Demand for air conditioners in Australia continues to rise at a time when the federal government is implementing programs to reduce energy use and increase efficiency.
Federal Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson, believes the situation is so critical that consumers who turn down their heaters and air conditioners during extreme weather should be rewarded.
The Asia Pacific region had the highest rate of air conditioning sales in 2011, topping $48.2 billion or 55 per cent of the world market.
Ferguson said managing peak demand is one of the biggest challenges facing the energy sector, with one-sixth of the nation’s network infrastructure being used only four days a year.
The increased use of appliances such as air conditioning units is also affecting outdated wiring systems in older buildings.
“Many years ago, the average home had one power point in a room and one light in the centre of the room,” a spokesperson for Everest Electrical said.
“Today, the average home can have up to 10 outlets and 10 light fittings in a room, and the reality is that the original wiring system in many of these buildings was never meant to cope with such a large electrical load.”
Martin Ferguson
