How to use AC without breaking the bank (and ruining the Earth) this summer
The world is facing an environmental paradox.
It’s really, really hot outside. Temperatures in Paris this summer have climbed to nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit. A city in Japan just recorded its first 106 degree day. Multiple cities in California are reaching the 110s and above.
And this extreme heat, which is intensified by human-caused global warming, is driving those with air conditioning to push their machines to the limit.
However, since air conditioners require electricity, the increase in use is sending power plants into overdrive -- creating more pollution and further contributing to global warming.
But we can’t just turn our air conditioners off.
As we’ve seen over the past month, temperatures that high can be deadly. A heatwave in Quebec killed 70 people. Japan’s ongoing heat wave has already sent thousands to the hospital and claimed 80 lives.
So even though it might be harming us in the long run, we need air conditioning. We just have to be responsible about it.
In light of those facts -- and the heat outside -- what can we do about it?
Limiting your use in a smart way
One short term solution: Stop setting your air conditioner to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
International Energy Agency analyst John Dulac said the physics behind that solution are pretty straight forward.
“For every degree [Fahrenheit] you need to remove from the space, the equipment has to work harder," Dulac said.
"Normally when you turn it on, it’s around [70 degrees], meaning that’s what it’s designed to do," he said. However, it’s common in the US to set it it to 65 degrees which increases energy consumption by nearly 20 percent.
That increase might not seem like a lot, but it all adds up when everyone is doing it.
Throughout the summer, 30 percent of energy consumed in the United States is from air conditioners. During peak hours -- i.e. after everyone gets home from work -- about 60 or 70 percent of energy consumption goes to powering ACs, Dulac said.
That’s a bad thing because aside from contributing to pollution, overwhelming air conditioner use can cause blackouts or brownouts.
“The problem here is that there’s a discrepancy between supply and demand,” energy analyst John Rogers said.
He and his colleagues at the Union of Concerned Scientists have been monitoring the impact that increased energy consumption has on power plants in the U.S and abroad.
Some places, especially nuclear power plants, are having to dial back or shutdown completely in order to avoid meltdowns because the demand for electricity is so high.
This isn’t a new phenomenon. In fact, the Union of Concerned Scientists issued a statement back in 2011 urging people to cut back their air conditioning use because it “forces power plants to operate less efficiently.”
But when things get worse, and heat waves get longer, a few brownouts here and there could turn into long term city wide blackouts in the future.
So, what AC temperature is best? It all depends on who you ask.
Energy Star, a federal program run by the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, says the coolest you should keep your home is 78 degrees -- and when you’re away it should be even hotter than that.
Dulac isn’t persuaded.
“It’s not realistic to ask people to put high temperatures on their air conditioners," Dulac said.
Instead, he suggests simply being more contentious about energy usage.
“When you get home maybe turn it to [70] while you’re cooking and eating dinner but then turn it up to [73] or [74] while you’re sleeping and your body won’t realize it.”
Turn it off when you don't need it
But an even better way to be a more responsible user is to simply turn it off when you’re not at home, Dulac explained.
In America, people have the tendency to leave air conditioners on even when they aren’t around, which sucks up a ton of energy. In light of that, turning the AC off when no one is home is an energy saving technique that doesn’t require people to adjust their comfort.
This is the aim of electricity providers like Con Edison, which rewards its customers for using the smartAC technology that allows them to control the thermostat with an app.
But these are just short term solutions. Both Dulac and Rogers agree that the cooling process, as a whole, needs to become more efficient.
According to climate scientist Rachel Licker, that process starts with a long-term investment in a cleaner energy infrastructure, which has two main benefits.
“First, [a clean energy infrastructure] helps in these acute extreme heat situations so we don’t have these dirty power plants coming online increasing our air quality issues," Licker said.
"The second benefit is that it will reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions pumping into the atmosphere which will lower the likelihood of these extreme energy events."
It's a win-win scenario.
Other solutions include designing buildings that are adjusted to our potentially hotter future (e.g., not facing the sun, better natural circulation). Roofs should be painted in colors other than black; Windows can be coated in a film that keeps heat out while allowing sunlight in.
But perhaps the easiest solution of all? Just close your blinds.
