Spain is banning air conditioning below 81 degrees in public places to wean off Russian energy
- Spain is putting temperature limits on public air conditioning this summer. It won't be able to go below 81F.
- The measure is scheduled to go into effect next week and will run until November 2023.
Spain moved to ban setting public air conditioning below 81 degrees Fahrenheit as part of its plans to limit dependency on Russian energy, according to multiple reports.
A new decree, published by the Spanish government on Tuesday, states that air conditioning in public places needs to be set at or above about 81 degrees Fahrenheit, or 27 degrees Celsius, and that the doors of those buildings need to stay closed in an effort to save energy, Euronews reported.
The cap is set to be implemented next week and run until November 2023, and will apply to all public and commercial buildings, including offices, shops, bars, cinemas, airports, and train stations, Euronews reported.
The cap is not mandatory but is recommended to private households, Euronews reported.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez last week urged office workers to remove their ties to save energy on air conditioning, The Guardian reported.
"As you can see, I'm not wearing a tie," he told a press conference, according to The Guardian. "I've asked ministers and public- and private-sector bosses not to wear ties unless it's necessary. That way we can save energy, which is so necessary in our country."
Summers in Spain can be hot, with temperatures typically over 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius). Last month, the city of Pamplona in northern Spain reported a record-breaking 108.14 degrees Fahrenheit (42.3 degrees Celsius) during a continent-wide heat wave.
The measures come as Russia reduces natural-gas flows to Europe in retaliation against sweeping sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine.
The Russian majority-state-owned energy corporation Gazprom has already completely cut off the gas supply to Poland, Bulgaria, and Finland as they have all refused to pay in rubles.
Spain is not the only European country putting restrictions on energy usage amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
- Some cities in Germany, which is heavily reliant on Russian energy, said last month that they will be switching off lights on public monuments and turning off water fountains, The Guardian reported.
- In the northwest city of Hanover, the government has asked city-run buildings and leisure centers to turn off the hot water in the showers and bathrooms as well, per The Guardian.
- France has taken similar measures to Spain, asking air-conditioned shops to keep their door shut, The Guardian reported. Those who don't abide by this rule will be fined 750 euros ($763), the report said.
- Similarly, Greece has also implemented measures that include setting air conditioners to a minimum of 81 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, and using more window shields in public buildings, Bloomberg reported.
Last month, the Greek tourism minister Vasilis Kikilias invited Germans to spend winter in Greece, where the season is mild.
"For autumn and winter, it would be a great pleasure for us Greeks to welcome German pensioners who want to experience a 'Mediterranean winter' with Greek hospitality, mild weather, and high-quality services," he told Germany's Bild newspaper.