by Susan MacVittie
It seems that the brighter colours and sharper images that flat screen TVs offer come at a price. They are electricity hogs.
LCD (liquid crystal display) TVs, which account for 90% of the four million TVs purchased in California each year, consume 43% more energy on average than the older cathode ray tube TVs (CRTs), while
plasma TVs use three times as much. A 60-inch plasma TV uses more power in a few hours than the largest residential refrigerator running 24 hours.
This is partly because, in the midst of TV upgrading, consumers often go bigger. Another factor is brightness. Obviously, the bright picture is one of the advantages of high definition TVs over CRTs, but adjusting that down will cut energy use, and it will also make your TV last longer.
The California Energy Commission has just voted to adopt first-in-the-nation energy efficiency standards for televisions. The rules would require sets that cut electricity use 30 per cent by 2011, and 50 per cent by 2015.
Energy Commission Spokesman Adam Gottlieb says the standards will help reduce the demand on local power plants. "Televisions in California now average 10 per cent of our home consumption. And, it's rising. This proposal will make Californians' televisions more energy efficient, save money and save energy."
As to be expected, industry is not happy with the regulations. Jim Palumbo, President of the Plasma Display Coalition, which opposes the rules, says many of the flat screen TVs on the market already exceed the energy standards the state is considering. He also says the rules would force flat screen firms to remove 20 per cent of their sets from store shelves…limiting consumer choice.
Clearly consumer choice takes precedence over energy conservation. Say Hello to more hydro-electric projects that are thrust upon pristine wilderness areas.
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BC Hydro TV Efficiency Tips: www.bchydro.com/guides_tips/green-your-home/electronics_guide/buy_green_elec.html