After a scorching summer that had British Columbians sweating and sweltering through a series of heat waves, new data from B.C. Hydro finds we are more dependent on air-conditioning that ever before.
Because of the temperate Pacific Northwest climate, AC units have traditionally not been the norm in the province, with B.C. falling far below the national average when it comes to air conditioning use.
However, with the unprecedented heat that roasted most of the province this summer, that gap has closed, said the Crown corporation.
“Air conditioning use appears to have grown almost as much in one summer as it did in the previous 10 years combined,” it said.
“In fact, the majority of British Columbians now consider air conditioning a necessity – not a luxury.”
According to a survey conducted for B.C. Hydro, more than 20 per cent of British Columbians bought or upgraded their air-conditioning units and systems this summer.
That number could have gone higher, as people were constrained by air-conditioning units selling out, it said.
The record-breaking temperatures also drove electricity demand to all-time highs, said B.C. Hydro, with records broken on three straight days.
The highest summer peak hourly demand was recorded on June 28 during the intense heat dome that contributed to hundreds of unexpected sudden deaths in B.C. and the destruction of the Village of Lytton by wildfire. On that day, demand for power reached 8,568 megawatts, or the equivalent of turning on 600,000 portable air-conditioners.
Use of air conditioning has been on the rise in B.C., with nearly 40 per cent of British Columbians having AC units at home, up from about 25 per cent a decade ago.
B.C. Hydro said people who are considering buying air-conditioning units or upgrading their units before next summer should consider buying a heat pump, which are more efficient and could save money in electricity bills in the long run, or purchase an air conditioner that is deemed an “energy star” as they use about 30 to 40 per cent less power than standard units.
The online survey of 800 British Columbians was conducted by market researcher Majid Khoury for B.C. Hydro from August 19-22, 2021.
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