Ambient heat rises as cooling equipment becomes a necessity, warn experts

India has a star ratings and is a signatory to the Kigali Amendment. But the spike in use of cooling equipment will inevitably cause more warming

Intense heat has pumped up the sale of cooling equipment across the country. There has been a record spike in sales of air conditioners (ACs) and refrigerators. There are new users coming from smaller towns and rural areas, apart from incremental demand from the existing urban consumers.

According to the World Energy Outlook 2023, AC ownership in the country has tripled since 2010 to reach 24 units per 100 households. Along with space cooling, these sectors are now pushing India’s electricity demand. Thanks to the increase in residential cooling, new “high electricity demand” hours have emerged during the evening time,