California Likely to Pass TV Regs
CE industry laments pending efficiency standards.
November 2009 By Janet PinkertonMuch to the dismay of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), major TV makers and West Coast retailers, California will probably become the first state to regulate TV energy efficiency.
The California Energy Commission (CEC) is expected to approve energy-efficiency standards for TVs less than 58 inches in screen size November 4. If approved, the first of two tiers of California's new TV energy rules come into effect January 1, 2011.
CEA, the Plasma Display Coalition, various manufacturers and Californians for Smart Energy, a retail and small business trade association, have campaigned aggressively to fend off the CEC standards for TVs. They question CEC's data assumptions and contend the industry could meet California's desired energy-efficiency goals through voluntary efforts like ENERGY STAR and a government/industry-sponsored consumer awareness campaigns.
They contend that the "arbitrary" and "unnecessary" regulation of TV energy use would stifle industry innovation, limit consumer choice by banning high-performance TVs from California retail shelves, and lead to a loss of retail sales, state tax revenues and California jobs.
But opponents of California's TV energy-efficiency standards have faced stiff political headwinds from utilities and environmental groups who strongly support the measure, and from the commission itself.
At press time, industry representatives still hope to persuade the California legislators and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to halt the CEC's adoption of the standards. A joint legislative hearing, called by the chairs of business- and commerce-oriented committees in the California state Senate and Assembly, was set for October 21 to examine the proposed TV energy efficiency rules' benefits and economic impact.
Structured in two tiers, the new standards include:
• Limits to "on mode" power usage based on screen size
• A 1W maximum stand-by power usage
• An automatic passive stand-by mode
• Standards for luminescence in home and retail modes.
• Retailers and manufacturers listing a television's power consumption (in default/home mode) immediately after wherever the physical dimensions of the television appears (such as Web sites, boxes, retail displays and consumer sales materials).
The Specifics of the Standard
If approved, the first tier of California's TV energy-efficiency standards would come into effect January 1, 2011; then on January 1, 2013, the second tier "on mode" efficiency requirements become even more stringent. So, for example, a 42-inch 16:9 HDTV with a 566.5 sq. in. screen area would be allowed a maximum "on-mode" power usage of roughly 145W in the Tier 1 standard effective January 1, 2011, but that permitted maximum drops to 92.98 on January 1, 2013 with the Tier 2 standard.
