15 jun 2026
These new solid-state ACs promise a cool future. Scientists aren’t so sure.
After three years of record-breaking heat, this one is set to be yet another scorcher . Air-conditioning? Not going anywhere. The International Energy Agency projects that the number of AC units will triple by 2050 . That’s good for health - one Lancet study estimated that AC prevented nearly 200,000 premature deaths in 2019 alone - but bad for the planet. Artificial chill already accounts for 7% of global electricity use and 3% of greenhouse-gas emissions, and if improperly disposed of, the units can leak refrigerants with more global-warming potential than carbon dioxide.
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