Super-Efficient Air Conditioning
The world needs a better air conditioner.
The planet is warming, and access to cooling has become a defining issue of our time. There is an urgent need for efficient cooling technology with a dramatically lower climate impact.
The Challenge
As the planet heats up and urbanization increases, 3 billion more room air conditioners (ACs) are expected to be installed globally by 2050. Countries with hot and humid climates, like India and Indonesia, may see a fivefold increase in room ACs between now and 2050.
Room ACs are increasingly the technology of choice in emerging markets due to the low cost of entry, particularly in the residential sector. However, current room ACs are relatively energy inefficient, not designed to effectively remove humidity, and often use refrigerants with high global warming potential.
The use of room ACs also disproportionately impacts the grid’s peak electricity demand — the costliest and most polluting demand to meet. The rise in room AC stock will drive up the global energy use for space cooling by nearly 3.5 times, stressing the power infrastructure and driving the need for significant additional generation capacity. The resulting emissions will cause further warming, particularly in dense urban environments, necessitating an even greater need for cooling — a vicious circle.