"This is not a project that ends after supplying a few thousand units to Jeju. It is the first step in opening the era of electrified heating."
On the 28th, Kyungdong Navien Executive Vice President for sales and marketing Kim Yong-beom stated accordingly at the opening ceremony of the "heating electrification center" established in Jeju. Kyungdong Navien newly opened the center at the Navien House Jeju location and activated a support system for the electrification of heating and hot water.
The center's opening aligns with the government's expansion of heating electrification policy. "Heating electrification," which converts heating that used fossil fuels to electricity-based systems, is emerging as a new task across the world. The government is also working to expand the distribution of air-source heat pumps with a goal of cutting 5.18 million tons of greenhouse gases by reducing fossil fuel use in the heating institutional sector.
A heat pump is a technology that draws heat already present in the air or underground into indoor spaces. By using electricity to move external heat indoors, it provides heating and hot water. When combined with electricity produced from renewable energy, it can effectively provide heating without emitting carbon and is evaluated as an alternative for reducing greenhouse gases in the building institutional sector.
In Europe, distribution of heat pumps is rapidly expanding on the back of eco-friendly policies. From 2023 to last year, about 3.25 million units were sold in Europe. In China, 2.65 million units were supplied to households during the same period. The Korean government plans to distribute 3.5 million heat pumps by 2035. The industry expects the spread of heat pumps to extend to the North American and Asian markets.
Kyungdong Navien chose Jeju Island as a heat pump hub thanks to strong policy support from the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. Starting in April, the province launched the "heat pump distribution in daily life in Jeju" program to recruit 1,042 households in the first half. It supports heat pump installation for single-family and multi-unit homes that have installed or plan to install solar power systems. Although installation typically costs 10 million won, households selected for this program will see installation expense reduced to about 4 million won.
Kyungdong Navien is also accelerating heat pump supply in step with the changes. Vice President Kim said, "Heat pumps are a new Korean-style heating and hot water solution that integrates energy electrification with existing boiler technology."
Kim added, "At the Jeju center, we have established product demonstrations and customer consultations, management of customer usage data and demonstration operation data, and an on-site service response system, and an engineer organization will be stationed there," adding, "In particular, since this project began on Jeju Island, we will do our utmost with installation and service infrastructure so customers who choose Kyungdong Navien experience no inconvenience."
Although it is next-generation heating technology, challenges remain. Beyond the initial installation cost, when temperatures plunge below freezing, the amount of heat that can be drawn from outside decreases, reducing heating efficiency. Installation is also difficult in apartment buildings and other multi-family housing.
Even so, users met in the field generally expressed satisfaction. Park Yong-gyu, 73, who installed a heat pump in Nov. last year, noted, "It is more convenient than the oil boiler I used before." Park added, "Unlike a gas boiler, there is no smell, and once the door is closed, the noise is not loud," adding, "When I used an oil boiler, heating costs were 1 million won a year, but using electricity, I don't think it will come out to that level."
A Kyungdong Navien official explained, "It will vary by user depending on usage and patterns, but if installed for 4 million won with support from local governments and others, the investment could be recovered in four to five years," adding, "Test results suggest heating costs will also be reduced by an average of 15% to 30%."