Unlocking the untapped potential of cooling efficiency

Air conditioning (AC) will be the second-largest contributor to global electricity demand growth by 2050, said the International Energy Agency (IEA). According to its new report, The Future of Cooling, the number of ACs in homes and offices is expected to triple over the next three decades, to 5.6 billion by 2050, up from 1.6 billion today. Cooling systems are currently responsible for about 10 percent of all global electricity consumption.

“With rising incomes, air conditioner ownership will skyrocket, especially in the emerging world. While this will bring extra comfort and improve daily lives, it is essential that efficiency performance for ACs be prioritized. Standards for the bulk of these new ACs are much lower than where they should be,” said Dr Fatih Birol, the Executive Director of the IEA.

Governments can more than double the average energy efficiency of ACs worldwide between now and 2050 by taking steps to improve cooling efficiency. Key policy actions could include the implementation of strict minimum energy performance standards and measures such as labelling.

Improving cooling efficiency would cut emissions, reduce the need for new infrastructure such as power plants, and save up to USD 2.9 trillion globally in investment, fuel, and operating costs.

To download the full report, please click here.

Credit: International Energy Agency