How Asia’s demand for air con threatens its climate change goals

Heatwaves across Asia are driving demand for air conditioners, which are both a way to ease the effects of heat and a contributor to climate change
As governments test out solutions, energy flexibility and incentives for consumers to shift power use to off-peak hours offer a promising way forward

Kamala Thiagarajan

Published: 3:30pm, 5 Jun 2024

Why you can trust SCMP

On May 29, India woke up to the news that its capital city was burning up with extreme heat. Reports said New Delhi had recorded a staggering temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius (127.2 degrees Fahrenheit).

News outlets were quick to point out that this was the second highest temperature on record globally, second only to the 56.7 degrees recorded in Death Valley, California, in 1913. Not long after the record-breaking temperature was publicised, the India Meteorological Department said it could have been because of a faulty sensor. The previous day had multiple recorded readings of 49.9 degrees.

Regardless of whether sensors are faulty or not, this heatwave has been going on for weeks. It has also coincided with India’s general election, amid worries it could have affected voter turnout.

Last month, 37 cities across India saw temperatures rise above 45 degrees. While Death Valley has few residents – under 1,000 people – these Indian cities are among the world’s most populous. More than 50 heatstroke deaths have been officially confirmed across the country from March to May, and many others have been reported.

Extreme heat is here to stay, and it’s not just India’s problem. Since April, large parts of South and Southeast Asia – including Pakistan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia and the Philippines – have endured prolonged extreme heat.

As temperatures rise, so do people’s energy needs and bills. Those who can afford it turn to air conditioning, the most immediate way to mitigate the effects of extreme heat. Air conditioner manufacturers in India have reported they face shortages amid an unprecedented level of demand.

04:31

Southeast Asia roasts as nations suffer under expected record-breaking heatwave

A 2018 International Energy Agency report indicates that two-thirds of global households are expected to have air conditioners by 2050, with China, India and Indonesia accounting for half that amount. Estimates suggest India will overtake China as the largest consumer of air conditioning around 2045.

This surge in air conditioning demand in India, China and elsewhere is both the result of a rapidly warming world as well as a contributor to further warming. Global efforts to curb carbon emissions by encouraging electric vehicles and cutting back on heavily polluting energy sources such as coal overlook one key area: the greenhouse gases generated by air conditioners.

The hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) released into the atmosphere by refrigeration and air conditioning have a global warming potential 14,800 times greater than carbon dioxide over 100 years. Both India and China have ratified the Kigali Amendment, which is aimed at phasing out HFCs.

India has experimented with some simple solutions, such as painting roofs white to deflect heat and using terracotta cooling installations as alternatives to air conditioning. However, scaling up these measures will be a challenge requiring considerable political will.

Efficient policy measures can do a great deal to help curb cooling demand. Until those measures are fully implemented, though, energy flexibility is a more practical and immediate solution. Energy flexibility involves voluntary reductions, monitoring and adjustments to the energy use of consumers, businesses and industries based on their needs.

Air conditioning units hang from a building in New Delhi on May 30. Temperatures at a weather observatory in India’s capital touched 52.9 degrees Celsius last week, evidence of a worsening heatwave that also sent peak electricity demand in Delhi to an all-time high. Photo: Bloomberg

Grid operators can offer financial incentives targeted at consumers to encourage them to reduce their electricity consumption during the times of day when demand is usually high and the power grid is highly stressed. Instead, consumers could be paid to shift their power consumption to times of day with less demand and lower prices. Adopting such policies in Asia would make it possible for countries with rising power demand to significantly reduce cooling bills and limit greenhouse gas emissions.

Even buying a more energy-efficient air conditioner can help. However, high prices for air conditioners in markets such as India are pushing consumers to opt for cheaper models over more energy-efficient ones.

The state government of South Australia enacted a regulation last year requiring air conditioners to meet demand response capability requirements before being connected to the power grid. About 100,000 households in Queensland have installed these smart air conditioners, which can be controlled by the energy provider and allows them to moderate consumption during peak periods.

In 2022, South Korea launched a project aimed at revitalising its electricity market. Households and small businesses take part in an energy savings programme by using smart energy-regulating devices such as lights and air conditioners. The programme has brought a 24 per cent rise in energy savings compared to consumers’ manual adjustments.

As heatwaves grow more frequent and intense, dealing with extreme heat will not only be essential for people’s physical and mental well-being but also key to meeting climate goals and ensuring economic progress across Asia.

Kamala Thiagarajan is a freelance journalist based in Madurai, southern India