Power-Hungry Televisions
Published:
November 26, 2008
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Today's digital televisions are bigger and better—and, with almost a hundred channels, DVDs and video games, they're also on more hours a day. If you're like most people, your television is an increasingly large part of your electricity bill. Some of the worst power-hungry big-screen TVs use as much energy each year as a new refrigerator. But those electricity-guzzling TVs don't offer better performance than more efficient models.
You don't have to sacrifice resolution or size to get a more energy-efficient TV, but you will have to be a careful shopper. Unlike other major appliances, you can't check the label to find out the annual energy use and operating cost of that big screen TV. Consumers shouldn't have to do all the work themselves to select a TV that won't drain their wallet every month—NRDC is working to get TVs labeled to make comparison shopping easier. Until then, you can look for the Energy Star label. The EPA recently updated its Energy Star specs for new TVs.
TV manufacturers are already working on better, more efficient models. The next generation of TVs will likely use 30 to 50 percent less power than today's models.
Buying a New TV
It's no contest when it comes to energy use—today's LCDs typically use significantly less power than a similar sized plasma screen. In some cases, a plasma TV uses two or more times more power than the same size LCD.
Look for the Energy Star label. Energy Star-rated TVs are up to 30 percent more efficient than non-qualified models. Also look for digital cable ready (DCR) televisions with a point of deployment (POD) slot. With these TVs, you don't need an unsightly cable box that draws more power; instead, you slip in a card from your local cable operator.
Before you enter the store, spend some time thinking about exactly what you need in terms of television size, type and price. Remember that when comparing televisions of the same type (e.g. LCD, projection, plasma), larger televisions generally consume more power than smaller ones. There is, however, a wide range of variation in energy efficiency across different types of TV technologies.
Set Up to Save Energy
Many new TVs have a forced set up menu that prompts you to select the picture setting the first time you turn on your new TV. Select the "home" mode. The retail mode or vivid mode uses 10 to 30 percent more power and is too bright for the typical living room.
If you plug your TV, converter box, DVD player and surround sound stereo system into a power strip, you can eliminate the "phantom" loads they may draw when they appear to be off but are still consuming electricity in standby mode.
Full featured set-top boxes often use about 30 to 40 watts, 24 hours per day. Most DVRs do not include energy-saving features, leaving owners few or no options for reducing the energy consumption of your DVR. NRDC is working with the industry and with policy makers to reduce this waste of electricity.
Recycle Old Electronics
Remember to dispose of your old television properly. With an average of four pounds of lead in many older picture tubes, along with other potentially hazardous materials, TVs call for special handling at the end of their lives and shouldn't be throw out with the trash.
