Saudi power consumption three times world average

RIYADH: Experts at the International Fair for Cooling and Energy held in Riyadh on Tuesday said that the Saudi consumption of electricity is three times that of the international average. Given that households are responsible for 65 percent of national consumption, the experts noted that this places a heavy toll on the budgets of citizens and residents, despite the high subsidies on energy prices offered by the government. Branch manager for 'Reem' in the Middle East and North Africa called on air conditioner manufacturers in the Kingdom to abide by the required standards and specifications so that they can export their products abroad. He added the markets need to be liberalized to remove obstacles, and said that better quality standards need to be created. He added that the Kingdom currently produces more than 50 million megawatts of electricity daily, which is more than any other neighboring country, including Egypt, which has a population of over 90 million but generates only 27 million megawatts daily. Sales and Marketing Vice President at LG air conditioners, Maysem Al-Hinawi, said that high electricity consumption in homes is leading manufacturers to use high quality infrared compressors. "Most air conditioners in the market are actually able to lessen their energy use by 40 percent after they have been altered to include new technologies," he noted.   Arab News