Using air conditioning can cost more than €450 in just two months, according to a study by CNA Padova.

With the intense heat of recent months, the use of air conditioning is becoming an increasingly ingrained habit for Paduans, but the out-of-pocket costs of using air cooling systems risk being significant, as well as the environmental impact, without an overall investment that can rebalance the two.

The CNA Research Center in Padua and Rovigo evaluated the costs and impacts based on two different types of homes. The first case involves an apartment of approximately 80 square meters, rated energy class B, and therefore well-insulated. However, even here, the internal temperature, in the intense heat of July and August, can reach and exceed 30 degrees Celsius, requiring a reduction of at least 3 or 4 degrees. It was assumed that this apartment is equipped with a high-quality system with air conditioning, two split units, an inverter, and a motor, all rated A++. For an average use of 6 hours per day, every day (with both split units active), the average consumption is approximately 1.6 kWh/h, for a total of 590 kWh over the two months in question. The total cost in this case is approximately €150 for two months, but increases to €180 for a class C apartment, over €220 for a class D apartment, and even higher for classes E, F, and G. Installing a photovoltaic system can significantly reduce (even eliminate) the cost of air conditioning in the summer, if sized correctly and used optimally. A 3kW system could be enough to reduce costs: currently, the cost is between €4,000 and €5,500 (without storage systems), and until December 31, 2025, you can access a 50% tax deduction. This operation allows you to avoid releasing approximately 256 kg of CO₂ into the atmosphere for air conditioning in the summer alone. This figure reaches 850 kg of CO₂/year when considering all electricity consumption. In effect, it would be equivalent to planting approximately 30 trees every year.

The second scenario involves a two-level, 130-square-meter, energy-class B home, equipped with an air conditioning system similar to the previous one but slightly more powerful, also in energy class A++. An average use of 8 hours per day, every day in July and August, produces an average consumption of approximately 2.4 kWh/h (a total of approximately 1,170 kWh). The cost is approximately €290 for the two months, but rises to €360 for a class C home, over €450 for a class D home, and so on, reaching even more significant figures for the lowest energy classes (E, F, and G). With a 4.5kW photovoltaic system and a cost between €6,000 and €7,000 (without storage systems), the energy bill savings are between €300 and €400 over the two summer months. Not only will it avoid releasing over 1.3 tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere each year, it would be equivalent to planting 40 trees every year and saving your car 10,000 km.

But be careful: the cases described involve air conditioners in perfect working order. Electricity consumption in poorly maintained units (with unclean heat exchangers, a malfunctioning motor, and so on) can be up to 10-15% higher than described. Furthermore, if the split units are not sanitized regularly, you risk seeing unclean air emanating from them, potentially containing dangerous microorganisms such as legionella, tonsillitis, and more generally related to respiratory diseases.

Luca Montagnin, president of CNA Padova, states: "Combining modern air conditioning systems with renewable energy generation systems, such as photovoltaic, is always recommended. It results in tangible savings in both cost and efficiency. Even the otherwise negative environmental impact of the air conditioning system tends to balance out, becoming an added value. Photovoltaic costs have dropped significantly over the years, and installing a system no longer impacts households' budgets as it did 10-20 years ago. Yet the government's policy of reducing incentives affects precisely those citizens who choose to take personal environmental responsibility for their consumption patterns, paying out of pocket in anticipation of future savings but with an immediate reduction in CO₂ emissions. Increasing the tax breaks for the purchase and installation of an air conditioning system integrated with a photovoltaic system from 65% to 50%, and then to 36% starting in 2026, risks slowing down a market that ensures the development of an entire economic sector, one that has significant strength and presence in these areas. On the other hand, it undermines the efforts of entire segments of the population who would like to reconcile the need for a good quality of life, even during the summer, with a greater concern for the environment.