If you have air conditioning at home, you'll know it's a life-saver when heat waves hit.
However, with more people looking to cool down, increased pressure is applied to an already strained energy network. That can lead to power outages, which puts you right back in the position of trying to deal with intense heat.
Several Balkan states had to deal with such a problem in June 2024.
What's happening?
As Reuters reported, Montenegro, Bosnia, Albania, and much of the Croatian coast were left without power amid a heat wave in June.
With temperatures hitting 104 degrees Fahrenheit in southeast Europe, residents turned to air conditioning systems and other electric-powered cooling mechanisms.
But increased power demand, in addition to the strain of heat on energy systems, led the network to shut down.
"This was just waiting to happen in this heat," a 24-year-old student named Gentiana told the news agency.
Why is heat's effect on power supply concerning?
While suppliers for the four nations said power was mostly back in place in the early evening, being without domestic energy at any point during a heat wave can be dangerous.
According to the World Health Organization, heatstroke is a medical emergency with a high fatality rate, while heat stress can make cardiovascular disease, diabetes, mental health, and asthma worse.
Between 2000 and 2019, the WHO noted around 489,000 people per year died because of heat-related illnesses. Nearly half of the deaths were in Asia.
With the planet's temperature rising because of human-caused global heating — exacerbated by food, energy, transportation, industry, and other sectors — the likelihood of extreme weather events like heat waves increases and the dangers multiply.
That's why communities often offer cool zones, such as in schools or public libraries, for local residents to access air-conditioned spaces during excessive heat. People over the age of 65 are particularly at risk, the WHO noted.
How can you protect yourself in a heat wave?
Drinking lots of water, remaining in the shade, and avoiding strenuous activity are all things to do to reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses.
Air conditioning, while helpful, can contribute to a vicious cycle of increased energy pollution that leads to more heat events and strains energy grids. That's why communal cool zones can help, stopping individual units running at full power and providing multiple residents with cooling relief.
Making the most of renewable energy can help reduce pressure on energy suppliers. Having domestic solar panels or a small wind turbine can reduce the strain on the grid and provide effective cooling. Heat pumps also require significantly less energy than conventional air conditioning systems and can still make homes just as cool — and they can save you money on your energy bills.
Reducing pollution is essential in the grander scheme of things. Consider ditching the car and biking to work or eating more plant-based meals to reduce the need for meat from the highly polluting agriculture industry.
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