The California Energy Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved the first energy efficiency standards for televisions in the state over opposition from the Consumer Electronics Association.
The rules mandate that televisions sold in California starting in 2011 consume 33 percent less electricity than current models and 49 percent less by 2013. The regulations affect TVs that are 58 inches wide and less.
Video: In this episode of The Green Show, CNET's David
Katzmaier explains the factors that affect TV power use. (He's
introduced at about 1:38 minutes in.)
Although it's a state-level regulation, it is potentially significant outside California as other states are considering adopting similar rules. Unlike voluntary programs, such as the Environmental Protection Agency's EnergyStar program, the rules mandate certain levels of efficiency. For example, a 42-inch TV that consumes 183 watts or less by 2011 needs to consume 115 watts or less by 2013, the Commission explained in its statement.
The effort to regulate television efficiency, which was backed by California utilities and environmental groups, will save money for consumers on electricity and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, say backers. After 10 years, the energy savings will be $8.1 billion, or enough to power 864,000 single-family homes, according to the California Energy Commission.
The Consumer Electronics Association has fiercely opposed the mandate, which has been under development since early 2007. The industry group submitted a statement arguing that efficiency gains should be done through voluntary efforts by manufacturers and more consumer education. (Click for PDF of submission to the CEC.)
At the same time, some television manufacturers and the LCD TV Association supported the measure.
As consumers upgrade to flat-screen TVs, there's a concern that there will be a significant increase in aggregate power usage, in part because people are buying TVs with bigger screens. The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates that implementing the efficiency rules will cut the state's electricity use by almost 1 percent and mean that a 500-megawatt power plant will not need to be built to meet rising demand for power. (Click for Q&A from NRDC).
The California Energy Commission has energy efficiency mandates for a number of household appliances, such as refrigerators. The state's energy efficiency policies have kept the per capita energy consumption steady since the 1970s, according to the Commission.
An internal audit by the Energy Department concluded that some EnergyStar products are not meeting the requirements to gain the energy-efficiency label.
On Monday, The New York Times reported the results of the audit, which found that the two agencies responsible for the EnergyStar program--the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency--haven't been fully enforcing compliance. The audit also said manufacturers of some products, including refrigerators and air conditioners, have been certifying products themselves.
Last week, the DOE issued a statement, detailing how it plans to firm up its oversight of energy-efficiency certification.
The DOE said it will randomly review whether manufacturers are meeting all the specifications for efficiency standards, such as the EnergyStar logo. Lack of full compliance could lead to penalties or actions, such as removing a label. The DOE also said it will issue guidelines for new product categories quickly.
The Obama administration has made energy efficiency, in appliances as well as vehicles, a high priority in its energy policy. The administration said that it has issued five efficiency standards ahead of schedule, which will save between $250 billion and $300 billion over the next 30 years as well as 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide, once in effect.
The DOE noted that this summer it investigated two alleged violations of its efficiency code by makers of air conditioners and freezers and expects to resolve the cases shortly.
The EnergyStar program has grown rapidly since it started in 1992 and has become a familiar label for consumers looking to save money on electricity use or buy more environmentally friendly products. But the rapid growth of the program has led to some growing pains, building energy policy expert Lane Burt of the Natural Resources Defense Council told the Times.
The California Energy Commission on Tuesday received the endorsement from utilities at a public hearing on television efficiency rules, a set of standards which could have national impact.
The Commission has proposed a set of rules that set efficiency levels for televisions in two phases, the first starting at the beginning of 2011 and then becoming more stringent in 2013. The power consumption limits are based on screen size.
Officials from the California Energy Commission listed a number of technologies, including LED back lights and ambient light control sensors, which they said will allow the television industry to meet the standards.
During the hearing, representatives from California utilities voiced their support for the proposal which is expected to be voted on next month.
Among them was a representative from Sempra who read a statement saying the more stringent power consumption levels are feasible, cost effective, and critical for meeting the state's environmental goals. By implementing the standards, the state could save $8.1 billion a year in electricity bills and avoid building a 500-megawatt power plant to meet growing electricity use, he said.
TV efficiency regulations, which already cover other household appliances, are needed because electricity consumption from televisions has climbed from about three percent in the 1990s to eight percent in 2008 in the state, according to the Commission.
A number of environmental advocacy groups, including the National Resource Defense Council and the Environmental Defense Fund, back the initiative.
But the rule proposals have been opposed by the industry group the Consumer Electronics Association. The CEA has argued that the Cmandates are unnecessary because products are already becoming more efficient and the voluntary EnergyStar program already exists.
Speaking in advance of Tuesday's public hearing, executives from Panasonic echoed that view, saying that the California Energy Commission's proposed rules are "an answer in search of a problem."
Panasonic, which is a large seller of plasma flat-screen televisions, said it has been able to improve efficiency by 30 percent every year. Meeting the EnergyStar 4.0 standard, which goes into effect next May, is more challenging but Panasonic is adopting a number of techniques in an effort to attain the EnergyStar 4.0 and 5.0 certifications, executives said.
Although the California Energy Commission is proposing to regulate efficiency for televisions only sold in its state, passage of the rules would likely have a broader effect. Others states, including Massachusetts, are also considering efficiency mandates for televisions which would be the same or similar to California.
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.
How big is too big when it comes to TV screen size? How much energy does the U.S. gobble up watching television?
If you ask the Environmental Protection Agency, the answers would be (a) anything over 50 inches and (b) about 4 percent of all household electricity.
"There are about 275 million TVs currently in use in the U.S., consuming over 50 billion kWh of energy each year - or 4 percent of all households' electricity use. This is enough electricity to power all the homes in the state of New York for an entire year," according to the Energy Star program, a joint effort of the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Energy Star, which sets the standard for energy efficiency ratings on consumer products, says that televisions will have to become more efficient in order to earn its coveted sticker.
Sharp's 52-inch Aquos LC-52D65U LCD TV consumes 121.6 watts in viewing mode.
(Credit: Sharp)For their products to qualify, television manufacturers will have to meet a new standard by May 2010 and an even stricter standard by May 2012.
The version 4.0 Energy Star sticker, the standard set for May 2010, will require 40 percent greater efficiency, while the version 5.0 sticker will require 65 percent more efficiency than a TV sold today.
Generally, the new requirements put restrictions on the amount of power a TV can consume when it's in use ("on" mode), and when it's figuratively off but downloading programming information (DAM, or download acquisition mode).
The agency has also taken a stand on what it sees as responsible consumerism with regard to energy and the environment.
"EPA has decided to proceed with a requirement that TVs greater than 50 inches in size meet the same On Mode requirements as a screen of 50 inches - 108 watts," Katharine Kaplan, the spokeswoman for the EPA's Energy Star program, said in her cover letter (PDF) to the version 4.0 and 5.0 technical specifications for manufacturers.
(By comparison, past CNET reviews have found that in viewing mode the 52-inch Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR7 consumes 161.11 watts and the 52-inch Sharp Aquos LC-52D65 consumes 121.6 watts.)
Through this new policy, Kaplan and the agency have essentially said that anyone who feels the need to buy a television bigger than 50 inches is being a tad gluttonous. As an agency dedicated to energy savings, it's not going to condone that behavior with a feel-good sticker no matter how comparatively efficient the TV may be for its size.
"The issue in this case is what TV sizes can the federal government credibly designate as preferable from an energy and environmental perspective. This has become an important issue as the sizes of TVs and energy use continue to grow," Kaplan said in her letter.
The first version of an Energy Star rating for enterprise servers is poised for release on Monday, with about one quarter of available servers expected to meet the standard.
The specification, which has been under development for a few years, is designed to give buyers a starting point for evaluating the energy-efficiency of servers, according to Andrew Fanara, a program manager for Energy Star at the Environmental Protection Agency.
It includes a common "power and performance data sheet" that reports energy data in a common format. Compliant products will also have relatively efficient power supplies, which means they will give off less waste heat.
Other criteria are the ability to report energy-related statistics to data center management software and relatively efficient idling, Fanara said.
The top-tier server vendors and some of the second-tier vendors are expected to comply with the standard. It covers different categories of products but does not address servers with more than four processors.
"We need better tools to work with to have a more in-depth discussion. This sheds some more light on this issue," Fanara said. "It's not the be-all, end-all but it's a good start to get better educated."
The most energy-efficient products will already meet the standard. The EPA plans to update the specification over time and is looking at establishing a benchmarking system that would reflect real-world energy performance, he said.
Related coverage:
• Apple overhauls iMacs, 24-inch models more affordable
• Apple finally refreshes Mac Mini with updated specs
Updated 8:25 a.m. PST with analyst note.
As expected, Apple announced desktop updates on Tuesday with a focus on energy efficiency.
There are new Mac Pro high-end desktops powered by Intel's Nehalem-based Xeon processors, new and more graphics-intensive Mac Mini machines, and updated iMacs that offer the lowest price yet on these consumer desktops.
Here are the new ports on the updated Mac Mini.
(Credit: Apple)All the new machines meet the requirements for Energy Star 5.0 certification, which kicks in this summer.
The new Mac Pro is priced at $2,499 for the quad-core version and at $3,299 for the eight-core version, with the Nehalem-based Xeon processors running at up to 2.93 GHz. The interior of the machine has been cleaned up to make physical expansions easier.
The new iMac all-in-one desktop offers a 24-inch screen and is priced at $1,499, the cost of Apple's previous 20-inch iMac. The 20-inch model now costs $1,199.
The 20-inch version comes with a 2.66 GHz processor, a 320GB hard drive, and 2GB of RAM expandable to 8GB. The 24-inch model offers processor speed options of 2.66 GHz, 2.93 GHz (for $1,799), or 3.02 GHz (for $2,199). The 24-incher comes with a 640GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM expandable to 8GB.
As for the new Mac Mini, the big upgrade: the Nvidia GeForce 9400M integrated graphics chip, which Apple says will improve graphics performance as much as fivefold. The machine (sans a monitor) costs $599 for a lower-end edition (1GB RAM, 120GB hard drive) or $799 for the higher-end (2GB RAM, 320GB hard drive).
The Mac Mini is the "world's most energy efficient desktop computer," Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook claimed in a statement. Cook is currently at the helm of the company while CEO Steve Jobs is out for six months for health reasons.
Analyst Maynard Um at UBS offered this assessment of Tuesday's news:
Not surprisingly, Apple unveiled a much anticipated refresh to its desktop line, though the timing was earlier than we expected. Updated iMac & Mac mini are available immediately with the new Mac Pro available next week. Though the new Macs may provide some boost to end of qtr Mac units (enthusiasts and reseller channel), investors may have been hoping for greater price cuts at the low end.
Rumors of new Apple desktop computers were first reported at AppleInsider.
The government's Energy Star program and the tech industry's Climate Savers Computing Initiative will work over the next three years to develop more-efficient standards for consumer electronics.
"Today's partnership announcement unites Energy Star and industry in an effort to rally the technology industry to reduce computer energy consumption and fight climate change," said Bob Meyers, principal deputy assistant administrator for the EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, in a press release.
Energy Star, launched in 1992 by the Environmental Protection Agency, is considered the first "green" U.S. consumer label for electronics and household appliances.
The Climate Savers collection of businesses and environmental nonprofits aims to halve the power consumption of computers by 2010. Leading members include Google, Microsoft, Pacific Gas & Electric, and the World Wildlife Fund. The group of some 180 enterprises also includes Starbucks.
From now on, Climate Savers will recommend that businesses and consumers follow Energy Star specifications--or even tougher--when buying computers, in addition to using power management tools. The two partners will also pool some marketing efforts.
The move marks a step toward standardizing various consumer labels related to sustainability.
Along similar lines, the utility-funded 80 Plus label marks power supplies that achieve at least 80 percent efficiency.
Shoppers seeking rankings of sustainably-crafted, power-sipping PCs can also look for the nonprofit-led EPEAT label, which is being adopted this year by online retailers.
Online shoppers will soon be able to tell at a glance if computers offer "green" features. Desktop and laptop PCs, as well as monitors, sold online are set to display the EPEAT logo starting early this year.
The label is the closest the electronics industry has come to adopting a third-party, green seal of approval for computers.
EPEAT's bronze, silver, and gold ratings mark electronics offering energy efficiency and sustainable product designs. Equipment that's easily dismantled, made from recycled plastics or using low-toxic ingredients get high marks.
The nonprofit Green Electronics Council runs the EPEAT system with support from the Environmental Protection Agency. The acronym stands for Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool. EPEAT is partnering with Channel Intelligence to make the ratings available for online commerce.
The Zones will be the first store to display the EPEAT ratings. Other Channel Intelligence retailers include Best Buy and Target stores, although if there are EPEAT plans for such major retailers, they remain under wraps.
The EPEAT label has been involved in purchasing agreements so far totaling $60 billion, according to Channel Intelligence. It will not be found in the aisles of brick-and-mortar franchises.
The government required on January 10 that 95 percent of computers bought by NASA, the Department of Defense, and the General Services Administration be EPEAT-certified. Federal departments are already required to buy computers approved by the Department of Energy's Energy Star program.
Other than Energy Star, no industry-wide "green" seal of approval for electronics appears yet on store shelves. Canon announced earlier this month that it will label popular lines of inkjet and laser printers with the company's own green seal to indicate sleeker designs and less wasteful packaging. Printer vendors including HP and Lexmark have also pushed in recent years to make their products more ecologically sustainable, but do not advertise such efforts on their packaging.
Marvell has released chips for PC and notebook power bricks that can will substantially cut down the amount of electricity required to run these machines.
The chips, a type of power factor correction (PFC) controller based around a digital signal processor, effectively determine the amount of power an application will need and optimize accordingly. The chips also try to keep peak current at the lowest level.
The chips, which will be included in power supplies, are made to comply with new Energy Star requirements that require that 80 percent or more of the power pumped into PCs actually gets used by the computer. Right now, inefficient computers can lose around half of the power through heat or in the AC to DC conversion process. Pick up that power supply connected to your notebook. Feel the burn! These chips will reduce it.
Optimizing power cuts down on power consumption and, of course, global warming-causing greenhouse gasses. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are more than 10 billion AC-DC power supplies attached to computers out there. More efficient power supplies could save nearly $3 billion in electric bills annually.
Other companies out there working to revamp the oft-overlooked power supply include iWatt, which has received money from Vantage Point Venture Partners.
Marvell has chips out now but will crank into volume in the first quarter of 2008. That means the chips will likely be seen in PCs coming out for the fall of 2008.
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