India wants to limit air conditioner temperature settings to save electricity

The Indian government has decided to limit the temperature settings on new air conditioners sold in the country to save electricity. India is considered the world’s fastest-growing market for air conditioners, the AP news agency reported today.

The Ministry of Power has proposed that all air conditioners newly sold in the country should not be adjustable to temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius. Officials hope this small change could lead to enormous energy savings in a country with a population of more than 1.4 billion.

Between 10 and 15 million air conditioning units are sold in India each year, and sales are rising in line with incomes and urbanisation, as temperatures also increase.

The lowest temperature setting currently available on air conditioning units is 17 degrees Celsius. Officials say that every degree higher an air conditioner is set saves about six percent of energy. Energy experts consider the proposal a positive step, but add that requiring air conditioners to be more energy-efficient would be more effective.

Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the proposed regulation would come into force soon, but did not specify when. The proposal to limit air conditioner temperatures has prompted mixed reactions among residents of Indian cities, which are increasingly being hit by heatwaves.

"Overall, I think it is good to try to save energy, but I also hope the government will make sure this does not cause people too much hardship," said 37-year-old teacher Vikram Kannan, who lives with his wife and four-year-old daughter in Chennai, southern India.

"Sometimes we have no choice but to set the temperature lower in cities like Chennai because it is too hot and humid. If we don't, our daughter gets heat rash," Kannan added.

Air conditioning is rapidly becoming one of India’s biggest energy consumers. Experts estimate that the new air conditioning units added between 2019 and 2024 increased peak demand across India by roughly the amount of energy needed to power the metropolis of Delhi for a year.

Energy demand is usually highest in summer, when temperatures in some parts of the country reach as high as 51 degrees Celsius. Unless changes are made, India is expected to face an energy shortfall by next year.

India’s thirst for energy is also a major reason why the country is one of the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters. The use of clean energy is growing, but most electricity in India is still generated from fossil fuels such as coal.