The Indian government is set to introduce a new regulation aimed at controlling the temperature range for air conditioners throughout the nation. Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced this new provision, stating, “A new provision is being implemented soon regarding air conditioning standards. The temperature standardisation for ACs will be established between 20°C and 28°C, meaning we will not be able to cool below 20°C or heat above 28°C.” Khattar further remarked, “This is a first-of-its-kind experiment, aiming to standardize temperature settings.”
What the new AC rule entails
Currently, air conditioners can be set to temperatures as low as 18°C (and even 16°C in some cases) and can go up to a maximum of 30°C. Once the new provision is in place, this temperature range will be limited to 20°C – 28°C. Consequently, users will not have the option to set their ACs below 20°C or above 30°C.
The objective of these new regulations is to standardize the usage of air conditioners across the country and to mitigate the excessive electricity consumption that results from setting temperatures too low.
The government has indicated that it will monitor compliance with the new regulations. However, specific details regarding enforcement, particularly across various sectors, have yet to be clarified.
Rationale behind the new AC temperature rule
During the announcement, Khattar explained that the new AC temperature provision is part of a broader initiative to conserve electricity and address India’s increasing energy demands. One of the primary motivations for this initiative is to reduce electricity consumption, particularly during the summer months when power usage peaks. Many individuals set their air conditioners to extremely low temperatures, sometimes as low as 16°C, which places significant strain on the power supply. Pankaj Agarwal, a senior official from the power and housing ministry, informed Bloomberg that air conditioners account for approximately 50 gigawatts of electricity usage — roughly 20% of the nation’s total power demand.
“Research indicates that every 1°C increase in AC temperature results in a 6% reduction in energy consumption. This implies that if everyone raises their AC settings by just 1 degree, we could save around 3 gigawatts of power during peak periods.
(Newsroom staff only edited this story for style from a syndicated feed)
