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Sales of big energy-guzzling TVs banned in California
November 18th, 2009, 12:13 pm · 73 Comments · posted by Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress
UPDATE, 11/20: Added details about Sharp Electronic TVs. See below.
The California Energy Commission today unanimously voted to force TV manufacturers to build more energy-efficient big TVs by 2011, reports the Associated Press.
The move affects new TVs up to 58 inches. The change would reduce TV energy consumption by around 33 percent by Jan. 1, 2011, and then 49 percent by 2013. Currently, only a quarter of the TVs on the market today meet this standard, reports AP.
Here is a chart of the new standards: CLICK HERE.
TVs larger than 58 inches will be allowed to use more power.
“This is a really big deal, because once standards are in effect it will cut California’s power bill by $1 billion a year and avoid the need to build a large, 500 megawatt power plant,” said Noah Horowitz, senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council in the AP story. “We hope in the long term, every TV sold in America will be just as efficient as those sold in California.”
UPDATE, 2:45 p.m.: Here’s an image Associated Press just released to graphically describe the new energy savings mandate:
While regulators have pushed for energy efficient TVs, the consumer electronics industry has fought new regulation. Many TV manufacturers, according to the Consumer Electronics Association, surpass minimum standards.
Irvine-based Vizio has a whole green effort, starting with last fall’s EcoTV, which exceeds Energy Star 3.0 requirements by 15 percent. A second TV, the VF551XVT, uses 50 percent less energy than current Energy Star standards.
Samsung plans to release the Luxia brand, which uses 40 percent less power than traditional LCDs. Available TVs in that line appear to use the latest LED technology to brighten screens and use less energy. Sony has the Eco Bravia line, which also use 40 percent less energy then the rest of the company’s LCD TV line.
Mitsubishi TVs, in Irvine, also reports that it is ahead of the regulations. The company’s LaserVue TV operates at 135 watts, which is one-third the power of today’s LCD TVs, and one-fourth the power of plasma TVs.
UPDATE: Sharp Electronics also sends a note saying that it has one of the lowest power-consuming TVs on the market. Its 52-inch AQUOS LED LCD TV with the lowest power consumption on the market – 158 watts less than required by California in 2011 and 59 watts lower than required in 2013. That would cut a consumer’s energy bill by 40 percent compared to an older LCD TV. Plus, all of Sharp’s TVs sold today already meet the energy limit requirements in California, says the company.
Here is the full AP report: Calif. requires TVs to be more energy efficient
Previous OC Register stories about the regulation:
- California moves forward to ban energy inefficient TVs (Sept. 2009)
- Report claims 4,600 jobs lost if Calif. forces TVs to be more energy efficient
- State considers ban on big screen TVs
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Can we ban energy draining bureaucrats and journalists?
Amen brother.
Funny!
If they are so worried about power consumption, they ought to put a power generator on the tongues of every politician in Sacramento.
That thing would be pegged.
There you go HOMER92630…….Road Trip! Velcome to Kalifornis Comrades!! I tink I moof to AZ or NV so I can get my freedoms back!
This makes no sense…the same people that are telling us our tv’s use to much electricity want us driving around in electric cars. It all comes from the same power plant folks!
This is taking Government a little too far. Next thing you know they will want to regulate my electric stapler!
You’d think that the California Assembly would have better things to do (like solve the budget shortfall and the impending crash of California’s economy) rather than stifle the economy by passing ridiculous laws that affect a minuscule part of what they are addressing.
What kind of people vote for these idiots? Pelosi is bad enough with her proposals to destroy the U.S. economy (health care) but apparently there are more of her kind in the state.
Pelosi, Boxer, and Feinstein! LOL NUFF SAID! If that is the caliber of free thinking Americans first type of politicians CA produces god help us all. And don’t even get me started on the Schwarzenidiot.
The nanny state is at it again.
I’ll just buy my TV via the internet if I can’t get what I want locally.
I wish the people who make these decisions would just go and get a real job and leave the rest of us alone.
Yeah!!! Pretty soon they are going to regulate how much toilet paper I use when I take a crapp! It might be to much and wasting paper polluting the enviroment!! Geez ….Oh, my blender I can’t buy one because it uses to much energy!!! GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!
What a bunch of morons. They waste their time on this and can’t solve the budget crisis. Shut down the State Capital. Just think about how much energy we could save.
Do this seem like the time to do anything that may kill jobs in CA, no matter how speculative the estimates are? I hear nothing from Sacramento about how they intend to create jobs, only about new ways to force business out of the State. Maybe it’s more important to feed the folks who stay in CA than it is to be a one man band in the fight to end global warming.
TVs are made in CA? No sir!
Might however produce more jobs for CA engineers who design this stuff.
Californians are funny……..you all are worried about increasing energy use yet when was the last time it rained???????? Morons! Water problems are going to be a much bigger issue in the future than “energy”. SoCal is a DESERT PEOPLE! Do you know what that means? It is now middle of November and it hasn’t rained for HOW MANY MONTHS? These “droughts” are getting longer and are becoming the norm for half this state. But who cares……….I laugh every time I see the yuppy snob down the street washing his brand new beemer or benzo because it’s “such a nice day out”. LOL! Funny little people californians are I tell you.
kalifornia gone krazy!!! good thing i moved to texas 3 weeks ago and haven’t looked back!!!
Sorry to hear that. Texas is absolutely the last state I would move to, and I’ve been to most.
Really? I can think of a lot worse states than Texas. At least there are jobs in Texas, and it not full of metrosexual pu$$y’5 like in Cali. Maybe you spent all your tisme around Houston? You need to get out and see the place more (or go to some really bad states), its not too bad. Austin area is pretty nice.
The State of Kalifornia is 21 billion in the hole again, lets start the budget process now by closing the Kalifornia energy commission and firing its employees immediately its a good start!!!!!
Just great, kill the retailers and subtract all the sales tax that could have gone to the bloated government bureaucracy. The same legislature whines about how hard it is to raise taxes while at the same time doing their best to kill the tax base.
This isn’t going to save anyone money off their electric bill. Much of our energy bill is going to support bloated pensions and salaries that sure isn’t going to change because we reduced energy consumption.
If anyone was worried about saving electricity and water, why don’t we get rid of the millions of illegal immigrants? Wait, don’t tell me, they don’t use water or electricity either?!! By the way, Bryan, when you pull your nose out of the politicians asses, don’t forget to wipe it off!!
I don’t know about any of you but I have had it with the insanity in this State.
Our state is in a 50% projected budget deficit for next year and our brainy leaders answer to the problem, TRY TO BECOME A TERRITORY! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! CUT SPENDING AND CUT STATE EMPLOYEES.
We need to take our state back from the current arrogant state representatives, balance the budget and get the state and the feds out of our business.
This is insane and now do you all realize that the state is now taking an extra 10% out of your paychecks! That is a loan to the State that we will never see again. Are you all OK with this? This is not socialism it is dealing with criminals.
You people need to stop the infighting and we need to unite and hold our representatives accountable;, VOTE OUT ALL ENCUMBANTS and make our State great again.