試す 金 - 無料
AT A CROSSROADS ROADS
Down To Earth
|August 01, 2025
With the right push, air conditioners can shift from energy guzzlers to climate allies in India’s energy efficiency story
-
ONCE CONSIDERED a luxury, room air conditioners (ACs) have become an essential for home comfort amid rising temperatures and rapid urbanisation. Estimates indicate that India’s AC market is expanding swiftly. In 2021-22, over 8.4 million units were sold; by 2023-24, this number had increased to 10.9 million, according to “India Energy Scenario 202324” report by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (bee). Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (aeee), a Delhi-based non-profit, estimates that nearly one in 10 Indian households now owns an AC—a figure comparable to car ownership. This number is expected to quadruple by 2037-38. And this is just the beginning. The key question, then, is how these energy guzzling yet essential cooling devices can be made more energy-efficient, so that household electricity bills can be lower and reduce overall power demand, ultimately saving the government valuable resources.
The effort to regulate the energy efficiency of ACs began in the 2000s. In 2009, bee mandated star-rating for ACs using Energy Efficiency Ratio (eer). The methodology required calculating the ratio of an AC unit’s cooling output (in watts) to its total power input (in watts), under fixed conditions: an outdoor temperature of 35°C, an indoor temperature of 27°C, and 50 per cent relative humidity. However, this approach was flawed, as it did not account for seasonal variations in outdoor temperatures, which influence cooling demand and, consequently, energy consumption. For instance, an AC works harder and consumes more energy to cool a room when the outdoor temperature is 40oC, compared to 35oC. To address this issue, bee in 2015 introduced a new star-rating methodology: the Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (iseer). This approach considers varying temperature conditions and operating hours throughout the year, providing a more accurate estimate of energy efficiency. iseer was made mandatory in 2018.
このストーリーは、Down To Earth の August 01, 2025 版からのものです。
Magzter GOLD を購読すると、厳選された何千ものプレミアム記事や、10,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスできます。
すでに購読者ですか? サインイン
Down To Earth からのその他のストーリー
Down To Earth
GREAT NICOBAR DILEMMA
In the fragile ecosystem of Nicobar, strategic development must align with constitutional commitment to protect environment, indigenous dignity
3 mins
March 16, 2026
Down To Earth
CATCH BY THE ROOTS
Sabai grass could be a game-changer for the marginalised economies of West Bengal's dry uplands. All it needs is an efficient market strategy
4 mins
March 16, 2026
Down To Earth
POWERING TRANSITION
India's renewable ambitions are rising rapidly, with half of its installed power capacity now coming from non-fossil sources. Yet the gap between capacity and generation remains wide. The experiences of two pioneering states, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, which together generate over a fifth of the country's renewable energy, offer crucial lessons for accelerating the transition, reports PUJA DAS from Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi
16 mins
March 16, 2026
Down To Earth
At core of survival
Water scarcity defines life in a village inside Sariska Tiger Reserve's critical habitat, as debates over its relocation drag on
5 mins
March 16, 2026
Down To Earth
What's on your plate
An upcoming digital tool can help people learn about the origin of their meals and make climate-positive food choices
2 mins
March 16, 2026
Down To Earth
'Bad environment can never be good economics'
The Supreme Court of India and even the high courts were once very active and took a proactive role in protecting the environment; unfortunately, that is no longer true
4 mins
March 16, 2026
Down To Earth
Things fall apart
IN THE past year, the world has counted more missiles and bombs than hours.
2 mins
March 16, 2026
Down To Earth
Universities in crisis, innovation is stifled
Political control and skewed policies have led to unrest in academia, stifling creativity and meaningful research
4 mins
March 16, 2026
Down To Earth
SPARK IN THE GAME
The Reserve Bank of India's restored recognition of Default Loss Guarantees re-enables credit flow into last-mile electric mobility
3 mins
March 16, 2026
Down To Earth
Ushering in new eras
An appraisal of the state of biodiversity conservation, pollution reduction and climate adaptation regimes in India
3 mins
March 16, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size
