AC Cooling Usage Surpasses 20% Early in the Season. 46% Reluctant to Use AC Despite Long Cooling Season Due to Rising Electricity Bills
A survey conducted by Panasonic Corporation revealed that the national daily usage rate for AC cooling exceeded 20.5% for the first time this season on May 17th due to unusual heat. Meanwhile, driven by concerns over surging electricity bills caused by renewable energy surcharges, 46% of respondents expressed a desire to hold back on using their air conditioners to save power.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 19, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 19, 2026 at 11:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 19, 2026 at 16:14 (4h 42m after Collected)
Electricity bills billed in May (for April usage) have increased across all 10 major power companies. This is due to the end of government subsidies that covered usage from January to March, combined with an increase in the renewable energy surcharge added to electricity rates to promote green energy.
While there are concerns that people might "hold back on AC usage" due to rising electricity costs, caution is necessary as emergency transports due to heatstroke surge during the summer. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency's summer weather forecast, temperatures are expected to be high nationwide as the country is likely to be covered by warm air masses this year.
In light of this, Panasonic Corporation conducted a survey on AC usage for this summer, and the Panasonic Air Meister introduced power-saving techniques specifically tailored for the early summer season.
[Release Summary]
■ Announcement of "AC Cooling Daily Usage Rate 2026" National Average and 47-Prefecture Ranking as of May 17!
- The daily usage rate on May 17 was 20.5%, surpassing 20% for the first time this season.
- As of May 17, the highest AC cooling usage rates were: 1st Kumamoto Prefecture, 2nd Saga Prefecture, and 3rd Kagoshima Prefecture.
- At what room temperature do people start using AC cooling? The most common answer was "25°C" at 27.9%, followed by "24°C" at 22.0%.
■ Survey Conducted on AC Usage and Power/Cost-Saving Awareness for This Summer
- "Feel the burden of electricity rate hikes": 82%
- "Feel anxious about various price hikes including electricity, food, and daily necessities": 89%
- "Want to hold back on AC cooling usage this summer to save power": 46%
- "Want to put more effort into saving power this summer": 77%
- "Feel that May this year is getting hotter earlier than usual": 72%
- "Feel hesitant to use the AC in May": 66%
- "Do not use the 'fan' operation mode": 64%
■ Panasonic Air Meister Explains Power-Saving Methods Specific to Early Summer
Breaking News on AC Usage This Summer! May 17 Surpasses 20% for the First Time This Season
Highest cooling usage as of May 17: 1st Kumamoto, 2nd Saga, 3rd Kagoshima
Based on usage data from Eolia users connected to the Eolia app, Panasonic compiled the "AC Cooling Daily Usage Rate 2026 (National Average)" and the "AC Cooling Cumulative Usage Rate Ranking 2026" for this season.
■ AC Cooling Daily Usage Rate 2026 (National Average)
The AC cooling daily usage rate, which indicates the daily percentage of users who utilized AC cooling, was aggregated from April 1 to May 17, and the difference from the average year was calculated.
On May 17, which brought unseasonable heat with the first mid-summer days recorded in various parts of the country, the use of AC cooling increased significantly. As a result, the daily usage rate on that day reached 20.5%, marking the first day this season to exceed 20%.
Furthermore, the usage rate on this day was significantly higher by +8.0 points compared to the average year (12.5%). This suggests that against the backdrop of record heat, cooling usage progressed rapidly at an earlier timing than in typical years.
■ AC Cooling Daily Usage Rate 2026 (47-Prefecture Ranking as of May 17)
Additionally, comparing the daily usage rate on the same day across all 47 prefectures nationwide, high figures were seen mainly in the Kyushu and Okinawa areas. In particular, Kumamoto (38.6%), Saga (35.2%), Kagoshima (34.4%), and Okinawa (34.3%) prefectures exceeded 30%, a result significantly above the national average (20.5%).
It is believed that cooling usage surged at once in these regions because temperatures rose significantly on that day, with many locations experiencing mid-summer heat. High usage rates were also confirmed across various prefectures in Kyushu, such as Nagasaki and Miyazaki (29.6% each), and Fukuoka (27.3%), indicating a widespread response to the heat.
Meanwhile, in the Kanto and Kansai areas, Saitama (25.6%), Tokyo (23.8%), and Osaka (23.4%) also exceeded 20%, showing an expansion of cooling usage centered around urban areas.
In this way, due to the impact of unseasonably hot weather for mid-May, the use of AC cooling advanced significantly, particularly in western Japan.
As the heat intensifies moving forward, the usage rate of AC cooling is expected to grow even further.
■ At what room temperature do people start using AC cooling? Survey on the room temperature at the time of first use of the season
We investigated the indoor temperature at the time of first use to find out what room temperature prompts people to start using AC cooling for the first time in the season.
As a result, the most common temperature was "25°C" at 27.9%, followed by
While there are concerns that people might "hold back on AC usage" due to rising electricity costs, caution is necessary as emergency transports due to heatstroke surge during the summer. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency's summer weather forecast, temperatures are expected to be high nationwide as the country is likely to be covered by warm air masses this year.
In light of this, Panasonic Corporation conducted a survey on AC usage for this summer, and the Panasonic Air Meister introduced power-saving techniques specifically tailored for the early summer season.
[Release Summary]
■ Announcement of "AC Cooling Daily Usage Rate 2026" National Average and 47-Prefecture Ranking as of May 17!
- The daily usage rate on May 17 was 20.5%, surpassing 20% for the first time this season.
- As of May 17, the highest AC cooling usage rates were: 1st Kumamoto Prefecture, 2nd Saga Prefecture, and 3rd Kagoshima Prefecture.
- At what room temperature do people start using AC cooling? The most common answer was "25°C" at 27.9%, followed by "24°C" at 22.0%.
■ Survey Conducted on AC Usage and Power/Cost-Saving Awareness for This Summer
- "Feel the burden of electricity rate hikes": 82%
- "Feel anxious about various price hikes including electricity, food, and daily necessities": 89%
- "Want to hold back on AC cooling usage this summer to save power": 46%
- "Want to put more effort into saving power this summer": 77%
- "Feel that May this year is getting hotter earlier than usual": 72%
- "Feel hesitant to use the AC in May": 66%
- "Do not use the 'fan' operation mode": 64%
■ Panasonic Air Meister Explains Power-Saving Methods Specific to Early Summer
Breaking News on AC Usage This Summer! May 17 Surpasses 20% for the First Time This Season
Highest cooling usage as of May 17: 1st Kumamoto, 2nd Saga, 3rd Kagoshima
Based on usage data from Eolia users connected to the Eolia app, Panasonic compiled the "AC Cooling Daily Usage Rate 2026 (National Average)" and the "AC Cooling Cumulative Usage Rate Ranking 2026" for this season.
■ AC Cooling Daily Usage Rate 2026 (National Average)
The AC cooling daily usage rate, which indicates the daily percentage of users who utilized AC cooling, was aggregated from April 1 to May 17, and the difference from the average year was calculated.
On May 17, which brought unseasonable heat with the first mid-summer days recorded in various parts of the country, the use of AC cooling increased significantly. As a result, the daily usage rate on that day reached 20.5%, marking the first day this season to exceed 20%.
Furthermore, the usage rate on this day was significantly higher by +8.0 points compared to the average year (12.5%). This suggests that against the backdrop of record heat, cooling usage progressed rapidly at an earlier timing than in typical years.
■ AC Cooling Daily Usage Rate 2026 (47-Prefecture Ranking as of May 17)
Additionally, comparing the daily usage rate on the same day across all 47 prefectures nationwide, high figures were seen mainly in the Kyushu and Okinawa areas. In particular, Kumamoto (38.6%), Saga (35.2%), Kagoshima (34.4%), and Okinawa (34.3%) prefectures exceeded 30%, a result significantly above the national average (20.5%).
It is believed that cooling usage surged at once in these regions because temperatures rose significantly on that day, with many locations experiencing mid-summer heat. High usage rates were also confirmed across various prefectures in Kyushu, such as Nagasaki and Miyazaki (29.6% each), and Fukuoka (27.3%), indicating a widespread response to the heat.
Meanwhile, in the Kanto and Kansai areas, Saitama (25.6%), Tokyo (23.8%), and Osaka (23.4%) also exceeded 20%, showing an expansion of cooling usage centered around urban areas.
In this way, due to the impact of unseasonably hot weather for mid-May, the use of AC cooling advanced significantly, particularly in western Japan.
As the heat intensifies moving forward, the usage rate of AC cooling is expected to grow even further.
■ At what room temperature do people start using AC cooling? Survey on the room temperature at the time of first use of the season
We investigated the indoor temperature at the time of first use to find out what room temperature prompts people to start using AC cooling for the first time in the season.
As a result, the most common temperature was "25°C" at 27.9%, followed by
FAQ
What should I be careful about regarding AC power saving this summer?
While electricity bills are rising, it is recommended to prioritize heatstroke prevention and use features like the 'fan' mode.
When did the national AC cooling usage rate spike?
Due to unusual heat in 2026, the national average daily usage rate exceeded 20.5% for the first time this season on May 17th.
What is the common room temperature to start using AC?
According to Panasonic's survey, the most common room temperature to start cooling is 25°C (27.9%), followed by 24°C.