The Human Impacts Database

A collection of useful numbers for quantifying the impacts of the human presence on Earth.

Number of installed AC units worldwide

This quantity comes from a time series measurement and the most recent value (2016) is reported.


Value:		≈ 1.6 × 10⁹ units see this value in other units This is equivalent to... ≈ 1.6 billion units ≈ 1600 million units
HuID:		10507
Relevant Year(s):		2016
Summary:		Global stock of air conditioning (AC) units from 1990 to 2016. Using air conditioners and electric fans to stay cool accounts for nearly 20% of the total electricity used in buildings around the world today. This trend is set to grow as the world’s economic and demographic growth becomes more focused in hotter countries. An increase in air conditioning demand will have a significant impact on countries’ overall energy demand, putting pressure on electricity grids and driving up local and global emissions. Nearly 70% of all the ACs globally are installed in residential buildings. Household ownership of ACs varies enormously across countries, from around 4% in India and less than 10% in Europe, to over 90% in the United States and Japan, and close to 100% in a few Middle Eastern countries.
Method:		The IEA collects, assesses and disseminates energy statistics on supply and demand, compiled into energy balances in addition to a number of other key energy-related indicators, including energy prices, public RD&D and measures of energy efficiency, with other measures in development. No measure of uncertainty is provided by the source, so values provided should be considered an estimate. Based on IEA data from IEA (2018) The Future of Cooling, IEA; as modified by the anthroponumbers.org administrators.
Source:		International Energy Agency Global Air Conditioner Stock 1990-2016 (IEA). (2018)
Dataset:		Global air conditioner stock, 1990-2016 (processed_global-air-conditioner-stock-1990-2016.csv) global resolution regional resolution
Trend:
Original Data License:		IEA
Added By:		ilopezgo