Kuwait to ban non inverter air conditioning units from September 2020

KUWAIT CITY - The Ministry Electricity and Water has asked its commerce and industry counterpart to ban the sale and import of non inverter air conditioning units by September 2020, reports Al-Rai daily quoting sources.

This decision will cover various types of air conditioning units such as split, window, stand alone and ceiling. Sources explained the inverter air conditioning units reduce power consumption by up to 60 percent, indicating that air conditioning units consume 70 percent of total electricity production during summer and 30 percent in winter.

Sources said non inverter air conditioning units will be banned in newly established cities, adding the State Ministry for Housing Affairs will stop the disbursement of construction subsidy for buying non inverter air conditioning units by September 2020.

Sources disclosed the Ministry of Commerce and Industry will monitor the markets in order to ensure strict compliance with the decision. Sources also confirmed that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry met with 15 importers and informed them about the plan, affirming the importers will present their opinions in this regard in the next meeting.

Sources pointed out that consumers who are using non inverter air conditioning units can replace these with new ones if they want to, clarifying the inverter air conditioning units are more expensive but the difference in power consumption will reduce electricity bills.