Gridly
Overview
Reclaim Energy is an Australian company that has been manufacturing CO2 refrigerant heat pumps since before the current wave of R290 products entered the market. The Reclaim 250L CO2 is their entry-level split-system unit - compact enough for a smaller household, with the full CO2 cold-climate performance and solar integration capability that defines the Reclaim range.
The brand makes two specific claims that differentiate it from R290 alternatives: CO2 cold-climate performance and solar boost integration. Both are genuine and worth evaluating in detail.
CO2 refrigerant: the cold-climate argument
At ambient temperatures below approximately -7°C, R290 heat pumps begin relying on backup elements to supplement insufficient heat pump output. CO2 systems do not - the CO2 thermodynamic cycle is more efficient at low temperatures, maintaining effective heat pump operation to -15°C or lower.
The practical implication for Australian households:
- Sydney, Brisbane, Perth: Winter ambients rarely fall below -7°C. CO2’s advantage is minimal. R290 alternatives at lower supply prices are the better economic choice.
- Melbourne, Adelaide, ACT: Winter lows of -2°C to -7°C are common. CO2 provides meaningfully better seasonal efficiency than R290, which relies on element backup at those temperatures.
- Canberra, alpine regions, rural Tasmania: Regular winter lows of -7°C to -12°C. CO2 systems are significantly more efficient over the full heating season here.
For households in warm and temperate climates, the $2,000+ CO2 premium over a comparable R290 unit is difficult to justify on cold-climate grounds alone. The Reclaim’s solar boost mode is the additional reason to consider it in those climates.
Solar boost mode: how it compares
Standard heat pump solar scheduling means programming the unit to run during solar generation hours - typically 10am–2pm. This is a static schedule that doesn’t respond to cloud cover, seasonal variation, or whether solar generation is actually occurring.
The Reclaim solar boost mode connects to the solar PV system’s output signal. When solar generation is active and exceeding household consumption, the heat pump increases heating intensity to absorb surplus into the hot water tank. When a cloud reduces solar output, the heat pump reduces operation proportionally.
This dynamic response captures more solar energy for hot water heating than a static schedule. For a 6.6kW solar household that exports a substantial proportion of generation during the day, the value of active solar diversion to hot water can be significant - reducing hot water electricity costs to near-zero when solar surplus is available.
Who should buy the Reclaim 250L CO2
The Reclaim 250L CO2 is the right choice for: households in cold Australian climates (Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Tasmania) where CO2’s cold-weather performance delivers seasonal efficiency that R290 cannot match, or for solar households in any climate who want active solar boost integration rather than simple timer scheduling. The $5,000 supply price is the primary barrier - it is a premium product for buyers who will extract value from its specific capabilities.
For households in warm climates without solar or without significant cold seasons, the iStore 270L at $2,790 delivers excellent performance at far lower cost.
