Editor’s Note: Paul Hokenos is a Berlin-based writer focusing on renewable energy in Europe. He is the author of four books on European issues, most recently “Berlin Calling: A Story of Anarchy, Music, the Wall and the Birth of New Berlin.” The views of this article are those of the author. See more Opinion on CNN.
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American friends visiting my downtown Berlin apartment at the height of summer are always chatting at my rinky-dink plastic fan, mounted on a bookshelf above my desk.
Inevitably, they lament about stuffy, sweaty restaurants and nightclubs that run without air conditioning as if it had never been invented.
Europeans, for their part, had, until recently, made their own complaint about Americans’ infatuation with ACs: so wasteful of their high energy usage, unhealthy in the middle of summer with frosty temperatures and a lack of window units. Annoyed because of the constant discussion!
Air con was seen as another luxury item of the all-time population, which insisted on constant temperature throughout the year – and gave no consideration to its environmental impacts.
But the planet’s recent record breaking heat waves – and the desperate urge to stay cool – Europeans in particular are reconsidering their prejudices and opening up to indoor cooling systems.
in Europe, according to an industry estimateOf course, only 20% of the households have AC units. in the United Kingdom, which suffered it this week highest recorded temperatureits less than 5%. In Germany, it’s only about 3%. It is compared with 90% in America.
been there run wild This summer on the stately eyes of America, which is no longer considered a luxury in more than 100-degree weather. really since 2000, When there was a significant increase in temperature, there has been a steady increase in the number of homes and businesses around the world opting for ACs.
AC purchases skyrocket in France and UK as temperatures drop this year Climate data firm Kayrros, The trend is unmistakable: two third Homes in the world could have air conditioners by 2050.
Europeans – and indeed the world’s – embrace of ace, however, is far more relevant than the humble pie they appear to be digesting without burping.
as the temperature to climb unnecessarilyUnless greenhouse gas emissions are curbed, science attests, the world finds itself in an apparently unbreakable bond – called the vicious cycle of air conditioning.
That is, AC is an extremely energy-intensive means of cooling the space. according to a world bank report As of 2019, cooling technologies such as refrigerators, air conditioners and other appliances account for up to 10% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. This is more than twice the footprint of aviation and marine together! At this rate, cooling emissions could double by 2030 and triple by 2100, the report said.
This year when the mercury has risen, energy demand All types of cooling, including fans, passed through the ceiling – thus so would emissions. Last year’s record hot summer was a factor – including, among others, the Covid-19 lockdown recovery – a 6.3% jump in EU emissions in 2020, according to The European Commission.
In other words, the warmer the planet, the greater the need—in many places in Asia and the Middle East, and in the Americas and parts of Europe, an existential need—for cooling.
But when that power supply depends on fossil fuels, carbon emissions spike – and precisely when they need to decline if we want to prevent temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (which is the most recent study on climate change). intergovernmental panel) report good Verification is still possible.)
The higher carbon emissions – and the increase in temperature – are, the more cooling we’ll need. It’s this vicious circle, possibly an ironic argument that condemns us all to more unbearable summers.
Yet, this scenario is unimaginable and the means to break the vicious circle are already in our hands.
Europe, in the face of developing sustainable solutions to our planet’s ongoing climate breakdown, has begun implementing technology and strategies to keep everything cool without heating up even more. Hitch: Much of this innovation involves changing habits.
The first and most obvious route is the expanded use of renewable energy. An AC unit that relies on solar panels mounted on a roof or in a side yard has no carbon footprint to run.
An average AC system runs on the same amount of power as a dishwasher, although higher energy usage requires much more capacity than a solar set-up.
The good news: National energy systems that use large amounts of clean energy — whether it’s wind, solar, hydroelectric or any other source — inevitably experience small spikes in emissions.
Of course, the EU is already building zero-footprint energy at an astonishing rate as part of its “Green Deal”. The share of clean energy doubled between 2004 and 2020, and The European Commission wants to double it again by 2030.
With solar and wind prices now cost competitive – and fossil fuel prices rising as a result of the war in Ukraine – clean energy makes economic sense on an entirely new scale.
In Europe, wind and solar parks a . produce one kilowatt of electricity Part of the cost of gas and coal. Thus the switch to refurbishment – for cooling as well as everything else – is also a money saver.
The drawback is that the clean energy rollout will not significantly reduce emissions overnight: the real impact will be visible in the medium and long term when entire energy systems rely largely or exclusively on renewable energy. And it will take years, and in some cases, decades.
A quick fix: Inexpensive, energy-efficient air cooling units are a no-brainer, According to the International Energy Agency (IEA). It added that switching to higher performance AC units could cut the cooling energy demand in half. More than 80 countries already have minimum energy performance standards for air conditioners written into law – which lock in energy savings for the entire market.
In addition, passive cooling strategies, accustomed to prolonged scorching heat in the Mediterranean and other places, require natural ventilation and shading: opening windows at night and lowering blinds in the middle of the morning. According to a study, Passive cooling can reduce air conditioning energy demand by up to 70%.
But there are other permanent options as well. geothermal cooling, Smart architecture and solar thermal cooling systems can all be part of a comprehensive solution to global warming. More efficient buildings designed with state-of-the-art insulation, increased air flow, and cool roofs significantly reduced the need for mechanical cooling.
Americans can learn a thing or two from the rest of the world when it comes to habits – because nowhere is the vicious cycle more damaging than in the countries with the most units: China, America and Japan.
It’s self-indulgent to insist on cool temperatures in the middle of summer and rooms with the warmth of T-shirts in winter. Wearing a sweater indoors when it’s cold outside, not because the AC is so high, is definitely a habit anyone can adopt.
Right now, conservation is the order of the day: to save our planet and to deprive Russian President Vladimir Putin of Europe of its energy stronghold.