The Maldives Association for Energy Efficiency (MAEE), in partnership with The Maldives National University (MNU), is implementing a research project to better understand how air conditioning contributes to household electricity consumption in the Malé Region.
The project, titled “Analysis of Household Electricity Consumption for Cooling in Malé Region,” has been awarded funding under the National Research Fund – Emerging Research Grants (NRF-ERG) programme administered by The Maldives National University.
The NRF-ERG initiative is supported by the National Research Council under the Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development. The programme supports research initiatives that address national development priorities and contribute to evidence-based policymaking in the Maldives.
Project at a Glance
Why This Research Matters
Air conditioning has become an essential part of daily life for many households in the Malé Region. Rising temperatures, increasing urbanisation, and changing living conditions have led to growing reliance on cooling technologies to maintain indoor comfort.
While air conditioning is widely believed to be one of the largest contributors to household electricity bills and peak electricity demand, there is currently limited appliance-level data available in the Maldives to quantify its actual impact.
This research seeks to address this important knowledge gap by collecting and analysing real-world electricity consumption data from household air conditioners. The findings will help policymakers, utilities, researchers, and households better understand cooling-related electricity demand and identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency.
The study will help answer key questions such as:
- How much electricity do household air conditioners consume?
- What proportion of household electricity use is attributable to cooling?
- At what times of the day does cooling-related electricity demand peak?
- How do cooling electricity consumption patterns vary between households?
Project Objectives
The overall objective of the study is to quantify residential electricity consumption attributable to air conditioning through long-duration appliance-level monitoring.
How the Study Works
The study will be conducted across selected households in the Greater Malé Region.
Participating households will have smart electricity monitoring devices installed on all air-conditioning units within the home. These devices will continuously record electricity consumption and securely transmit data for analysis.
Measure real-time electricity consumption.
Record cumulative energy use over time.
Capture cooling demand patterns throughout the day.
Support detailed analysis of household cooling behaviour.
In addition to electricity monitoring, participating households will complete a questionnaire covering household characteristics, dwelling information, air-conditioner ownership, and cooling practices.
The project will also collect information on air-conditioner servicing and maintenance activities to better understand their relationship with electricity consumption.
All information collected during the study will be treated confidentially and analysed in aggregated form.
Key Stakeholders
This research is expected to engage a range of stakeholders with interests in household electricity consumption, energy efficiency, and cooling demand in the Maldives.
Research Team
The Maldives National University (MNU)
Expected Outcomes
The project is expected to deliver:
Project Timeline
Equipment procurement, stakeholder engagement, and household recruitment.
Installation of monitoring equipment and collection of household cooling electricity consumption data.
Analysis of electricity consumption patterns and preparation of research outputs.
Preparation of technical reports, policy briefs, stakeholder engagement activities, and dissemination of project findings.