Across the Gulf, energy-thirsty air conditioning units chug along throughout the day.
It is estimated they'll be switched on in homes at least 250 days a year – and in most offices and malls, they'll run every day of the year.
They make life in the world's hottest region bearable and are essential for the economy to function.
But the need to stay cool requires the use of ever-increasing amounts of power, with climate change and extreme weather putting sources of energy under greater scrutiny.
As long as outdated, inefficient AC units are replaced with modern, energy-efficient models, rising temperatures can be countered without exorbitant increases in utility costs
Tariq Al Ghussein,
chief executive, Taqeef
AC power consumption increased five-fold in the Middle East between 1990 and 2016, the World Bank said. With much of the electricity in the region generated by burning fossil fuels, the need to keep people cool contributes to the warming of the planet.
"Electricity consumption in the GCC is among the highest in the world," said Prof Moncef Krarti, of the civil, environmental and architectural department at the University of Boulder, Colorado.
He has analysed electricity consumption in all of the Gulf nations and has found that air conditioning typically accounts for between 65 and 70 per cent of the electricity used in homes.
Prof Krarti and his colleagues calculated that upgrading Saudi Arabia’s stock of old window AC units (of which there are 18 million) and split-system AC units (which have an indoor and an outdoor component) would cut AC electricity consumption by about 40 per cent.
This is equal to 33 terawatt hours of electricity a year. A TWh is the amount of energy needed to run a device for an hour that consumes one trillion watts when it is operating.
Given that 1 TWh can cool about 500,000 homes for one year or fully power 70,000 homes for a year, the savings are potentially significant.
The UAE has had minimum performance standards for new air conditioners for more than a decade, but buildings still account for nearly 90 per cent of electricity used, Prof Krarti’s research showed.
Retrofitting buildings in the UAE to make them more energy efficient, including by upgrading AC units, could cut energy consumption by 7.55 TWh a year and reduce annual carbon emissions by 4.5 million tonnes.
Other Gulf nations offer similar potential for electricity savings through AC upgrades and other measures, including Oman (0.96 TWh reduction), Bahrain (0.32 TWh reduction) and Qatar (11 TWh reduction).
Retrofit, retrofit, retrofit
Tariq Al Ghussein, chief executive of Taqeef, an AC company that operates in several countries including the UAE, said the latest units offered a large improvement on older devices.
He said a current non-ducted unit (a type of AC unit normally used to cool individual rooms) consumed 54 per cent less power than a 2011 model under the same test conditions. "New AC units achieve significantly higher energy efficiency compared to older systems," he said.
An important metric for AC units is the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). Older devices may have an EER of about 8.5, while it may be about 13 for newer pieces of equipment.
Countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have minimum EER standards for AC units in new homes, but existing devices may be much less efficient.
Electricity is often heavily subsidised, so there may be little incentive for consumers to replace older AC units or to set a higher thermostat temperature.
"Because of the subsidy, some GCC countries have electricity cost of less than one cent per kilowatt hour, like in Kuwait, which makes any energy efficiency measure not very cost effective," Prof Krarti said.
"In the UAE and Saudi Arabia now, with the price reform, it is cost effective, and there’s actually a programme within Saudi Arabia to encourage homeowners to replace their AC systems," he added.
The cost of electricity to consumers in Saudi Arabia, before price reforms began in late 2015, was 0.05 Saudi riyals for every KWh (for the first 6,000 KWh used a month). By 2018, the cost had risen to 0.18 Saudi riyals.
Last year, the average cost of a KWh in Saudi Arabia was 0.15 riyals, figures released by commodity analysts Intratec showed.
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority said a KWh cost Dh0.23 for the first 2,000 used, with the price rising to Dh0.28 per KWh once 6,000 have been used.
There has been an international push to phase-out fossil-fuel subsidies, including those that keep electricity prices artificially low. At the Cop28 climate change summit in Dubai last year, the Netherlands launched what it described as an international coalition to end those subsidies.
In the UAE and other parts of the Gulf, Energy Service Companies may finance improvements in energy efficiency, such as the upgrading of AC units, and be paid out of the savings that result.
The authorities in some Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, have offered financial support to encourage people to replace older AC units with more efficient devices.
Cooling dry air v humid air
Many air conditioners are vapour compression units, which force a refrigerant gas into the unit’s condenser coil, where the refrigerant turns into a liquid. The refrigerant is then sent into the part of the AC unit situated inside, where it evaporates, a process that absorbs heat from the indoor coil, which cools.
Another type of air conditioner, an evaporative cooler, does not contain a refrigerant, but instead makes use of the fact water absorbs large amounts of heat when it evaporates.
Research carried out by Prof Krarti, in collaboration with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, found that using hybrid AC systems that combine vapour compression units with evaporative coolers in the coastal city of Jeddah could reduce power consumption for air conditioning by 48 per cent.
In a house in Riyadh, which is inland and has a drier climate, energy consumption could be cut by more than 90 per cent, the research found.
"In Dubai, there’s other options. In a large community, we could use district cooling, which is even more efficient than individual cooling systems for each building," Prof Krarti said.
As well as replacing outmoded AC units with newer models, analysts recommend regular servicing, because without that, efficiency could fall away.
Cutting energy use from air conditioning is not just about the AC units: building design and materials also influence how much power is consumed. A recent University of Sharjah study found that thermal insulation, ventilation and shading could reduce electricity demand by at least 40 per cent.
Electricity bills and rising temperatures
As the climate warms, a concern is that the energy consumed by air conditioners will increase. Prof Krarti said a 1°C increase in temperature results in about 10 per cent greater AC energy consumption to maintain the same temperature within a typical home in the Gulf.
"The electricity bill is not necessarily going to increase due to climate change if highly efficient AC products with the latest technology are prioritised," Mr Al Ghussein said.
"As long as outdated, inefficient AC units are replaced with modern, energy-efficient models, rising temperatures can be countered without exorbitant increases in utility costs."
Nevertheless, increases in air conditioning demand stemming from higher temperatures are forecast to put a strain on electricity grids in some parts of the world.
"We’ve seen in some countries, particularly the US, if everybody turns on the AC at the same time, you get such a surge of electricity use it can put the power grid under strain," said Bob Ward, policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, part of the London School of Economics.
A 2022 study released in the American Geophysical Union’s journal Earth's Future found that if average temperatures reached 2°C above pre-industrial levels, air conditioning demand could surge by 13 per cent, risking extended power cuts during peak summer heat.
Globally, energy use for air conditioning has been forecast by the World Bank to triple by 2050, primarily as a result of rising living standards and population increases. Demand in the tropics and subtropics, including in nations such as India and China, is set to increase five-fold.
Installing more efficient devices may reduce the extent to which power demand for air conditioning increases, but behavioural change may also play a part. Mr Al Ghussein said energy consumption could be limited by setting the AC thermostat at 24°C, rather than a lower temperature.
The authorities in parts of the world including Japan, India and California have tried to encourage people to set AC units at between 24°C and 28°C, by making recommendations or by introducing regulations on default settings.
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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'The%20Alchemist's%20Euphoria'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EArtist%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kasabian%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELabel%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EColumbia%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
Full list of Emmy 2020 nominations
LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Don Cheadle, Black Monday
Ted Danson, The Good Place
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Ramy Youssef, Ramy
LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate, Dead to Me
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me
Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
Issa Rae, Insecure
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
OUTSTANDING VARIETY/TALK SERIES
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Steve Carell, The Morning Show
Brian Cox, Succession
Billy Porter, Pose
Jeremy Strong, Succession
LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show
Olivia Colman, The Crown
Jodie Comer, Killing Eve
Laura Linney, Ozark
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
Zendaya, Euphoria
OUTSTANDING REALITY/COMPETITION PROGRAM
The Masked Singer
Nailed It!
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Top Chef
The Voice
LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE
Jeremy Irons, Watchmen
Hugh Jackman, Bad Education
Paul Mescal, Normal People
Jeremy Pope, Hollywood
Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True
LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE
Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America
Shira Haas, Unorthodox
Regina King, Watchmen
Octavia Spencer, Self Made
Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere
OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES
Little Fires Everywhere
Mrs. America
Unbelievable
Unorthodox
Watchmen
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Dead to Me
The Good Place
Insecure
The Kominsky Method
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Schitt’s Creek
What We Do In The Shadows
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Better Call Saul
The Crown
The Handmaid’s Tale
Killing Eve
The Mandalorian
Ozark
Stranger Things
Succession
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
HAEMOGLOBIN DISORDERS EXPLAINED
Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.
Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.
The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.
The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.
A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.
Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.
Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.
When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
'Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower'
Michael Beckley, Cornell Press
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Cofe
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 80-100
Amount raised: $13m
Investors: KISP ventures, Cedar Mundi, Towell Holding International, Takamul Capital, Dividend Gate Capital, Nizar AlNusif Sons Holding, Arab Investment Company and Al Imtiaz Investment Group
UAE%20FIXTURES
%3Cp%3EWednesday%2019%20April%20%E2%80%93%20UAE%20v%20Kuwait%3Cbr%3EFriday%2021%20April%20%E2%80%93%20UAE%20v%20Hong%20Kong%3Cbr%3ESunday%2023%20April%20%E2%80%93%20UAE%20v%20Singapore%3Cbr%3EWednesday%2026%20April%20%E2%80%93%20UAE%20v%20Bahrain%3Cbr%3ESaturday%2029%20April%20%E2%80%93%20Semi-finals%3Cbr%3ESunday%2030%20April%20%E2%80%93%20Third%20position%20match%3Cbr%3EMonday%201%20May%20%E2%80%93%20Final%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Understand What Black Is
The Last Poets
(Studio Rockers)
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
Tori Amos
Native Invader
Decca
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Emirates Cricket Board Women’s T10
ECB Hawks v ECB Falcons
Monday, April 6, 7.30pm, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
The match will be broadcast live on the My Sports Eye Facebook page
Hawks
Coach: Chaitrali Kalgutkar
Squad: Chaya Mughal (captain), Archara Supriya, Chamani Senevirathne, Chathurika Anand, Geethika Jyothis, Indhuja Nandakumar, Kashish Loungani, Khushi Sharma, Khushi Tanwar, Rinitha Rajith, Siddhi Pagarani, Siya Gokhale, Subha Srinivasan, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish
Falcons
Coach: Najeeb Amar
Squad: Kavisha Kumari (captain), Almaseera Jahangir, Annika Shivpuri, Archisha Mukherjee, Judit Cleetus, Ishani Senavirathne, Lavanya Keny, Mahika Gaur, Malavika Unnithan, Rishitha Rajith, Rithika Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Shashini Kaluarachchi, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Vaishnave Mahesh
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
