Primed for space cooling

The Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) have published the Primer for Space Cooling and accompanying Compendium, which address the critical need for access to sustainable space cooling.

The Primer describes space cooling as “the means by which people are provided thermal comfort from heat by maintaining the optimum temperature, humidity, and ventilation within the built environment”.

It is predicted that the global growth of energy use will triple by 2050, mostly in developing countries. According to the Primer, “the global energy use for space cooling is projected to jump from 2,020 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2016 to 6,200 TWh in 2050 – an astounding 300 per cent increase”.

The report explores how this growth can be addressed with strategies that align with the developmental needs of these countries. It predicts developing countries in tropical climate zones will be most affected.

A blog post on the RMI website by Sneha Sachar and Iain Campbell states that the growth must be addressed with carefully designed strategies and solutions to avoid severe economic, power system, and environmental impacts.

According to Sachar and Campbell, there are core market barriers that are affecting the market demand for space cooling, and the Primer addresses how to overcome each barrier and promote space cooling.

The Primer and Compendium are both available to download here. The Compendium acts as a supplement to the Primer, and contains detailed information and examples of where space cooling has been utilised before.