Our new study published in Economic Modelling shows that owning and using an Air Conditioner greatly increases the electricity bills of households, with important implications for the energy poverty of the less well-off.
Our new study published in Economic Modelling shows that owning and using an Air Conditioner greatly increases the electricity bills of households, with important implications for the energy poverty of the less well-off.
Previous studies, mainly focused on the US, estimated an increase of household spendings for electricity bills of about 11%. This new study, analysing the socio economic characteristics of households in eight other OECD countries (Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland) and climate data coming from a NASA dataset, finds that on average, using an AC brings 42% more spending for electricity bills, with respect to the ones who do not have an AC unit in their home.
The actual increases will depend on the intensity of the change in climate households will have to face in the future. Those additional spendings are thus a new factor influencing the energy poverty of the poorest households, a situation arising when the families spend more than 5% of their annual income on electricity.
According to BPIE, in 2014 the population already affected by fuel poverty in Europe ranged from 10% to 15%, depending on the member state. This new study shows a more worrying situation.
Read more at Università Ca' Foscari Venezia
Photo Credit: terimakasih0 via Pixabay
