Conditioning a cool behavioural move

In a warming India, ACs are a necessity. Yet, only about 7% of households own one. That's changing fast. 14 mn units were sold last year alone, and residential ownership is projected to grow 9x by mid-century. This surge could require tripling electricity production. But before that, the grid needs protection. In a welcome step, GoI announced on Tuesday that it plans to soon mandate temperature settings between 20° C and 28° C for all ACs - residential, commercial, and even those in vehicles. The move aims to improve energy efficiency, smooth out demand spikes and cut consumer power bills. Many ACs allow settings as low as 16° C and as high as 30° C, encouraging energy waste.

By 2050, air conditioning could account for a quarter of India's GHG emissions and nearly half of nationwide peak electricity demand, according to UNEP's Cool Coalition. Yet, India has so far declined to sign the coalition's Global Cooling Pledge, which seeks to reduce the sector's climate impact. There is, however, some good news. Consumers are increasingly opting for energy-efficient, star-rated ACs. But high prices remain a significant barrier, especially for lower- and middle-income buyers. A CEEW report, 'Do Residential AC Buyers Prioritise Energy Efficiency?', recommends measures like tax breaks, bulk procurement and cross-brand incentive programmes to improve affordability and encourage wider adoption.

The report also highlights another crucial, but often overlooked, factor: good servicing practices (GSPs). Buying an energy-efficient AC is not enough. Without regular servicing, performance declines over the unit's 7-10-year lifespan, undermining expected energy and cost savings. To promote GSPs, awareness campaigns must stress their impact on efficiency. Without this behavioural nudge, tech and policy efforts may not deliver their full potential.