Meanwhile in China? People are living in full “AC freedom” — running it whole day like it’s nothing.
Real numbers:
A decent 1.5HP inverter air conditioner costs 1,700 RMB (€220).
Installation: 300 RMB (€39).
Total: just 2,000 RMB (~€260).
Even in Beijing with tiered electricity pricing:
• 0–240 kWh: 0.49 RMB (~€0.06)
• 241–400 kWh: 0.54 RMB (~€0.07)
• 400+ kWh: 0.79 RMB (~€0.10)
Running the AC 12 hours a day (400 kWh for cooling) still only adds about 200 RMB (€26) to the monthly bill.
How do they pull this off?
1. Massive power infrastructure
China’s total electricity use hit 10.4 trillion kWh in 2025 — more than twice the US, and bigger than EU + Russia + India + Japan combined. Meanwhile, renewable energy now accounts for about 60% of total installed power capacity (23.4 billion kW), and nearly all new electricity demand is being met by fresh renewable generation.
2. They dominate AC manufacturing
China produces around 80% of the world’s air conditioners. Complete supply chains + huge scale = super affordable prices for normal families.
This is what real “AC freedom” looks like.
显示更多
Europe is sweltering under a heatwave, with temperatures averaging 5.5°F above normal and cities such as Paris and Madrid topping 100°F. The heat, driven by an omega block, has been linked to more than 40 deaths in France
显示更多