The global stock of air conditioners is rising quickly and may pass the 1 billion mark by 2018 – twice that of 2005. This presents a challenge to power systems. As well as increasing overall demand on the network, it often coincides with times of peak load for other uses, making the peak more severe. This increases the overall need for generating capacity or flexible resources on the system, raising the total cost of electricity supply.

More efficient air conditioners can reduce electricity costs for individual users and for the system as a whole. In Indonesia, for example, it has been estimated that adopting cost-effective measures to boost the energy efficiency of air conditioners could reduce peak load by 13% by 2030 compared to business as usual.

Source: World Energy Investment 2017

11 August 2017