Camilla Jessen
As electricity demand soars, India is looking to cap air conditioner temperatures in homes, hotels, and cars.
Authorities in India are working alongside appliance manufacturers to set a minimum temperature limit of 20°C on air conditioners, both in homes and cars, as part of an effort to reduce the country’s growing energy consumption.
The proposal is still in its early stages.
At present, most air conditioners allow users to lower the thermostat to 16°C, but under the new plan, units would be restricted to operate within a range of 20°C to 28°C, Energy Minister Manohar Lal announced during a press conference in New Delhi, according to Bloomberg via Digi24.
The restrictions would apply across residential properties, hotels, and vehicles.
According to India’s Ministry of Power, air conditioners account for roughly 50 gigawatts (GW) of electricity use, almost 20% of the country’s total energy consumption.
With India currently operating about 100 million air conditioning units and adding around 15 million new ones annually, demand continues to grow at a rapid pace.
Government studies have shown that raising the temperature on air conditioning units by just one degree Celsius can cut electricity use by approximately 6%.
If applied nationwide, that could translate into a savings of 3 GW during peak periods, easing pressure on the grid.
India’s peak electricity demand reached a record 250 GW last summer and is expected to rise another 8% this year.
While recent rains in May temporarily held back consumption levels, a return of intense heatwaves this month has pushed demand higher once again.
On Monday, the National Grid Authority reported a peak of 241 GW, marking the highest usage so far this year.