The European Union's priority is to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and increase the use of renewable energy sources with the aim of becoming climate neutral by 2050. In this context of energy transition, companies such as the Galician company Ecoforest, with its innovative, sustainable and efficient air conditioning and cooling systems, play a key role.

Its history dates back to 1959, when the entrepreneur José Carlos Alonso founded a company for spare parts for plumbing and heating equipment, which gradually expanded its activity until it began to import pellet cookers from Canada. Eventually, in 1992, the company expanded its activity and revolutionised the market to become the leading firm in the manufacture of pellet cookers in Europe, which meant a radical change of activity. And just one year later, Ecoforest innovated with a new product: pellet hydro-stoves, which combine the decorative potential of cookers with the functionality of boilers, as they allow the combustion fire to be seen and are connected to the hot water circuit, so they can heat radiators, for example.

Ecoforest air-conditioning systems

Ecoforest currently has two divisions, which base their value proposition on technology: the biomass division, which markets air cookers, ductable cookers and pellet and wood boilers; and the heat pump division, created 11 years ago and where it welcomed many researchers from the University of Vigo. The heat pump was once again a significant qualitative leap for the company, expanding its catalogue with a highly technological product that has diversified its customer portfolio and which they consider to be crucial in the future for a more sustainable sector and society.

Heat pumps work according to the same logic as refrigerators: with a coolant capable of transferring ambient energy to the outside, to cool the house, or vice versa, to heat it. This energy exchange means that heat pumps are capable of multiplying each kW of energy consumed by up to 6 thermal kW, depending on the installation. In the case of air-to-water heat pumps, the energy transfer takes place with the air. "The radical difference in the ecoAIR+ PRO range is that the refrigerant is propane, rather than the synthetic refrigerants used by other manufacturers. This means that the impact on the environment is up to 700 times less", the company explains. Furthermore, from a practical point of view, using propane as a refrigerant makes it possible to increase the working temperatures of heat pumps and install them in refurbishment projects that choose to keep radiators as emission systems.

Ecoforest currently employs 200 workers at its plants in Porto do Molle (Nigrán) and Polígono da Pasaxe (Gondomar). The company is present in more than 30 countries, including Portugal, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands.

At a time when energy savings and efficiency in the home are becoming increasingly important, the company points out that Ecoforest provides a product with cutting-edge technology, accompanied by a specialised team, to ensure that installations are as efficient as possible. "Ecoforest cookers have their own electronic system that continuously evaluates the ambient temperature and combustion to burn only the fuel necessary to reach the desired temperature or power. In heat pumps, all the equipment has had the capacity to be integrated for years in installations with solar panels and is capable of making maximum use of the energy produced to achieve installations that are as close as possible to the total balance between production and consumption", they point out.

Ecoforest has its own R&D department, which is continuously working on developing and improving its catalogue. They are currently focused on expanding the power of their equipment and the range of heat pumps with natural refrigerant.