European heatwave fuels surge in Chinese portable air‑conditioner sales

Chinese manufacturers including TCL Technology, Midea and Gree have reported a sharp rise in sales of portable air‑conditioning units across Western Europe, with some makers citing 70‑300 % growth as the region endures an unprecedented summer heatwave. In Germany, France, Spain, the United Kingdom and other markets demand for both portable split units and fixed‑installation split‑systems has jumped by more than 300 % compared with the previous year, driven by temperatures exceeding 40 °C and the need to protect vulnerable groups such as the elderly, hospital patients and schoolchildren.

Portable units are prized because they can be installed without breaching historic‑building preservation rules that forbid drilling external walls. Retail shortages have led to resale prices up to three times the original €750 price tag. Analysts note that air‑conditioning now accounts for about 7 % of global electricity use and roughly 2.7 % of worldwide CO₂ emissions, raising concerns about the environmental impact of the expanding market.

The spike has also entered political debate, with French right‑wing leaders promising wider AC rollout and UK conservatives pushing to lift net‑zero‑related restrictions on new‑build installations, while critics warn the technology may exacerbate energy consumption and inequality.