Energy Saving Air Conditioners (Air Con) and Cooling Appliances

By: EconomyWatch   Date: 30 April 2010

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How to Save Energy on Cooling Appliances

Heating and cooling typically account for about 50% of the total energy bill of a home. Many nations have set standards and certifications for energy saving cooling appliances.

The Chinese government is all set to raise the minimum efficiency requirement for air conditioners. Under the new National Standard for the Energy Efficiency of Air Conditioning Equipment, which is scheduled to be issued in March 2009, air conditioners with an energy efficiency level lower than Grade 2 would not be allowed to be sold in the market. According to the current energy-efficiency standard, air conditioners are graded from level 5 to level 1, depending on their efficiency level, with grade 5 being the lowest. The Grade 1 energy efficiency level can lower energy bills by 10%-20%, as compared to ordinary air conditioners.

A certified energy-efficient air conditioner could lower cooling costs by as much as 30% as compared to a traditional one that is more than ten years old. Among the options available to save energy spent on heating or cooling a home is replacing central air conditioners with room air conditioners. One could also use portable air conditioners, which are based on evaporative technology that uses waste condensation water to enhance the cooling without adding to energy consumption.

With progress being made on the solar power front, solar air conditioners could not have been far behind. Scientists from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) and the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) have made significant headway in developing solar air conditioners. According to sciencedaily.com, the team is working on a solar cooling system that can lower the temperature of water to between 7º C and 18º C, when the outside temperature is between 33º C and 43º C. In areas where humidity is below 40%, the switch to solar evaporative coolers can reduce power usage, bringing cooling costs down by up to 90%. The solar cooler can run on just one or two solar panels and is environment friendly.

Air conditioner models with the automatic temperature cutoff feature can reduce energy bills. One can also save on energy consumption by using a ceiling fan in combination with air conditioners and setting the thermostat at a higher temperature. Insulating the room well also helps immensely. Placing air conditioning units in shaded areas can lower electricity consumption by up to 10%.


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