The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) have released a study highlighting the major pollution caused by heating and cooling systems
The JRC study shows just how much of a challenge air conditioning pollution remains, with a large chunk of that coming from the heating and cooling sector across Europe.
Therefore, air conditioning pollution needs to be addressed through technology that is cleaner, renewable, and more efficient.
Air conditioning pollution poses health risks
The emissions from air conditioning include 73% of particulate matter (PM2.5), 33% of nitrogen oxides (NOx), 2% ammonia (NH3), 18% of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), 61% of carbon monoxide (CO), and 49% of sulphur dioxide (SO2).
Coming from buildings, including many people’s homes, this is a key worry for the planet and for individual health.
In October 2024, the Ambient Air Quality Directive was revised, requiring several EU states to work harder to comply with air quality targets for 2030, in compliance and alignment with the World Health Organization’s air quality guideline levels.
As such, identifying the largest contributors of air pollution is key to employing cleaner alternatives and practices.
Energy is still primarily generated through combustion devices, with 97% of heat production in 2022 coming from this technology.
On the right track, but speed is of the essence
Polluting emissions from heating specifically are primarily caused in the residential sector, accounting for 85% of PM2.5, 82% of NMVOC, 79% of ammonia, and 76% of CO, highlighting a real need for innovation and accessibility improvement in this sector.
While the last two decades have seen progress in terms of quality and efficiency of heating in Europe, it is this reliance on combustion-generated energy that is holding back further progress.
EU27 decreased the gross final energy consumption (GFEC) in 2022 by 9.5% compared to 2005, and consumption for heating and cooling reduced by 16% in the same time frame.
Heat pumps are also a highlight, with the technology causing no direct pollution. The use of heat pumps has increased 6x from 2005, accounting for 3.7% of GFEC. In 2022, heating and cooling had a 25% renewable energy share, with heat pumps contributing 15%.
Several National Energy and Climate Plans have increased their renewable targets, with Sweden, for example, aiming to further increase its renewable energy contribution for heating and cooling compared to its pledge in 2019, with a share of 73%. Denmark is aiming for a 77% share, as well.
Still, 12 Member States are missing the mark for the new EU requirements.
While work is progressing in the right direction, more haste is needed to hit the 2030 targets and minimise climate change impacts.
