Real Estate Blog

California Introduces “Green” TV

How much energy does it take for a couch potato to keep up with a great television series like House, MD? It’s a lot more than you might think and the answer is no joke for anyone who is concerned about protecting the environment. According to the California Energy Commission, televisions, DVRs, DVD players and satellite boxes now consume almost 10 percent of the total electricity used in a typical home. This is up from just 4% in the 1990s. The driving force behind the jump in power consumption is America’s love affair with giant flat–screen high-definition TVs.

Help is on the way for people who want to live “green” and still enjoy So You Think You Can Dance in the super-sharp glory that only a 45” flat-screen HDTV can deliver. California just became the first state in the nation to set energy standards which require a 33% reduction in the amount of electricity used by new flat-screen HDTV sets sold after December 31, 2010. Starting on January 1, 2013, stricter rules requiring a cumulative 50% power savings will go into effect. These regulations are reminiscent of the energy standards that were first imposed on refrigerators, air conditioners and many other household appliances in the 1970s. Once fully in place, these new standards are projected to save California five billion kilowatt-hours per year. Several other states, including Massachusetts, are considering implementing similar “green” TV regulations.

While the tightened standards do not apply to any of the approximately 35 million television sets currently used in California, you will want to keep the regulations in mind if you’re thinking about purchasing a new HDTV in the next year. Fortunately, there are about 300 HDTV models on the market that already comply with the 2013 energy efficiency standards. Many of these energy-efficient television sets are available nationwide; so, you don’t have to live in California to start enjoying state-of-the-art HDTV entertainment and lower electrical bills.