Tue Apr 08 03:00:22 UTC 2025: ## Soaring Temperatures Drive Record Electricity Demand in India
**New Delhi, April 8, 2025** – India’s electricity demand surged during the scorching summer months of April to June 2024, driven largely by increased air conditioning use, according to a new report from the global energy think tank Ember. The 10.4% rise compared to the same period in 2023 saw air conditioning contributing to nearly one-third of the increase.
The report, the sixth edition of Ember’s Global Electricity Review, highlights the significant impact of heatwaves on global energy consumption. Heatwaves accounted for almost one-fifth of the global increase in electricity demand in 2024, leading to a 1.6% rise in power sector emissions—a record high of 14.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide. Without the heat-related demand, the report notes, fossil fuel generation would have increased by a mere 0.2%.
In India, the overall electricity demand rose by 5% in 2024, with clean energy sources meeting 33% of this increase and coal accounting for 64% (a decrease from 91% in 2023). The increased demand for cooling is particularly concerning, with experts projecting the addition of 130 to 150 million new air conditioners in the next decade, potentially increasing peak power demand by over 180 GW by 2035.
The rising demand for household electricity, increasing from 22% in 2012-13 to 25% in 2022-23, further underscores the impact of economic growth and climate change. Studies predict that India will experience the highest cooling demand globally in a world 2 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels. The early and intense heatwave conditions experienced in 2024, with the first official heatwave recorded on April 5th, reinforce the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions and adaptation strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on India’s energy grid.
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