The global warming problem is driving a global cooling addiction that threatens to further accelerate climate change and challenge the reliability of electricity supply. The rising trajectory of air conditioning (AC) sales in both economically developed and developing nations has become a major concern for environmentalists and grid operators alike. Buildings, again, sit at the center of the environmental debate but as populations grow and develop, and global temperatures rise, cooling technology could simultaneously be our best friend and our worst enemy. Today, AC adoption is concentrated in a smaller number of affluent countries that experience extended periods of hot weather every year. Over 90% of households in Japan and the US are equipped with AC units, followed closely by South Korea with 86%, according to IEA 2018 figures. Saudi Arabia and China, with 63% and 60% respectively, round out a top five that stand head and shoulders above the rest. Mexico and Brazil share […]