New Delhi (NVI): Amid rising demand of ACs in India, government has reiterated its commitment to provide “Thermal comfort for all” as articulated in India Cooling Action Plan even as it aims to cut carbon footprint by 80% and reduce energy consumption by half.
While speaking at an Award Ceremony here today to announce the finalists of the ‘Global Cooling Prize’, Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said the world today needs an extremely energy efficient cooling technology, “a solution that can sustainably meet the comfort-cooling needs of growing population without contributing to runaway climate change or costly stresses on already burdened electricity systems.”
Innovation and new technologies in the cooling industry are especially crucial for India. Studies suggest that the cost to the Indian economy due to lost productivity from extreme heat could exceed $450 billion by 2030.
While the household ownership of ACs in India today is a mere 7%, the demand for comfort cooling is expected to drive the total stock of room ACs in India to over 1 billion by 2050 — a 40-fold growth from 2016. Growth in the demand for cooling will be dramatic, particularly in urban areas, due to the underlying need for a solution to the problem of heat stress.
“It becomes even more relevant for a country like India which is on the path of economic growth and has relatively low penetration of air conditioning. The Government recognizes this need and is fully committed to provide “Thermal comfort for all” which has been articulated so well in the India Cooling Action Plan,” he said.
“India has been leading from the front in the global campaign to tackle Global Warming and Climate Change. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spelled out India’s agenda during the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris,” he said.
“In fact, the Mission Innovation programme was coined by Narendra Modi,” he added.
During the ceremony, Dr. Vardhan also presented Awards to the eight finalists of the GCP. The finalists are Daikin Air Conditioning India Pvt. Ltd., Godrej and Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., and S&S Design Startup Solution Pvt. Ltd. – all three from India; M2 (Square) Thermal Solutions, Transaera Inc. and Kraton Corporation (in collaboration with IIT Bombay, Infosys and Porus Labs)- all three from the US; Gree Electric Appliances Inc. of Zhuhai, China; and Barocal Ltd of UK.
Since its launch, the Prize has received overwhelming international participation — over 2,100 participant registrations were received from innovators, start-ups, research institute, universities, and key Air Conditioning industry manufacturers in over 95 countries.
The winner of the Global Cooling Prize will be announced in November, 2020 and awarded more than US$1 million in prize money.
-sb
