Are cooling appliances making the world hotter?

Without any major technological innovations, cooling devices are predicted to contribute largely to global warming in the next few decades.

A new report published by researchers at the UK's University of Birmingham predicts the number of cooling appliances worldwide will balloon to 14 billion units by 2050, four times more than today's 3.6 billion units. These include air conditioners, climate control systems, mobile freezers used in shipments, and refrigerators, which are helpful in preventing food and medicine spoilage. During the period, these devices are expected to consume five times more energy, a situation that can undermine on-going efforts to combat climate change.

The study also noted that in order to maintain global rise in temperature within 2 C as agreed upon in the Paris accord, energy consumption from cooling appliances should be kept at 6,300TWh per year by 2050. Currently, annual usage is at 3,600THh. At this rate, utilization is on track to hit 19,000TWh if no new cooling innovations are developed. Taking in consideration existing technologies, the yearly energy requirement can only dip to 15,000TWh.

Demand for cooling appliances has been on the rise recently with the recent spate of heat wave happening across the Northern Hemisphere . Another factor contributing largely to the upsurge is the growing middle-class population in India, China and other emerging economies, which are seeking all comforts that come with the status.

Data from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that home air conditioning by itself will account for 4,000TWh of the global energy use annually by 2050 and 10,000TWh by 2100.

Most air conditioners and refrigerators use hydrofluorocarbon or HFCs as refrigerants. Although not damaging to the ozone layer, these chemicals produce greenhouse gases that are said to be 23,000 times greater than carbon dioxide.

Cooling devices have become critical for the survival of millions worldwide with climate change pushing global temperatures at record levels. The irony, however, is that while these appliances keep us cool, they are also major contributors to global warming. Without major breakthrough developments in the line, these devices pose a great threat to make the earth even hotter.