Your AC Is Ancient; The Future Of Cool Isn't

A century-old technology still rules the residential AC market. Change may be a while coming, but it is in the air

- Sayantan Bera & Suneera Tandon

NEW DELHI In October 2023, Palava City, an urban township developed by the Lodha Group near Dombivli in Mumbai, was witness to an unusual study. For nine months, the township, in a hot and humid location, took part in a field test of super-efficient AC prototypes. The results of the study, which was conducted by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), a Colorado-based clean energy non-profit, along with CEPT University, Ahmedabad, and the Lodha Group, are very encouraging: the test units consumed 60% less energy and could potentially slash electricity bills by half over their lifetime. The study was published last month.

The super-efficient split AC prototypes were among the winners of the Global Cooling Prize—a $3 million challenge announced in 2018 to develop and demonstrate transformative cooling solutions. The prototypes are made using components similar to those in use today. But what sets them apart is how they sense and adjust to real-world conditions, said Ankit Kalanki, principal at RMI. They run on more efficient compressors, improved coil design and advanced sensors to achieve target indoor conditions. The units won't come cheap, but the payback period is estimated to be under four years.

An AC that cuts energy consumption by 60% will be a game changer for India. The country is already the world's fastest-growing AC market and projected to have over 1 billion room units by 2050. That will propel electricity demand for cooling nine-fold compared to 2022, as per the report released last month by RMI, which cautioned that widespread adoption of current AC technology may jeopardize both the electricity grid and national climate goals.