IEA - The Future of CoolingOpportunities for energy efficient air conditioning

International Energy Agency predicts that the world faces a looming “cold crunch.” Using air conditioners and electric fans to stay cool accounts for nearly 20% of the total electricity used in buildings around the world today. And this trend is set to grow.

The growth in global demand for space cooling is one of the most critical yet often overlooked energy issues of our time.

If left unchecked, energy demand from air conditioners will more than triple by 2050, equal to China’s electricity demand today.

The answer lies first and foremost in improving the efficiency of air conditioners, which can quickly slow down the growth in cooling-related electricity demand.

This report highlights the threats associated with rising, unchecked cooling demand and provides key insights into current and future trends in cooling, and it proposes policy responses to achieve a more sustainable pathway.

The use of energy for space cooling is growing faster than for any other end use in buildings, more than tripling between 1990 and 2016.

The IEA - The Future of CoolingOpportunities for energy efficient air conditioning report can be found here.