by Jbs091009 a3 — September 14, 2009—Televisions will soon need to be 40 percent more energy efficient than conventional models to achieve the Energy Star label, says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Currently, Energy Star-qualified TVs use about 30 percent less energy than conventional models, but EPA revised the specifications on September 3, 2009.
Under the new requirements, which take effect May 1, 2010, TVs must use less energy when turned on, while still ensuring a satisfactory level of brightness. TVs must also curb the power needed to download program guide data.
An even stricter requirement will take effect on May 2, 2012, achieving a 65 percent savings over conventional TVs. In setting the higher standard, EPA considered the option of limiting the size of TV screens, but chose to set a maximum power use of 108 watts when the TV is on. That will limit the number of the increasingly popular big-screen TVs that qualify for the Energy Star, but EPA notes that some TVs available today measure larger than 50 inches and already meet the higher standard.
