Setting Your AC to 24°C Could Save Big Money and Help the Environment
When summer heat hits, the first thing many of us do is turn on the air conditioner and set it as cold as possible. But officials in Hyderabad are asking you to think twice about that habit. According to TheHindu, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation (TSREDCO) have launched a new campaign encouraging everyone to set their AC temperature to 24 degrees Celsius instead of cooler settings.
Why Officials Want You to Change Your AC Settings
BEE Secretary Milind Deore says, “Hyderabad’s energy consumption pattern directly impacts national power stability and climate targets.” The simple act of adjusting your AC temperature a few degrees higher could lead to massive savings across the country.
How Small Temperature Changes Make a Big Difference
| Temperature Change | Power Savings | What This Means For You |
|---|---|---|
| Increasing by just 1°C | About 6% less electricity used | Small change, noticeable savings |
| Setting from 20-21°C to 24°C | Up to 24% less electricity used | Big monthly bill reduction |
Think of your AC like a car engine – the harder it works, the more fuel it needs. When you set your AC to very cold temperatures, it struggles constantly to reach that temperature in hot weather.
Understanding how your AC saves money starts with its key component: the compressor. This is the part that really consumes the most electricity to cool the air.
When you set your AC to a very low temperature, like below 24°C, you’re demanding the compressor work constantly and intensely to reach and maintain that cooler temperature.
Setting a more moderate temperature, such as 24°C, means the AC reaches the desired comfort level faster. Once achieved, the compressor doesn’t need to work as hard or as long, especially in modern inverter models which can run at a lower power.
This significant reduction in the compressor’s workload directly translates into lower electricity consumption. Lower consumption means a noticeable reduction in your monthly electricity bills.
Beyond immediate savings, maintaining a moderate temperature like 24°C also puts less strain on the AC’s internal components. This can potentially lead to a longer lifespan for the unit and reduced maintenance costs over time.
The Big Picture: What Happens If Everyone Makes This Small Change?
- Electricity Savings: The country could save up to 20 billion units of electricity every year, according to TheHansIndia.
- Money Savings: This adds up to about ₹10,000 crore in savings across India, as reported by BizzBuzz. PiB explains this figure comes from multiplying the saved electricity by the average cost per unit.
- Environmental Protection: We could reduce harmful carbon gases by about 8.2 million tonnes yearly, according to estimates from udit.beeindia.
- Longer-Lasting ACs: Your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard, so it might last longer before breaking down.
Even a real-life example shows how this works. According to LiveMint, a technology professional in Delhi reduced their electricity bills to around ₹2,000 by setting their AC between 27-29°C.
Why Hyderabad is a Key Focus for This Campaign
- Telangana needs about 97,547 million units of electricity for 2024-25, according to TelanganaToday.
- In Hyderabad homes during summer, air conditioners use about 39% of all electricity.
- The city has many homes, offices, malls, and hotels using ACs, making it an important place to focus on energy saving.
When you think about these numbers, it’s easy to see why changing AC habits in just one major city could make such a big difference for the whole country.
How They’re Spreading the Message
- Running awareness campaigns across Hyderabad and Telangana
- Asking AC manufacturers to make 24°C the starting temperature when you first turn on your new AC
- Targeting homes, offices, shopping malls, hotels, and government buildings with information
V. Aneela, TSREDCO Managing Director, says they will take this initiative “on a war footing” across Hyderabad and Telangana, showing how seriously they’re taking this energy-saving mission.
What You Can Do Right Now
The next time you reach for your AC remote, remember that setting it to 24°C instead of 20°C might feel just a tiny bit warmer, but it can make a real difference to your electricity bill and the environment.
This simple change in your daily habit could help save energy, cut your bills, and be part of a bigger solution for India’s energy needs. Are you ready to give the 24°C setting a try?
