Energy Efficiency of Air Conditioners in Developing Countries: A Malaysian Case Study

Abstract

Growing demand for air conditioner (AC) in developing countries has hit an alarming point. Enforcing higher efficiency standards for cooling appliances is one of the easier initiatives that governments can implement to reduce energy consumption and emissions of potent greenhouse gases. Malaysia has adopted the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) in 2013 to regulate the energy performance of five common household appliances including ACs. This work sheds light on the overall improvement of AC’s energy performance after MEPS implementation. A rigorous data collection exercise was conducted to build a comprehensive sales and technical database of MEPS-compliant ACs covering the years 2013-2015. In 2015, the average energy efficiency ratio (EER) of ACs sold in the local market is 3.4, and the cumulative electricity saving and CO2 emission reduction after MEPS implementation are 1,764 GWh and 1,178 ktCO2eq respectively. The results from this study will contribute significantly to the review of the effectiveness of MEPS implementation in developing countries.

Assessment of the Correlation between Energy Rating Labeling Regulations and Performance Metrics for Residential Air Conditioning Units: Case Study Variable Type Air Conditioners

“…The introduction of more energy efficient electrical appliances and labeling programs have contributed to crucial reductions in substantial energy use reductions in residential and commercial sectors. The three most used policy interventions in developing countries are information programs, labeling regulations, and financial incentives (Fatihah Salleh et al, 2019;Jain et al, 2018;Liang Wong and Krüger, 2017;Lim et al, 2018;World Energy Conuncil, 2020). Major elements of the recommended energyefficiency policies include an internationally harmonized standard program, product certification and registration, infrastructure for testing performance, and an evaluation, measurement, and verification strategy (Abas and Mahlia, 2018;Inoue and Matsumoto, 2019;.…”

Assessment of the effects of stricter standards in energy efficiency regulation for residential air conditioning in Guayaquil, Ecuador

“…In Malaysia, the implementation of MEPS has had a positive impact on the AC energy consumption, and this can be seen in Figure 2.9, which shows the normalized energy consumption. Between 2013 and 2015 there was a reduction in energy intensity between 14 and 20% (Fatihah Salleh et al, 2019).…”

“…Source:(International Copper Association, 2016) Figure2.9: Impact of MEPS in the energy efficiency indicator for AC systems Source:(Euromonitor, 2019;Fatihah Salleh, Mohd Isa, Eqwan Roslan, & Ab Rashid Tuan Abdullah, 2019;MESTECC, 2018) …”