Germany makes and imports more air conditioners as heatwaves drive demand

Germany is making and importing more air conditioners as the country faces increasingly hot summers.

Domestic production jumped by more than 92% last year to almost 317,000 units, up from 164,700 in 2023, the Federal Statistics Office said on Tuesday. Over the past five years, production has risen by about 75%.

Imports have also climbed sharply in that period.

The value of imported air conditioners rose by 48.2% since 2019 to €949 million ($1.1 billion) in 2024, just shy of the record €957 million set the previous year. Italy was the top supplier, accounting for one in four imported units, followed by China and Sweden. The figures exclude air-conditioning systems for vehicles.

Germany, which historically has not relied heavily on air conditioning, is experiencing more frequent and intense summer heatwaves, driving demand for cooling systems in homes, offices and public buildings.

Source: dpa