Air conditioning

Working with the Tyndall Centre at the University of Manchester, the project explored additional cooling load from air-conditioning. This was informed by Tyndall’s original work on the RESNET project.

By 2030, air conditioning could plausibly add 600 MW to summer peaks, so could be similar in scale to future heat pump load in winter. Tyndall’s review, however, highlighted the limitations of the evidence base around air-conditioning, and the consequent difficulties for understanding future demand, its uncertainties and drivers. For the domestic and non-domestic sector, variations were considered in both uptake of air conditioning and ventilation, and in future summer temperature scenarios (characterised by cooling degree days - CDD).

The Tyndall Centre’s report can be found here.

The uptake levels and profiles developed in this project were subsequently incorporated in the load scenario model developed under the ATLAS project.

Dr Rita Shaw participated in the University of Manchester’s ‘Policy Week’ event on the urban heat island and the impacts of air conditioning on electricity demand and the network.