In 2024, peak demand touched an all-time high of 243 GW, as per CEA. This year, it’s expected to be 277 GW. And a major driver of this happens to be cooling loads. Thus, there’s a greater need for HVAC systems to be aligned with renewable energy goals, writes Arjun Rathi, Director and COO, Volks Energie.
As Indian summers continue to become more intense and scorching, reaching new record-breaking highs in mercury levels, the country is fuming. And the conversations around climate resilience can no longer remain theoretical. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted 15 heatwave days this summer in multiple states, double the normal average. This is forcing key decision-makers, infrastructure planners, industries, and policymakers to overhaul, reimagine, and redesign critical systems.
Naturally, one sector that is thus receiving greater attention is “heating, ventilation, and air conditioning” – the HVAC infrastructure, especially in industrial, commercial, and mission-critical settings. Moving beyond simply offering thermal comfort, HVAC systems have today grown in their prominence to encompass operational continuity, energy efficiency and security, and more importantly, public health!
India’s High-Stakes HVAC Dependency
As India accelerates its growth and development, it has a greater need for energy-efficient and optimal HVAC systems. As per a report shared by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), as much as 60 percent of the total energy demand of a building goes to cooling. And with the rapid pace of urbanisation and developmental projects, the demand is only set to double by 2037. Especially when we look at the current developmental projects like data centres, metro stations, hospitals, and more, the demand for highly efficient and state-of-the-art HVAC systems is no longer an auxiliary service, but instead, has now become an operational lifeline.
However, in the face of rising temperature levels, the conventional cooling systems have been hard-pressed to reveal their limitations. Furthermore, as per IMD, the average summer temperature in India has risen by 0.7°C, and the heatwaves are more intense, stretched for longer periods, and hitting harder. Industrial operators sticking with conventional systems have to frequent unplanned breakdowns, grid strain, refrigerant losses and inefficient load management. Altogether, it is giving rise to uncertainty and workflow hassles that can no longer remain on the sidelines and must be tackled head-on with latest engineering prowess and efficient HVAC systems.
Engineering HVAC for India’s Volatile Climate
To support its growth and ambition, India today needs HVAC systems that are truly climate-resilient. The same is inspiring energy players to come up with HVAC systems that are efficient, adaptable to extreme climate conditions, and are built to last. This is where innovation in localised engineering and smart integration is coming into play.
Key Engineering Innovations Building HVAC Resilience
- Precision Air-Conditioning Systems – precision air-conditioning systems have come to save the day, especially in high-load and sensitive environments like data centres, power substations, and control rooms. These systems play the important part of not only maintaining exact temperature but also humidity thresholds, even with ambient temperature soaring past 45°C.
- Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) – VFDs and variable-speed compressors make it possible for HVAC systems to adjust cooling output dynamically and in real-time, based on the demand. Thus, these systems combat the energy spillage and reduce the operational strain that conventional systems would otherwise assert.
- Integrations with smart Building Management Systems – through integrations with BMS, it has become easier to centrailise control and monitor system health regularly. Operators are thus able to enact predictive maintenance that’s mission critical for commercial and industrial spaces.
- High-Grade, Climate-Tolerant Materials – in their bit to completely optimise and revolutionise HVAC systems, innovative companies are replacing under-rated aluminium cables that have the risk of overheating and electrical faults,e especially during peak load times. Instead, they are using high-rated copper wiring which has proven to be more resilient to extreme temperatures and thus offers a safer, more efficient alternative.
Energy Efficiency & Grid Resilience
In 2024, peak demand touched an all-time high of 243 GW, as per CEA. This year, it’s expected to be 277 GW. And a major driver of this happens to be cooling loads.
Thus, there’s a greater need for HVAC systems to be aligned with renewable energy goals. We are already seeing several pilot projects like solar-powered HVAC systems coupled with battery storage systems for load balancing. While these projects are currently being tested in remote pipeline projects and highly critical control rooms, it’s only a matter of time before these systems are perfected and go mainstream.
An Ode to the Changing Times
HVAC upgrade is getting the much-needed policy support as well. The government’s National Cooling Action Plan (NCAP) targets to achieve a 20-25 percent reduction in cooling demand by 2037. However, the true prowess lies in execution, and that’s where engineering-led private sector players come into the picture. Through public and private sector partnerships, we are already seeing leading industrial and infrastructure projects integrating solar-backed HVAC systems, VFD retrofits, and setups for precision climate control designed specifically for India’s extreme weather.
In a nutshell, these are the changing times. Views as the back-end utility once upon a time, HVAC systems are today becoming the frontline infrastructure. And companies investing in climate-ready, energy-efficient, smart and resilient systems today will get a head start toward operational reliability and compliance tomorrow.