydrogen firing. Importantly, retrofitting requires only burner and fuel piping replacements, avoiding the need to purchase an entirely new system.
This breakthrough addresses a major challenge of hydrogen—its higher flame temperature and faster combustion speed compared to natural gas, which can otherwise lead to increased NOx emissions. By combining advanced burner design with precision control, the partners succeeded in achieving both high efficiency and low emissions across all load conditions.
Looking ahead, the three companies will continue product verification toward commercialization. The initiative supports Panasonic’s “Green Impact” strategy and Daigas Group’s “Energy Transition 2050”, reinforcing their commitment to carbon neutrality by leveraging hydrogen as a clean energy source.
Keyword Explanations
- Absorption Chiller-Heater: An HVAC system that uses water as a refrigerant, powered by gas or waste heat, offering high efficiency and low environmental impact.
- Hydrogen/Natural Gas Co-Firing: The ability to use hydrogen and natural gas in any ratio (0–100%) within the same system, enabling a flexible transition to cleaner fuels.
- Low-NOx Combustion Technology: Advanced burners and control systems that reduce nitrogen oxide emissions during hydrogen combustion to below 40 ppm.
