Why should government decide temperature of your air conditioners? You can not run ACs below...

In what may appear as increasing control of your everyday life, soon the government may dictate you to run your air conditioners within a range of temperatures. The Union government is working on legislation that may issue instructions to run air conditioners in the range of 20 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius. It means you must not put your air conditioners below the temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. This instruction will have to be followed in both individual homes as well as public places like officers and hotels etc. 

Govt's move to save electricity

If reports are to be believed, the government intends to save electricity so that the rising energy demand and consumption of electricity during the peak period are maintained properly. Attending a programme in New Delhi, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said, "Regarding air conditioning standards, a new provision is being implemented soon. The temperature standardization for ACs will be set between 20°C to 28°C, meaning we won't be able to cool below 20°C or warm above 28°C." He added, "This is a first-of-its-kind experiment, aiming to standardize temperature settings."

Do you run AC at 16 degrees Celsius?

The government seems to have taken the decision keeping in mind the fact that many homes and buildings run their ACs at very low temperatures, sometimes as low as 16°C. It consumes more electricity and puts extra pressure on the power grid. According to a rough estimate, India has around 100 million ACs. Besides, about 15 million more air conditioners are installed every year.

What will happen if you increase temperature?

If reports are to be believed, air conditioners account for around 50 gigawatts of electricity use, about one-fifth of the country’s maximum power load. It has also been found that every 1°C increase in AC temperature cuts energy use by 6%. It means if everyone sets their ACs just 1 degree higher, about 3 gigawatts of power can be saved during the peak period. 

According to the University of California, Berkeley, stricter electricity rules can save up to 60 gigawatts of peak demand by 2035. It can save about Rs 7.5 trillion on building new power plants and grid systems.