CRACKDOWN ON AIRCON

Spain has restricted the use of air-conditioning in public places such as malls, hotels, theatres, train stations and airports. Though the country is in the grips of a very hot summer, the government has banned businesses from turning their aircons below 27 °C. Doors must be closed and lights in shop windows must be switched off after 10pm in a bid to save energy.

European countries have been reducing power consumption and dependency on oil and gas from Russia, the world’s biggest exporter of natural gas, since it invaded Ukraine in in February.