Ten new air conditioners will be sold every second for the next thirty years

When Willis Haviland Carrier invented air conditioning in 1902 to produce cold air to lower the temperature of a printing plant on paper and make the process more efficient, he never imagined that his invention would combat the temperature of the hottest summers and become essential for many.

The increasing use of air conditioning in homes and offices around the world will be one of the main drivers of global electricity demand over the next three decades, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) which shows the need to take policy measures to improve the efficiency of air conditioning use. “Setting higher efficiency standards for cooling is one of the easiest steps governments can take to reduce the need for new power plants, while allowing them to reduce emissions and costs,” says Dr. Birol, IEA’s executive director, economist and energy expert.

It is expected that by 2050 the global energy demand of air conditioners will triple, needing the equivalent electrical capacity to that used today by the European Union, the United States and Japan together. By then air conditioning systems will be the second source of electricity consumption in the world, second only to the industrial sector. The IEA points out that the total number of air conditioners in buildings will increase to 5.6 trillion by 2050, or 1.6 billion more than today. Based on these figures, 10 new air conditioners will be sold every second for the next 30 years.” Before, only high-end homes had air conditioning,” says Pilar Budí, director of the Association of Manufacturers of Air Conditioning Equipment (AFEC). It also begins to be common in spaces where until now it was not demanded, such as schools or nurseries. “Thirty years ago heating was considered necessary and air conditioning optional. At present, in the tertiary sector, air conditioning is also considered necessary and in the residential sector it is increasingly installed, “they point out from the Calor y Frío portal, formed by professionals from the sector.

The efficiency of these devices can vary and therefore so do the expenses and environmental problems they cause. Air conditioners sold in Japan and the European Union are typically 25% more efficient than those sold in the United States and China.

Efficiency improvements could halve energy demand through mandatory energy performance standards. You have to use the air conditioner with common sense, because misuse can be negative for our health. CO2 emissions _{associated with cooling since 1990 have tripled to 1.13 billion tonnes, equivalent to Japan’s total emissions.} Pilar Budí advises to make use of these systems “with adequate temperatures” and recalls the need to carry out “a cleaning of the filters and a good maintenance”.

Source: ABC