86 thousand GWh energy’s economy in 16 years or 64% of all 2018’s residential consumption are the first results of the study about air conditioner’s efficiency in Brazil

The subject was discussed in the Escolhas Institute’s online workshop held, at first, among partners of Kigali design.

 The economy of 86 thousand GWh of electric energy up to 2035 or the equivalent to 64% of all residential consumption of 2018, beyond the reduction of 37 million tons of CO_2. Using one sample with models of air conditioner Split type already tested with the new metric proposed by the Inmetro [Metrology Institute], those numbers are the partial results of one of the scenarios of the study “Paths for the energetic efficiency of the air conditioner in Brazil” presented in online workshop held by the Escolhas Institute, in partnership with the Instituto Clima e Sociedade (ICS), on this Friday morning, April 30.

In Brazil, the use of air conditioner corresponds to 14% of the electricity consumption in residential sector. While the monthly average consumption per domicile without air conditioner, in 2018, corresponds to 162.48 kWh, only this type of device in the domiciles that have air conditioning achieves 80% of this value, reaching 132,46 kWh. It is fundamental do discuss the energetic efficiency of the devices for the rationalization of the consumption and less cost of energy in the consumer bills. The efficiency gains go through improvements in the industrial policies, and through energetic efficiency so that the country can reach higher energy gains, in relation to the already used devices, and benefits to the consumer with more welfare and comfort.

In order to reach the efficiency, in the workshop, there were discussed the challenges of conciliating the manufacturer costs to improve the efficiency of the air conditioning devices, the innovation and the productivity, and that the country may gain, systemically, with the lesser electric energy consumption, beyond the economic and environmental impacts of the alternatives to improve the energetic efficiency of the devices.

With the aim to increase the debate and to collect contributions for the methodology and the partial results of the study, the Escolhas gathered, first, the partners of the Kigali design – a national strategy of energetic efficiency for the air conditioner sector and of trainings to strength efficient patterns of energy and labelling. In Brazil, the design is performed by the ICS ant it has as objective to help changing the energy consumption profile of the air conditioner devices.

For Gabriel Kohlmann, survey’s coordinator, “the aim was to bring the elements that quantify the economic impacts of the current production model and commercialization of air conditioner, as well as the arguments and impacts of the several scenarios and alternatives”.

The economist Carlos Manso, researcher of the study and of the Federal University of  Ceará (UFC), held the presentation and called the participants to think “ that we need to increase the air conditioner efficiency, since the instruments that are available and what would be the repercussions of the several choices of these instruments, effects and impacts”. And, as the technical efficiency is a factor of competitivity for the companies, it should be integrated to the industrial policy of Manaus Free Zone (MZF), in Amazonas. For him, “it is not reasonable the concession of tax benefits without being requested the permanent search for productivity increase, via technological absorption, exactly the kind of advance that technological efficiency allows.”

The Engineer Roberto Lamberts, specialist in energetic efficiency, and Professor of the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), mentioned one international contest that will prize producers that are seeking for innovating ideas, universities and companies to put the most efficient device in the market. And he completed commenting about the current scenario and the increase of the demand.  “The International Agency Energy has already stated what is going to be the next years’ problem. Countries that are in development are buying air conditioner, and they will buy much more. When we analyze survey of possessions and behaviors, we see that it is very linked with the income. Once the income eventually raises, people will buy air conditioner as soon as they can. We must see a very significative increase in the North and Norwest regions.”

The representative of the Institute of the Consumer Defense (Idec), Clauber Leite, emphasized that “the gain of efficiency is beneficial to the consumer and he would have economic gains, mainly, in his energy bill. The coordinator of the Energy and Sustainability Program of the Institution announced that he will launch soon, a platform to help the consumer taking the decision when he is going to buy. “We are creating one tool in order that the consumer may compare the efficiency level of a device versus the price, with another one more or less efficient”, concluded him.

In her final considerations, Kamyla Borges, coordinator of Kigali Design at ICS, emphasized the importance to bring this matter for the discussion and of the partnership for the study execution. For her, it is important to have “the Escolhas as the protagonist of that discussion about economy and environment, about the necessity to understand energetic efficiency as productivity. To talk about energetic efficiency is not to talk of the Electric Sector, is not only talk about CO2 reduction, it is talk about productivity and competitivity in industry.”