India to Standardize Air Conditioner Temperatures for Energy Efficiency

New Temperature Regulations for Air Conditioners in India

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, announced on Tuesday that air conditioners in India will have standardized temperature settings, restricted to a minimum of 20 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 28 degrees Celsius.

This initiative, described as a 'new experiment' in temperature regulation, will extend across various sectors, including vehicles, in response to the escalating temperatures attributed to climate change and the growing reliance on cooling systems.

Khattar emphasized that these revised temperature limits are part of a comprehensive policy aimed at enhancing energy efficiency in both commercial and residential spaces, while also helping to lower electricity costs.

Details regarding the implementation timeline for this mandate have yet to be disclosed.

ऊर्जा बचत की दिशा में Temperature standardization का एक नया प्रयोग किया जा रहा है। जिसके तहत AC का temperature न्यूनतम 20 डिग्री और अधिकतम 28 डिग्री तक सीमित रहेगा। pic.twitter.com/K7eIIYzs5S

— Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) June 10, 2025

Currently, many air conditioners allow users to set temperatures as low as 16 degrees Celsius or as high as 30 degrees Celsius. Once the government's proposed limits are enacted, these options will no longer be available.

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency, which operates under the Ministry of Power, has indicated that raising the temperature setting of an air conditioner by just 1 degree Celsius can lead to a reduction in electricity consumption by as much as 6%.

Setting air conditioners to 24 degrees Celsius could potentially save around 20 billion units of electricity each year, with financial savings estimated to reach Rs 10,000 crore and a reduction in carbon emissions by 8.2 million tonnes annually.