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  5. How do we ensure the adoption of energy efficient cooling?
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How do we ensure the adoption of energy efficient cooling?

  1. Alison Chan
    Alison Chan
  2. Climate Emergency
  3. Saturday, 01 August 2020
Hi All

Cooling currently accounts for about 10% of all electricity consumption globally. However, this number is set to increase dramatically as people in hot developing countries install air conditioners. Over the next three decades, ACs are set to become one of the top drivers of global electricity demand. Without action to address energy efficiency, energy demand for space cooling will more than triple by 2050. See this IEA report for more details.

What do you think are best ways to ensure that consumers and businesses use energy efficient cooling?

And how can we encourage AC manufacturers to make energy efficiency a top priority?
Responses (7)
Ben Bailey
Ben Bailey
Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
I would imagine the best approach is government regulations that require minimum efficiency standards for all ACs, like most countries do with vehicle emissions. Plus they could offer some kind of rebate for ultra-efficient models.

It would also be helpful to have regulatory mechanisms to encourage the use of effective insulation because this would further reduce the amount of energy needed for space cooling.

But who's going to persuade governments worldwide to make this a policy priority?
  1. more than a month ago
  2. Climate Emergency
  3. # 1
Lisa Wilson
Lisa Wilson
Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
I think this is an important issue. A lot (most?) developing countries are struggling to keep pace with increasing demand for electricity. It is therefore in their governments best interest to do what they can to reduce demand. Hopefully organisations like IEA are doing a good job of encouraging them to introduce appropriate policies.
  1. more than a month ago
  2. Climate Emergency
  3. # 2
Adam Thyer
Adam Thyer
Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
This UN report "Cooling Emissions and Policy Synthesis Report: Benefits of cooling efficiency and the Kigali Amendment" might be of interest.
Adam Thyer, Founder at GreenExecutive
  1. more than a month ago
  2. Climate Emergency
  3. # 3
Alison Chan
Alison Chan
Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
Thanks to everyone who has replied so far :D

FYI, I just found this story which says that a new variation of an old technology could result in ACs that use up to 75% less energy than mechanical vapor compression ACs, use water instead of environment-damaging refrigerants, and are significantly cheaper. The latter is very important because it would assist in rapid and widespread adoption. The commercial viability of the technology (aka cold-SNAP) is currently being validated at the Wyss Institute.
  1. more than a month ago
  2. Climate Emergency
  3. # 4
George Nkosi
George Nkosi
Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
Hello Everyone

Throughout Africa, many families are buying ACs as soon as they are wealthy enough to afford them. I hope the cold-SNAP technology mentioned by Alison Chan becomes available soon because it seems to offer a lot of advantages. I agree that if it is cheaper, people will buy it instead of the old kind of ACs. Also, people will save money on their electricity bills.
  1. more than a month ago
  2. Climate Emergency
  3. # 5
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