India's Air Conditioners May Max Out at 68 Degrees

India's government is seeking to limit temperature settings on new air conditioners to save electricity in the country that is considered the fastest-growing market for them. The power minister proposed a rule in June requiring air conditioners sold in the country to have thermostats that can be set no lower than 68 degrees. Officials hope the small change will create massive energy savings in the country of more than 1.4 billion people, the AP reports. About 10 million to 15 million air conditioners are sold annually as incomes and urbanization increase along with the temperatures. The current lowest setting is 62 F. Officials say each degree an air conditioner is turned up saves about 6% on energy.

• Urban response: The proposal has gotten mixed reviews from people living in India's sweltering cities. Vikram Kannan, a 37-year-old teacher who lives in the humid southern city of Chennai with his wife and 4-year-old daughter, usually supports efforts to save energy. "Sometimes there is no choice but to set a low air conditioner temperature in cities like Chennai because it's just way too hot and humid," he said. "My daughter gets heat pimples at times if we don't do this." Sunil Kumar, a 47-year-old from East Delhi, said the rule could prevent fire hazards and lower bills. "People used to live without air conditioners. We can adjust," said Kumar, who drives a small commercial vehicle known as a tuk-tuk.
• The demand: Air conditioners are fast becoming some of the biggest energy guzzlers in India. Room air conditioners accounted for as much as one-quarter of the electricity needed in India during times of the highest usage in 2024, a measure known as peak demand, according to estimates by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. New AC units added between 2019 and 2024 have increased India's peak demand by an amount roughly equivalent to what it would take to power New Delhi for a year, the researchers estimated. Energy demand is typically highest during the summer when temperatures can reach 124 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of the country.

• The outlook: If changes are not made, India is expected to have power shortages by next year. The hunger for energy is also a key reason the country is one of the highest emitters of planet-heating gases. Clean energy use is growing, but most of India's electricity is provided by climate-polluting fossil fuels such as coal. Energy experts said the proposal is a positive step, but that requiring units to be more energy efficient would help more.