ESCHBORN, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 6, 2026--
Midea has officially reached the milestone of 10 million units in global sales for its R290 air conditioners 1. This achievement underscores the increasing demand in the market for natural refrigerants. Midea remains the world’s No.1 R290 air conditioner brand for the third consecutive year (verified by Euromonitor) 2.
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Accelerating the Transition to Natural Refrigerant
This impressive sales figure is a clear tipping point in the industry. It is not a passing trend, it is the new standard.
F-gas regulations are strict in Europe and Midea’s success proves that R290 is the right path for phasing out of high GWP refrigerants. Market acceptance reflects the trust that consumers and installers have in these products by Midea. Safe, scalable and proven.
The positive impact so far is incredible. Approximately 5.2 million tons of CO2 equivalent emissions have been avoided.
Overcoming Barriers
Widespread adoption of R290 faced some technical challenges. Midea invested heavily into R&D to address concerns and deliver the efficiency that the market demands. Midea has been pioneering innovations in leakage prevention and flammability control for over 15 years. Their proprietary safety systems offer both high energy efficiency and operational stability.
As an official member of the United Nations Global Compact, Midea continues to support Sustainable Development Goals and establish international standards, even receiving awards for its contributions.
The German Blue Angel award is another feather in the cap as it is only given to products that are considered environmentally friendly.
The Malta Blueprint: A Success Story
Midea’s strategy to accelerate the adoption of R290 in Europe, is to pair the technology with localized support. To address the knowledge gap and tackle installer concerns, Midea partnered with KENKAR in Malta, to pioneer an "education first" approach.
Hands-on training and education programs empowered local installers to become confident advocates for R290 in their local communities. In just one year 240 units were installed with zero safety incidents.
This success serves as a scalable blueprint for the rest of Europe, for how to skill up installers to deliver rapid and safe deployment of devices using this superior refrigerant.
A Clear Pathway for the Future of HVAC
As the European HVAC sector navigates the complex landscape of regulatory changes and decarbonization goals, Midea’s 10 million unit milestone, offers a clear signal: the era of natural refrigerants is finally here. Midea’s R290 portfolio keeps expanding. Their range of residential ACs and heat pumps as well as commercial units show that the technology is mature and scalable. Midea is driving the shift to R290 as the de facto natural refrigerant for a healthier planet.
Midea: https://www.midea.com/global
(1) The data is calculated by Midea based on the sales volume of each R290 product sold during the period from January 2018 to December 2025 and the carbon avoided reduction of refrigerant per unit. Carbon reduction of refrigerant per unit = (GWP of refrigerant before R290 replacement x the refrigerant charge of product before replacement - GWP of R290 refrigerant x the charge of R290)
(2) Euromonitor International (Shanghai) Ltd. measured in terms of sales volume of R290 air conditioners (including OEM brands(2022-2024 data, based on research completed in Aug 2025. R290 air conditioners refer to air conditioner using propane refrigerants, including residential and commercial air conditioner.
10 Million Midea R290 Units Sold! Leading the Way for the Transition to Natural Refrigerants
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s spy agency says it’s now fair to view the teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as his heir, its strongest assessment yet on the rising political status of the girl who it believes could extend her family’s rule into a fourth generation.
The girl, dubbed by state media as Kim’s “most beloved” or “respected” child, has accompanied her father to numerous high-profile events since late 2022, sparking outside speculation that she’s being groomed as the North’s future leader.
In a closed-door briefing at the National Assembly Monday, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service director Lee Jong-seok said the girl could be considered Kim’s successor, in response to questions by lawmakers about her political standing, according to Lee Seong Kweun, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting.
Asked about possible protests by Kim’s sister Kim Yo Jong, who has been long regarded as the North’s No. 2 figure, the NIS director responded that she has no substantial powers, lawmaker Lee told a briefing. He cited the NIS as citing unspecified “reliable intelligence.”
It was a stronger assessment by the NIS on the girl’s status. In early 2024, it described the girl as her father’s likely heir, its first official assessment on her possible grooming as the North’s next leader. In February this year, the agency said it believed she was close to being designated as the country’s future leader.
Some observers disagree with the NIS’ assessment, saying North Korea’s extremely male-centered society won’t likely embrace a woman leader. They also said Kim, 42, is too young to name his successor, a development that could weaken his grip on power.
The girl is reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and aged about 13, but North Korea’s state media hasn’t released such personal details. Her reported name is based on an account by former NBA star Dennis Rodman, who recalled holding Kim Jong Un’s baby daughter during a trip to Pyongyang in 2013.
Established in 1948, North Korea has been successively ruled by male members of the Kim family. Kim Jong Un inherited power upon his father Kim Jong Il’s death in late 2011. Kim Jong Il took over power after his father and state founder Kim Il Sung died in 1994.
Some of the girl’s recent public appearances included her driving a tank during army training supervised by her father and the pair firing pistols during a visit to a light munitions factory.
During Monday’s briefing, the NIS said North Korean authorities appeared to have organized such events to build up her military credentials and “reduce skepticism about a woman successor,” lawmaker Lee said.
Park Sunwon, another lawmaker who attended the briefing, made similar comments on the NIS’ assessment on the girl’s recent military appearances.
FILE - This photo provided by the North Korean government shows its leader Kim Jong Un, front right, his daughter, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae, and other soldiers on a tank at a military training base in North Korea, on March 19, 2026. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)
FILE - In this photo provided by the North Korean government, its leader Kim Jong Un attends a parade with his daughter in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Feb. 25, 2026 as the North wrapped up the Workers' Party congress. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)
