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Flat-screen televisions are a major upgrade from existing cathode-ray tube TVs, making new high-definition sets one of the hottest-selling items in consumer electronics. But that dazzling picture and bigger screen come with a price: higher energy use.

To individual consumers, a bigger flat-screen TV might mean a noticeable bump in monthly electric bills. But at a national level, the onrush of these new energy-hungry TVs is a growing concern.

On Friday, the California Energy Commission finalized a proposal to regulate energy consumption in TVs sold in California sold after 2011.

The move is significant because California's stringent efficiency standards in appliances have impacted codes across the country in the past. California's efficiency measures in big appliances, such as refrigerators, have been credited with keeping the per capita electricity consumption in the state steady since the 1970s.

But not everyone is happy with the California measure, which is expected to pass in November. Industry association the Consumer Electronics Association opposes the proposal, arguing that any efficiency improvements should come from consumer demand rather than regulation.

To unwind some of the issues around energy efficiency and TVs, we offer this FAQ, which draws on the analysis of CNET Reviews' senior editor David Katzmaier, who has been measuring power consumption in TVs for the past three years. You can see the latest data at CNET's Energy Efficiency Guide and power ratings of 150 HDTVs.

If I buy a new flat-screen TV, will I be slapped with a huge energy bill?
Not necessarily. The primary reason flat-screen TVs consume more power is because they are bigger. The California Energy Commission estimates that per square inch, LCDs consume a bit more than CRTs, but most people are also upgrading in size, which means significantly more electricity use. That's one reason why TV product ratings from the likes of CNET and Consumer Reports now include yearly energy consumption estimates.

Claims that the Amazon Kindle electronic reader is more environmentally friendly than paper books hold up, according to an analysis by the Cleantech Group.

The research and media company drew on existing studies to do a lifecycle analysis and found that the carbon emissions from electronic books are far lower than traditional book publishing.

Taking into account the manufacturing and mining required to produce an electronic device still gives the Amazon Kindle a significant edge, according to the study which was done by Emma Ritch.

"The roughly 168 kg of CO2 produced throughout the Kindle's lifecycle is a clear winner against the potential savings: 1,074 kg of CO2 if replacing three books a month for four years; and up to 26,098 kg of CO2 when used to the fullest capacity of the Kindle DX. Less-frequent readers attracted by decreasing prices still can break even at 22.5 books over the life of the device," she wrote in conclusion.

(Credit: Cleantech Group)

E-readers aren't typically marketed as environmentally sound, but their environmental impact is now becoming a topic of discussion and research.

In a test, six colleges in the U.S. will make textbooks available on the Kindle DX specifically to use less paper. "Sustainability is the driving force behind Princeton using the Kindle," a representative told The New York Times in May.

Still, there are some obvious environmental drawbacks to using electronic devices--production of a Kindle produces 168 kilograms of carbon dioxide compared to 7.46 kilograms for a book, the Cleantech Group says citing various sources. Like reading a newspaper on a PC, electronic readers need electricity to run.

Electronic waste, too, is a growing problem many tech gadget owners have yet to fully address. On this point, Amazon has said that it will establish a recycling program for the Kindle and its battery by mail to reduce electronic waste.

The Cleantech Group argues that the electronic reader industry can make a significant impact once people start transitioning from paper media en masse: "A user that purchasers fewer than 22.5 books per year would take longer to neutralize the emissions resulting from the e-reader, and even longer to help reduce emissions attributed to the publishing industry," according to the study.

Intuitively, the basic conclusion of the Cleantech Group analysis makes sense: the more you reduce your use of paper media in a single electronic device, the less you'll pollute by harvesting and shipping physical goods. But as with many proposed "fixes" to environmental problems, there are trade-offs.

Ultimately, it comes down to how an e-reader is used. If a person continues to buy books and print periodicals and doesn't recycle the product, the environmental impact could potentially be negative, according to this study.

A Spanish company says it has developed a way to kill the vampires lurking in your living room--the numerous appliances that suck electricity even when they are not in use.

Good for You, Good for the Planet received a patent for a microprocessor-based design that cuts an electronic machine's electricity use to zero. It is now negotiating with several large manufacturers to incorporate the technology into power strips or into appliances, according to President Jorge Juan García Alonso.

Test products are being used at customers, including at a hotel and office building in Spain, according to a report. Commercially available products could be made more broadly available in a matter of months if the company successfully licenses its patent, García Alonso said.

Taking a bite out of electronic vampires could significantly reduce wasted energy. Good for You, Good for Planet says that a TV consumes more electricity per year when it's off than when it's on because the stand-by mode consumes electricity.

(Credit: Good Magazine)

In the U.S., "vampire energy" is about 5 percent of the energy consumed in the country and costs consumers $3 billion each year, according to the Department of Energy. Researchers at the University of California estimate that reducing stand-by power loss could save the U.S. $10 billion.

M2E Power, a company formed last year to charge electronic gadgets with human motion, has reported back that its system actually works.

Next year it expects to release a charger that can harvest enough motion from walking to replenish cell phones or other small gadgets, like GPS devices.

It says that six hours of cumulative motion can add 30 to 60 minutes of talk time to a cell phone.

M2E Power's charger, powered by human motion.

(Credit: M2E Power)

The idea is to place the charger inside a purse or backpack and let it charge in the background, said Regan Rowe, director of business development at the company. When fully charged, M2E Power's device stores enough to recharge a phone at a speed comparable to an AC outlet.

Inside is a lithium ion battery and a series of coils and magnets. When it moves, an electromagnetic field forms around the coils to generate electricity.

The technology, developed in part at Boise State University, optimizes that field to match the slow frequency of human motion and draw a usable current.

The charger unit can be charged by an AC wall socket as well. M2E Power has had discussions with cell phone manufacturers to build the generator directly into a phone.

"Handset manufacturers are under pressure to deal with electronic waste issues and show they are looking for more sustainable practices," Rowe said. "We've seen a lot of interest in this as the wave of the future."

But because those products take a few years to design and develop, it will likely take at least two years before a self-powered cell phone is commercially available, Rowe said.

The company is also testing how much charge it can draw from the vibration of vehicles, Rowe said. The amount of charge a generator can make varies a great deal with the amount of motion.

"Someone with an old pick-up truck with no shocks will have a glorious time with M2E technology, but someone with a Mercedes will have to spend more time" charging, she said.

Long term, the company is looking at placing self-charging devices in hybrid and electric cars. Putting a self-charging device near windshield wipers or door locks could significantly cut down on a hybrid car's electrical load and extend its driving range, Rowe said.

The company also has military grants to explore the use of self-powering devices such as night goggles.

Gazelle on Monday relaunched its Web service that finds a home for unwanted electronic toys.

Originally called Second Rotation, the year-old site has been redesigned to make it quicker to sell electronics in more categories. It also adds a feature that lets people recycle goods that have no resell value.

So if you have an iPhone that you no longer want, you type in the product name and input information on its condition to find out what it's worth. Gazelle will send you a shipping slip and/or a box. Once received, Gazelle wipes the data clean and sells it online. You get paid by check or PayPal.

Gazelle's software generates a price by analyzing buying and selling prices from online sources like eBay and Amazon. The company says that many consumers prefer to sell through a specialized resell service like Gazelle rather than sell directly on eBay.

Gazelle, formerly called Second Rotation, gives people a price and shipping slip to sell electronics goods online.

The relaunched service adds an enhanced search engine and broader catalog that includes laptops, satellite radios, and portable hard drives in addition to cellular phones, digital cameras, and digital music players.

It's also added social networking features like a customer-referral program and the ability to get prices for items not already listed in its catalog.

"We're trying to make it as easy as Netflix," said President and Chief Operating Officer Israel Ganot.

The company raised $4.4 million in January and expects to raise another round of funding in the next 12 to 18 months, he said.

First step to recycling
Gazelle calls its service "reCommerce" rather than recycling since, for the most part, goods are being repurposed. But that still addresses the problem of electronic waste, argues Ganot. "The first step to recycling is putting a product back in the marketplace," he said.

A new feature of the redesigned site is the ability to have gadgets with no resale value be recycled.

Electronic waste recycling appears to be getting more attention with recycling start-ups getting funding. Another venture-backed company that appears to have a similar business model is TechForward, which launched two years ago.

Retailers, too, are launching programs to take back electronics.

But on the whole, consumer electronics recycling rates are low. People in the industry talk about the millions of tons of metals inside gadgets that sit in consumers' desk drawers. The Consumer Electronics Association estimates that U.S. households spend $1,400 a year on up to 24 items.

One reason that electronics recycling isn't more common is that it's difficult to make money doing it, according to people in the industry.

Gazelle operates its recycling program, through partners ReCellular for phones and TechTurn for laptops, at no profit.

Although the company is not profitable, its business model of reselling goods has a profit margin built into it, unlike recycling.

Garnot said that the company plans to extend its service to small and medium-size businesses that are looking to recycle or sell outdated computer gear and gadgets.

MTI Micro and Korean manufacturer NeoSolar said on Thursday they will build prototype ultra-mobile PCs powered by fuel cells.

The two companies said they will develop digital devices that use MTI Micro's Mobion fuel cells, which use liquid methanol cartridges as a fuel.

Dr. James Y. Yu, president of NeoSolar, showing off his company's Wibrain ultra mobile PC and the Mobion chip.

(Credit: NeoSolar)

The development could lead to external chargers, snap-on attachments or devices with the Mobion fuel cell embedded in them, the companies said.

Fuel cells are being developed for a wide range of applications, from back-up electricity in buildings and data centers to transportation.

Rather drawing on tanks of hydrogen to make electricity in a fuel cell, MTI Micro's Mobion uses methanol. The advantage is that it's a liquid fuel that can be easily transported and store, say backers. The byproduct of using the fuel is water and carbon dioxide, in relatively small amounts.

MTI has signed on a partners to develop GPS devices and digital cameras that use its fuel cells.

Other consumer electronics manufacturers, including Sharp, are also developing direct methanol to fuel cell chargers.

Summer road trips are a bit less fun with gas over $4 a gallon and no peak in sight. But there are a couple gadgets to help make fuel go farther.

Named after the green fruit, the PLX Kiwi from PLX Devices is a small device (a little more than 2 inches by 3 inches) that attaches to your dashboard or windshield.

The PLX Kiwi in-car display gives you fuel-efficient driving feedback.

(Credit: PLX Devices)

By plugging into a vehicle's diagnostic port, it can display miles per gallon as well as trip information and even the cause of engine problems.

But really it's designed to make your driving habits more energy-efficient.

Accelerating hard and jamming on the brakes to slow consumes more gas than a smoother, steadier way of driving.

The PLX Kiwi shows off feedback on how you're doing in that regard and gives you a "kiwi score." It's also programmed with 20 increasingly difficult challenges to optimize your score.

Making changes to driving patterns can lower gas consumption by 20 percent with gas at $4 a gallon, according to the company. That savings can go up to 33 percent if your driving is mostly on highways.

Depending on the type of car you drive, the savings can be several hundred dollars a year, between $560 and $800, according to the company. You can get a read-out of dollars saved on a given trip and a cumulative total.

For the eco-conscious driver, these foot pedal changes can add up: a sedan driver can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 16,000 pounds. That's the equivalent of changing out 500 incandescent light bulbs for more efficient compact fluorescents.

The PLX Kiwi plugs into a car's diagnostic port to give a read-out of current and historical info.

(Credit: PLX Devices)

Another in-car display designed for fuel efficiency is the ScanGuage II, which doesn't have the same slick LED display as the PLX Kiwi or the scoring system.

The PLX Kiwi will be available later this month and costs $299, according to a company representative, while the ScanGuage costs $169.

Perhaps we'll all be learning green driving techniques. The U.K. government earlier this week said that all drivers will need to pass "green-driving tests" in September, according to a report on Wednesday in Green Car Advisor.

Toyota Motor plans to produce lithium ion batteries next year for a plug-in hybrid vehicle available in 2010.

The company on Wednesday said that the plug-in hybrid will be "geared toward fleet customers in Japan, (the) United States, and Europe."

A joint venture between Toyota and Panasonic EV Energy plans to begin production of lithium ion batteries next year and move to full-scale production in 2010. Using the battery, Toyota plans to introduce a small electric vehicle for mass production.

Toyota's Prius, numbering a million sold, uses a nickel metal hydride battery. Lithium ion batteries, which are heavily used in consumer electronics, are being built into an upcoming generation of hybrid-electric and plug-in hybrid cars.

Later in the month, Toyota plans to establish a research-and-development center for next-generation batteries that outperform lithiom ion batteries.

The company, which also continues to invest in fuel cell vehicles, recently began a lease program in Japan.

Toyota disclosed on Wednesday its plug-in hybrid production plans at a company-sponsored environmental forum in Tokyo, where it outlined its greenhouse gas reduction and clean-technology plans.

Enphase Energy on Monday released a solar power system that takes a dramatically different approach to harnessing energy from solar panels.

With an inverter on every solar panel, owners can view performance of each individual module via the Web.

(Credit: Enphase Energy)

The start-up company, which raised $6.5 million in funding earlier this year, has built a "microinverter" that converts a solar electric panel's direct current to alternating current on the panel.

Inverters are typically separate devices that are hung outside or in a basement. By placing an inverter right on a panel, Enphase Energy says that it is more efficient at converting light to electricity.

In addition, the microinverters give panel owners a better means for monitoring the performance of individual panels.

The company also has a gateway that transfers panel performance data which is displayed on a Web site.

The microinverter on a solar panel.

(Credit: Enphase Energy)

Its design has garnered high praise from University of California at Berkeley professor Dan Kammen who is director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory. In a statement, he called microinverters "disruptive technology" and said, "I think this is, in some sense, the most important technological breakthrough solar has ever seen."

Solar installer Borrego Solar beta-tested the microinverter system at residential sites and intends to use it.