Cleaner cooling: the aircon alternative that won’t cost the earth 

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We all know the relief that cooling technology brings on a hot day. Stepping in from a sweltering city street into an air-conditioned office, or reaching into the fridge for a refreshing drink – we rely on this technology for our daily safety and comfort.

Ironically however, energy-hungry cooling contributes to further global heating, for several reasons. For example, to operate, air conditioners and fridges need a lot of electricity, and much of it comes from burning fossil fuels, which releases greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide.

As temperatures continue to rise around the world[1], the Clean Cooling Collaborative is working hard to transform the cooling sector by reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and making efficient, climate-friendly cooling accessible to all. “We seek to put clean cooling on the global agenda, by supporting organisations that work with various stakeholders, ranging from industry, , civil society groups to utility companies, to bring efficient, climate-friendly cooling policies, financing, and technology solutions to the world,” says Noah Horowitz, senior director of the Clean Cooling Collaborative.

India offers one of the clearest examples of where the mounting risks of extreme heat intersect with innovative solutions for affordable, clean cooling, helping to shape global approaches. The country’s demand for cooling equipment is expected to grow eightfold in the next 20 years[2]. Nowadays, heatwaves are harsher, arrive earlier and last longer. In May 2024, temperatures in Rajasthan and Delhi surpassed 50 Celsius, while energy companies warned of power blackouts, as cooling systems drained the grid of electricity. “The lack of access to cooling makes it more difficult for people to stay healthy, learn, and work safely, escape poverty, and keep food and medicine at safe temperatures,” says Noah.

Launched by the government in 2019, the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) is a comprehensive policy that paves the way to reduced cooling demands and energy usage by 2038. Alongside this policy, the Clean Cooling Collaborative’s local partners in India are working on programmes to complement these efforts with clean cooling initiatives on the ground.

As temperatures rise, the inequities around access to cooling are also increasing, and a key challenge is finding solutions that are accessible and fair to all. Afterall, as well as being bad for the climate, inefficient air conditioners are expensive to run. In some markets where air conditioners are not easily in reach, there’s a more familiar appliance, the ceiling fan – which are already found in 90 per cent of Indian homes. the Clean Cooling Collaborative and its partners are also focused on making these appliances more energy-efficient.

Ultra-modern ceiling fans, known as Brushless Direct Current Motor (BLDC) fans, use 50 per cent less energy than conventional models, yet deliver the same level of airflow and comfort, thanks to motors that offer a smoother and quieter operation. If all Indian homes transitioned to BLDC fans, it could save 15 per cent of India’s domestic electricity consumption, placing less demand on its already overstretched power grid. It would also save around 33 million metric tons of CO2 emissions every year.[3]

Until now, two main hurdles have prevented their widespread adoption – higher price and limited availability. In order to jumpstart sales and bring down the price for consumers, in 2024, the Indian Government set out a deployment target of 10 million BLDC ceiling fans, and tasked the country’s energy services company Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) to lead a bulk procurement effort to generate orders from large governmental and institutional purchasers.

The Clean Cooling Collaborative saw its opportunity to help – it worked alongside EESL and the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation to provide technical assistance and programme-design support to EESL, on a bulk procurement programme for high-efficiency ceiling fans. This also included manufacturer outreach and identifying and securing demand in the form of an ‘intent to purchase’ commitment for around 2.5 million ceiling fans.

This had the effect of cutting prices by nearly 30 per cent, which has brought the cost of a super-efficient fan almost in line with its less-efficient competitors. Now the energy efficient fans are much more affordable, and it takes fewer years of energy bill savings for consumers to recoup the initial outlay of a new more efficient ceiling fan.

The price point has also triggered interest from manufacturers keen to meet the growing demand. The next steps for the Clean Cooling Collaborative are to help build out the domestic supply chain for BLDC fans, by boosting the production capabilities of small- and medium-sized manufacturers. And now, building on its success in India, the Clean Cooling Collaborative is already exploring opportunities to support other countries’ efforts to adopt super-efficient ceiling fans, with its focus now turning to Southeast Asia.

Oak supports the Clean Cooling Collaborative as part of our Global Climate Initiatives Programme, which supports practical, people-first solutions that help communities thrive while reducing the harm caused by pollution and the overuse of natural resources. Whether it’s increasing the use of cleaner energy, reducing waste, or improving how communities grow and share food, we support efforts that focus on changes that make life better now — and protect what matters for the future.

References
[1] Climate change: global temperature | NOAA Climate.gov
[2] https://shaktifoundation.in/cooling-action-plan/
[3] https://www.clasp.ngo/updates/catalyzing-indias-transition-to-energy-efficient-fans/