India to Enforce Air Conditioner Limit of No Lower Than 20 Degrees Even Amid 50-Degree Heat in Homes, Hotels, and Cars

Standardizing Air Conditioner Cooling Temperature Settings
Measures Aimed at Reducing Power Consumption

In India, where power consumption is surging due to scorching heat with daytime highs reaching around 50 degrees Celsius, a measure will be implemented to restrict air conditioner cooling temperatures from being set below 20 degrees Celsius.

According to Yonhap News on June 11 (local time), citing Bloomberg, "The Indian government is working with home appliance manufacturers to standardize the temperature range settings for air conditioners."

An Indian man drinking water in the heatwave. Photo by EPA.

Although still in its early stages, this appears to be a move aimed at reducing electricity usage by air conditioners, which are high-energy-consuming appliances.

Manohar Lal, India's Minister of Power, stated at a press conference held in New Delhi the previous day that the government is pushing for a plan to limit air conditioner settings to between 20 and 28 degrees Celsius. He added, "This measure will apply not only to air conditioners in homes and hotels but also to those in vehicles."

Currently, some air conditioners sold in India can be set as low as 16 degrees Celsius, which has led to concerns over excessive power consumption. In recent years, electricity demand has exceeded supply, resulting in power outages in some regions of India during the hot summer months from April to June.

A senior official from the Ministry of Power explained that raising the air conditioner temperature by 1 degree Celsius reduces electricity consumption by about 6 percent, which could save up to 3 GW of peak power demand. Peak power demand refers to the highest level of electricity usage during the day. In summer, power demand typically peaks in the afternoon.

Currently, about 100 million air conditioners are installed in India, with an additional 15 million units sold each year. Last summer, India's peak power demand reached 250 GW, and this year it is expected to increase by 8 percent.

Although frequent rainfall last month prevented a sharp rise in electricity demand, the onset of a heatwave this month has led to a renewed increase in power consumption. However, Minister Lal explained, "We are prepared to meet peak power demand even if it reaches 270 GW."

In India, the heat usually begins in March or April, with daytime highs reaching around 50 degrees Celsius in May. From June, as the monsoon season begins, temperatures gradually decrease. In recent years, the intensity of the heat has worsened, resulting in an increasing number of deaths from severe heatwaves. For this reason, climate experts have warned that by 2050, India could become the first country to reach 'unlivable temperatures,' with more than 1 billion people expected to be affected by climate change.