Beginning November 1, new specifications will go into effect for televisions bearing the Energy Star label. The new standards, set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will require all Energy Star sets to be up to 30% more energy efficient than conventional models and save energy when they are turned on or off.
"Energy Star’s new specifications for televisions are turning the channel on energy guzzling sets–making them go the way of rabbit-ears and the black and white TV," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson.
According to recent market research, North American shipments of TVs will top 36 million units in 2008. These TVs will typically be larger, in use more hours a day, and offer more vibrant pictures and other great features than their predecessors. However, these enhancements can come with a hefty energy price tag.
However, the EPA says, if all TVs sold in the United States were to meet the new Energy Star requirements, the savings in energy costs would grow to about $1 billion annually and greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by the equivalent of about 1 million cars.
Energy Star was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency.
The United States now has more than 275 million TVs in use, consuming over 50 billion kilowatt hours per year, according to the EPA.
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