Air conditioners have become a lifeline in hot weather. Because these appliances are essential to keeping people cool and protecting them from unsafe heat, the International Energy Agency (IEA) expects more than 5 billion air conditioners to be installed on the planet by 2050. We estimate that it may be It keeps people safe and is also a major contributor to climate change.
So why not completely rethink AC?
The basic science of air conditioning hasn’t changed much since it was first invented nearly a century ago, but these appliances are becoming an ever-greater threat to life on Earth. Most modern air conditioners consume large amounts of energy, tax the power grid on sweltering summer days, and use harmful chemicals called refrigerants that trap heat in the atmosphere. So, along with the vast array of other structural changes the world needs to combat climate change, some experts say it’s time to change how we cool our homes.
“Buildings need to be designed in a way that consumes less energy. They need to be better insulated. Ankit Kalanki, manager of Third Derivative, a climate technology accelerator co-founded by sustainability research organization RMI, said He explains: “These strategies are very important. They can reduce air conditioning demand in the first place, but they can’t eliminate it.”
The AC redesign race has already begun. The IEA predicts that two-thirds of the world’s homes could have air conditioning within the next 30 years. About half of these units will be installed in just three countries: India, China and Indonesia. How much these new air conditioners will exacerbate climate change will depend on replacing the cooling technology we currently use with better ones. Ideas now range from modifying windows to more distant concepts such as rooftop panels that reflect sunlight and release heat into space. But for this to succeed, the world needs to invest in new technologies that can increase the efficiency of the appliances we already have as quickly as possible and avoid some of the main problems with air conditioners.
AC’s harmful environmental impact stems from its core technology, vapor compression. The technology involves several components, but generally works by converting the refrigerant stored inside the air conditioner from a liquid to a gas, absorbing heat and removing it from the room. Vapor compression uses an enormous amount of electricity on the hottest days, and there are growing concerns that the technology could eventually overwhelm the power supply capacity of the grid. Hydrofluorocarbons, the chemical refrigerants they use to absorb, are greenhouse gases that trap a lot of heat in the atmosphere when they leak into the atmosphere. The challenge, for now, is that vapor-compressed AC remains an important tool during deadly heatwaves, especially for high-risk populations, young children, the elderly, and those with certain health conditions.
The technology exists to build cleaner, more efficient air conditioners. Two leading AC manufacturers, Daikin and Gree Electric Appliances, shared the top prize at last year’s Global Cooling Prize, an international competition focused on designing climate-friendly AC technology. The two companies have created ACs with higher internal performance using refrigerants with less environmental impact. New units can reduce climate impact by a factor of five. These models are not yet on the market — Gree plans to start selling prototypes in 2025, and Daikin has told Recode it wants to use the new technology in future products — but the IEA has said it will We estimate that the use of efficient AC can reduce the environmental impact of cooling. half by half.
Another strategy is to double the heat pump. A heat pump is an air conditioner that works in reverse, using vapor compression to absorb heat and move it into your home. It does not release heat to the outside. Heat pumps typically cost thousands of dollars, but the Inflation Reduction Act includes proposals for significant heat pump rebates, and President Joe Biden is invoking the Defense Production Act to increase production. Experts argue that installing heat pumps is important for another important climate goal. That’s the transition from fossil fuel-fired furnaces, which is an even bigger source of emissions than cooling. The ultimate goal of HVAC is a heat pump that can provide both heating and cooling, but does not rely on vapor compression.
“Heat pumps can help reduce energy consumption, improve grid reliability, use renewable electricity, reduce emissions, reduce reliance on foreign energy sources, and lower utility bills for U.S. homes and businesses. It’s an important technology,” said Antonio Bouza. The Department of Energy’s technical manager told his Recode. The next step would be to further reduce emissions by designing heat pumps that do not rely on refrigerants like current vapor compression systems.
Another challenge, however, is that heat pumps are not the easiest devices to install. Especially for renters who don’t necessarily have the money or ability to invest in a bulky he HVAC system. To address this problem, a company called Gradient has designed a heat pump that can easily slide across a windowsill. It does not block the light. We currently use a refrigerant called R32. R32 is considered to have a (relatively) low global warming potential. Gradient recently won a contract to install units in New York City public housing.
A fleet of new companies wants to make an even bigger difference in how we cool our homes. One of these startups is Blue Frontier, backed by Bill Gates investment fund Breakthrough Energy Ventures. and plans to start selling futuristic AC units in 2025. The company’s technology uses a special salt solution that can release water into the air. Pull it out — this allows the AC to control its temperature. According to Blue Frontier, this approach can save up to 90% of the energy used by traditional AC and avoid draining the grid during peak hours.
“By eliminating air conditioning, which is a grid problem, the grid can actually reduce the cost of generating electricity. [and] We need to harness renewable energy in more efficient ways,” the company’s CEO Daniel Betts told Recode. “So we’re not just saving energy, we’re saving energy at the moment that matters most.”
Scientists and start-ups are also playing with other concepts. One of his paths Transaera is taking is to develop new materials that effectively absorb moisture from the air, almost like a sponge, so that air conditioners can work more efficiently. A similar concept is to make use of solid-state technology. The idea is to use solid materials to absorb heat, and some research on this is supported by the US Department of Energy. British company Barocal is developing a type of plastic crystal that can do this and also help control temperature. A company called Phononic has developed a solid-state core that can be integrated into his existing HVAC system. The company says the first commercial installations will be next year.
While many of these technological breakthroughs are promising, the movement to revolutionize air conditioning still faces some major challenges. Today, AC manufacturers are primarily focused on meeting minimum performance standards rather than competing for higher levels of efficiency. Consumers also tend to purchase air conditioners based on their suggested retail price rather than the overall impact the air conditioner has on their electricity bill. And despite the growing number of AC-focused start-ups, the industry is still dominated by a handful of big players, all of which are primarily focused on less-than-ideal vapor compression technology. is guessing.
“We don’t install more efficient technology unless it’s really necessary or mandated by a government or other organization,” said a start-up developing technology that could be used to transfer heat. said Eli Goldstein, co-founder and CEO of SkyCool. From buildings and air conditioners to space. “Ultimately, dollar investment from both private and public companies to deploy the technology will be key.”
Other changes, such as making homes more insulated and installing batteries throughout the grid, remain important in the fight against climate change. But all signs point to humans continuing to buy air conditioners not just for comfort, but to weather the weather that is increasingly devastated by climate change. This is especially true as temperatures and incomes rise in some of the world’s largest countries and fastest growing economies. In India alone, the demand for cooling technology is already growing by 15-20% annually as of his 2020.
This surging demand creates a promising but incredibly dangerous situation. The growing need for cooling could fuel a race to build the best AC technology, ideally to replace fossil fuel-based heating. But if better, more affordable air conditioners don’t hit the market fast enough, especially for the vast numbers of people in developing countries who will buy these appliances in the decades to come. , significantly worse air conditioning will take its place, further accelerating global warming. .
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