R290 is refrigerant-grade propane, a natural refrigerant with a GWP of about 0.02 (IPCC AR6) that sits outside the EU's HFC phase-down. It delivers 70 °C flow temperatures and is the default choice for new monoblock heat pumps, because EU rules ban GWP ≥150 refrigerants in new units up to 12 kW from 1 January 2027. As an A3 flammable gas it requires charge limits and trained installers.
Why is the heat pump industry switching to R290?
The switch is driven by regulation and rewarded by physics. Regulation (EU) 2024/573 sets a GWP limit of 150 for new monoblock and air-to-water split heat pumps up to 12 kW placed on the EU market from 1 January 2027 — steering the volume segment of the market from R32 (GWP 675) and R410A (GWP 2,088) toward low-GWP refrigerants. R290, with a GWP of roughly 0.02 under IPCC AR6 accounting, clears the bar by four orders of magnitude and is exempt from the HFC quota system entirely.
That quota system is the second push: the EU cut allowable HFC supply to 42.9 Mt CO2e for 2025–2026, about 48% below the 2023 level, with further steps to roughly 21.7 Mt in 2027–2029 and a full phase-out by 2050. HFC prices rise with every step; propane does not. For distributors, 2026 product planning for the EU already revolves around sub-150-GWP designs; units placed on the market before each deadline can generally still sell through, but transition details should be checked with your supplier.
What makes R290 technically attractive?
R290's thermodynamics suit heating exceptionally well: its critical temperature of 96.7 °C allows condensing at high temperatures without efficiency collapse, so R290 heat pumps deliver 70–75 °C flow — enough to replace a gas boiler on existing radiators and to charge a domestic hot water cylinder past 60 °C without an electric boost.
| Criterion | R290 | R32 | R410A |
|---|---|---|---|
| GWP | ≈0.02 (AR6) | 675 | 2,088 |
| Safety class | A3 (flammable) | A2L | A1 |
| Typical max flow temperature | 70–75 °C | 55–65 °C | 55–60 °C |
| EU rule for new ≤12 kW units from 2027 | Meets GWP 150 limit | Above limit | Above limit |
| HFC quota exposure | None | Yes | Yes |
Is R290 safe?
R290 is an A3 flammable refrigerant, and the industry's answer is architecture rather than anxiety: put the whole charge outdoors. In a monoblock heat pump the circuit is factory-sealed inside the outdoor casing, charges are small, and indoor rooms never contain refrigerant. Design rules in EN 378 and the product safety standards define charge limits, clearances to openings and ignition sources, and ventilation requirements. Charges are modest — a domestic monoblock typically holds roughly one to two kilograms — and siting keeps the unit clear of windows, doors, drains and cellar openings.
Competence rules are catching up with chemistry: EU-wide minimum training and certification requirements covering natural refrigerants — R290 included — apply from 12 March 2026, with existing national F-gas certificates updated by 12 March 2027. Handling, transport and storage of a flammable gas are exactly the skills this wave of training delivers to installers.
What does R290 mean for running and service costs?
An R290 unit is insulated from the HFC squeeze: no quota, no phase-down surcharges, no risk of its refrigerant joining a future ban list — the 2032 and 2035 "full F-gas" bans concern fluorinated gases, not natural ones. Propane itself is an abundant industrial commodity. Combined with high flow temperatures that spare radiator replacements in retrofits, this is why R290 monoblocks are the fastest-growing category in a European market that sold 2.88 million heat pumps in 2025, up 13% (EHPA). The regulatory timeline in full is covered in the EU F-Gas guide; the refrigerant transition shapes product planning for every European-market manufacturer, and Solimpeks already builds R290 into its Varm Boost and Commercial Duo heat pumps and its Solido hot water heat pump.
Frequently asked questions
Is R290 the same as barbecue propane?
Chemically yes — both are propane. R290 is refrigerant-grade: high purity, dried, and free of the odorants and impurities in fuel-grade LPG, because moisture and contaminants damage compressors and valves.
Can R290 be used in split heat pumps?
Rarely today. Field-connected refrigerant lines running indoors conflict with A3 charge and room-size limits, so R290 concentrates in outdoor monoblocks. Split systems under 12 kW are moving to other sub-150-GWP refrigerants instead.
Do R290 heat pumps need special servicing?
They need technicians trained for flammable refrigerants — controlled recovery, no open flames, correct leak procedures. From 12 March 2026, EU minimum certification requirements formally cover natural refrigerants, making this competence standard across the trade.
Will R290 be banned like the HFCs?
No ban is on any EU horizon: R290 is a natural refrigerant outside the F-Gas Regulation's phase-down and outside the 2032/2035 F-gas equipment bans. It is the technology the regulation is steering the market toward.