The air conditioning company TVG in Linz, for example, reports that there is currently high demand. The company with branches in Vienna, Graz, Prague and Bratislava has seen a high demand for air conditioning systems for private households in recent years, especially in the summer months. Air conditioning systems for commercial purposes, on the other hand, are in demand all year round. In contrast to other providers, the high demand at TVG can currently still be met with stock from its own warehouse.
Energy efficiency depends on the device
In the case of air conditioning systems, a distinction is made between so-called split and compact units: with an outdoor unit installed outdoors and one or more internal units, a split unit is, according to the TVG, much more efficient and quieter than a compact unit. From the point of view of the Upper Austrian Energy Saving Association (ESV), split devices are the better option in terms of power consumption. In any case, Gerhard Dell from the ESV advises observing the respective energy efficiency classes of the devices: Devices in class A (green) consume the least energy, while devices in class G (red) consume the most.
According to the ESV, the currently most energy-efficient variant is the combination of air conditioning and photovoltaic system: These would complement each other optimally because most electricity is produced from solar energy in the summer months – i.e. exactly when you also need the most for cooling. While the lead time for the delivery/installation of air conditioning units at the Linz location of the air conditioning technology provider TVG is currently around two weeks, longer waiting times must be expected for the installation of PV systems.
Electricity consumption increased in summer
According to the electricity network operator Austrian Power Grid (APG), the total electricity consumption in Austria in the summer months of June, July and August increased by an average of 3.5 percent in the period from 2016 to 2021. “To a certain extent, air conditioning units play a role here,” says APG spokesman Christoph Schuh. On the other hand, the increasing electrification in all areas of life – e-mobility, streaming, e-payment, as well as in business and industry – is also a reason.
With the network operator Netz OÖ, an increased power network utilization in the low single-digit percentage range on hot days is noticeable, but calculable. The fact that the increased use of air conditioning units leads to a minimal increase in network utilization is known from recent years and its effects can therefore be estimated.
Climate-damaging refrigerant
In addition to their sometimes high electricity consumption, air conditioning systems can also pollute the environment with escaping refrigerants that release greenhouse gases. According to the TVG, the refrigerant R32 used today for most split devices has a GWP (“Global Warming Potential”) of 675 at least a lower greenhouse gas potential than its predecessor 410a with a GWP of 2088.
Alternatives to air conditioning
As an alternative to air conditioning, Gerhard Dell from the Energy Saving Association mentions fans whose power consumption – depending on the size of the room – is many times lower than that of air conditioning. A fan achieves a more indirect cooling effect: on the one hand, the warm air layer around the body is waved away by means of air circulation, on the other hand, sweat evaporates more quickly from the skin’s surface. However, since the fan is also an electronic device that generates a certain amount of heat during operation, it should not remain switched on in an empty room either.
Before purchasing an air conditioner, the ESV also advises exhausting all other methods of cooling your home first: it is advisable to ventilate in the morning and evening hours or to darken the windows with blinds. Devices in standby mode should ideally be switched off completely – in order to be able to switch back to active mode at any time, they consume electricity even in idle mode and thus generate a certain amount of heat.
Source: Nachrichten
