Almost 1.6 billion air conditioners are going to be added globally between now and 2050—this represents one of the single largest end-use risks to our
#climate. The
Global Cooling Prize is rallying a global coalition of leaders to solve the critical climate threat that comes from growing residential air conditioning demand. By harnessing the power of innovation, the prize seeks to find ways to provide cooling solutions that enhance people’s lives without contributing to runaway climate change. This groundbreaking competition is designed to develop and scale a residential cooling solution that consumes five times (5x) less grid-supplied energy than today’s standard products. This technology could prevent up to 100 gigatons (GT) of CO2-equivalent emissions by 2050, and prevent 1°C of global warming by 2100, all while improving living standards for people in developing countries around the globe.
The prize will be launched in November 2018 and will be open for a period of two years. At least $2 million in intermediate prize money will be awarded to support prototype development by shortlisted teams. These prototypes will be tested for performance in both laboratory and real-world conditions in a heat-stressed city in India. The ultimate winner will be awarded at least $1 million to support commercialization and scaling of their innovative technology.
The organizers will drive incubation, commercialization, and ultimately mass adoption of the breakthrough technology, starting in India and expanding to countries like China, Brazil, and Indonesia.
