Subscribe to the daily news Sign in
En
Heatwaves in Europe increase demand for cooling

Heatwaves in Europe increase demand for cooling

Record temperatures are measured in Europe, and with the planet getting hotter due to climate change, similar heatwaves are predicted to happen more frequently. It is useful to revisit some of the recent scientific studies that Eurovent also brought to it members in the past years. Industry may need to reappraise the climatic conditions and test equipment for temperatures that are higher than those in standards and regulation to keep up with market evolutions, also in Europe.

International Energy Agency – The future of cooling

The May 2018 IEA study ‘The future of cooling’ looks at the global evolutions and while today less than five percent of European households have air-conditioning, it is expected that the stock of installed equipment move from 44 million units in 1990 to an estimate of 100 million in 2019 to around 275 million units by 2050.

The European figures are dwarfed by the global figures. There are about 1.6 bn. air conditioners installed, about half of them in America and China. Only 8% of the 2.8 bn. people living in hot climates has access to air conditioning today. It is expected that the number of air conditioners will increase to 5.6 bn. by 2050, at a rate of 10 air conditioners sold every second until 2050. As mentioned in the study this increase is accompanied by greater access to electricity as it is estimated that today less than one billion people have no access to electricity.

While Europe, thanks to Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Regulation is installing (the most) efficient air conditioners, efficient equipment should also be taken up outside Europe, if only to reduce the need for new power plants, cut emissions and reduce costs.

Climate considerations

The European regulations differentiate among three European climates. In view of the recent heat waves, it may become useful to reconsider the climatic conditions for two reasons, one to ensure that the equipment will work adequately during heatwaves and the second to support exports to countries where the ambient climate shows even higher temperatures (and other conditions such as humidity, dust, etc.).

Recommended Actions

Besides the present heatwaves, the findings of the IEA outlook are worrying. The members could benefit from revisiting the IEA studies and from a more global perspective the UN studies.

For a few products (VRF, Chillers, Rooftops, etc.) Eurovent Certita Certification is developing requirements to support the export of equipment to countries with high ambient temperatures. It is recommended that other products do consider the effects of higher temperature and prepare for adequate testing.

Related tags: air conditioning
Share

Related news

Embraco expands into HVAC market with scroll compressor acquisition
Nidec Global Appliance has announced the expansion of its Embraco brand into the heating and air conditioning (HVAC) market through the acquisition of scroll compressor manufacturer Xecom. Th...
09 Jul 2025
Arneg Group acquires Italy-based Frigomeccanica to expand product p...
Arneg Group, an international leader in commercial refrigeration, has announced the acquisition of Frigomeccanica S.r.l., an Italian manufacturer of refrigerated display furnishings and compone...
11 Jul 2025
LG targets global HVAC leadership with data center and regional B2B...
LG Electronics has outlined its strategy to become a top-tier global provider of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions by 2030. At a press conference held on July 8 at LG Scien...
11 Jul 2025
Danfoss begins GBC valve production at Mexico plant for North America
Danfoss Climate Solutions has started manufacturing its GBC 45 and 49 bar shutoff ball valves at its facility in Monterrey, Mexico, as part of a strategy to regionalize HVAC component production fo...
16 Jul 2025
China issues national plan to reduce HCFC and HFC use by 2030
China has released its national implementation plan for the Montreal Protocol for 2025–2030, detailing measures to phase down ozone-depleting substances and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in line with i...
yesterday
Daikin and Hitachi Launch AI Trial for Equipment Failure Diagnostics
AI agent combines OT expertise and generative AI to support factory maintenance. Daikin Industries, Ltd. and Hitachi, Ltd. have begun trial operations of an AI agent designed to supp
24 Apr 2025