Core Insights - The article discusses the significant increase in air conditioning sales in Northeast China due to unprecedented high temperatures, highlighting the disparity in air conditioning availability across different regions of China [4][6][8]. Group 1: Air Conditioning Market Dynamics - During the "618" shopping festival, the air conditioning market saw total sales reach 48.5 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 16.3%, with sales volume hitting 15.93 million units, up 17.5% [8]. - In Northeast China, sales figures were particularly striking, with Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces experiencing sales growth of 817.68% and 128.76% respectively during specific weeks [9]. - The demand for air conditioning has led to a surge in installation services, with some companies reporting a 300% increase in installation orders year-on-year [12]. Group 2: Regional Disparities in Air Conditioning Ownership - The average air conditioning ownership in China is approximately 1.5 units per household, with urban households averaging 171.7 units per hundred households, while rural areas average 105.7 units [18]. - The article notes that the highest air conditioning ownership is found in provinces like Guangdong and Zhejiang, while regions like Qinghai and Tibet have significantly lower ownership rates [15][18]. Group 3: Global Air Conditioning Trends - Globally, China's household air conditioning penetration rate is around 60%, while in the U.S. and Japan, it reaches 90%. In contrast, European countries have much lower rates, with the UK and Germany below 5% [23][27]. - The article highlights that the rising temperatures in Europe due to climate change are pushing more households to consider air conditioning, leading to a significant increase in imports from China [29]. Group 4: Power Supply and Infrastructure - The article emphasizes the strain on China's power grid, with a record peak load of 1.465 billion kilowatts, largely driven by air conditioning usage [31]. - China's advanced power grid infrastructure allows for efficient electricity distribution, which has been crucial in meeting the rising demand for air conditioning without widespread blackouts [32][33].