China seen as future air-con battleground amid globe warming

China could become one of the key markets for the next generation of air conditioning technology as the challenges of global warming grow ever bigger.

With 16 of the 17 warmest years in history having occurred since 2001, global warming is becoming part of everyday life for everyone in the world. And their solution is to turn on the air conditioning.

But that presents a new challenge, and the prospect of a new energy crisis.

In China, the hot summer of 2017 saw a 45 percent increase in the sale of air conditioners, said global information provider IHS Markit, which in turn saw a major rise in the amount of electricity required to use them.

The International Energy Agency expects worldwide demand for air conditioning to rise threefold by 2050. By then, the electricity they use each year would equal the current capacity of Japan, the United States and European Union put together, meaning economy is the priority.

Leading tech companies are working on the most energy-efficient technology possible, but in countries such as China, where electricity is produced cheaply, that may not be such a selling point.

"People want the cheapest possible unit and are not so worried about the ongoing costs of the electricity - because electricity in China is so cheap," said Iain Staffell, an energy expert at London's Imperial College.

As well as the low price of electricity, increasing disposable income in countries such as China and India means they are predicted to be the growth markets for air conditioning systems, and, these are also the areas of the world most likely to be affected by global warming.

Companies such as Samsung and Germany's Tado are already working on technology including app-controlled air conditioning units that automatically turn off when people leave the room, and IEA spokesman Brian Motherway said increased consumer education was one simple step that could make a huge impact in reducing energy use.

"It's really about making sure people are nudged toward buying the more efficient ones," he said. "The solution's already available on the shelves."

According to IHS Markit, the number of room air conditioners in use worldwide rose from 130 million in 2016 to 160 million a year later. So with demand continuing to increase, the need for more efficient and effective systems is becoming a greater priority.

However, one unexpected positive result of the world getting warmer is that there will be less energy used on heating. This may help to balance out the rise in demand for cooling purposes.