New California Rules Ban Inefficient TVs
18 Novembre 2009 - 9:23PM
Dow Jones News
SAN FRANCISCO (Dow Jones)-As part of a statewide initiative to
conserve energy, California regulators on Wednesday adopted new
regulations requiring most televisions sold in the state to meet
higher energy efficiency standards.
The new rules, the first in the U.S., will require California
retailers to sell only the most efficient TVs starting in January
2011. As a result, the state is expected to save enough energy to
power 864,000 single-family homes over 10 years, the California
Energy Commission concluded.
The new rules will relieve strain on the state's electric grid,
avoid the need for new power plants, which will cut air pollution,
and lead to savings for consumers, the commission said.
CEC Commissioner Julia Levin said the new efficiency standards
will save consumers statewide more than $8 billion over 10
years--money that will be "pumped back into California's
economy."
"We would not move forward with this rule if we believed it was
not cost effective," Levin said, before the commission approved the
regulations. "It will spark new innovation, new industries and new
jobs in California."
Using more efficient televisions will require lower operation of
power plants, which could cut air pollution like nitrous oxides,
sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide and soot by nearly 880 metric tons
per year, the commission said. It could also cut greenhouse gas
emissions by more than 3 million metric tons per year and reduce
mercury contamination in the environment, as efficient TVs use less
mercury, the CEC said. The rules will mean savings for consumers of
nearly $20 a year per television, in lower electricity bills, the
commission said.
Utilities including units owned by PG&E Corp. (PCG), Edison
International (EIX) and Sempra Energy (SRE), supported the new
rules. California utilities' profits have been disconnected, or
"decoupled," from their power sales for several years as part of
the state's conservation efforts.
The Consumer Electronics Association and some other consumer
electronics groups opposed the tougher efficiency rules, saying
they could drive up prices and put California retailers at a
disadvantage to those in other states that don't have such tough
regulations.
But manufacturers that already make efficient flat-panel and
other TVs supported the rules, saying consumers wouldn't see prices
changes, as many large-screen TVs already comply with the
efficiency standards.
Regulators said the TV efficiency rules are needed to keep
electricity demand growth at a moderate pace, as energy use by TVs
and other consumer electronics has increased over the years,
straining the grid.
TVs and other consumer electronics account for about 10% of
total residential power consumption, the commission said.
Commissioners noted that thousands of TVs currently on the market
already meet the new standards. They also pointed out that
refrigerators sold today use about a quarter of the electricity
they did 30 years ago, due to appliance standards like the ones
adopted Wednesday, and that consumers still have plenty of
choices.
California has led the U.S. in establishing aggressive energy
standards for household appliances, lighting and buildings. Those
conservation efforts have helped the state keep per-capita power
use flat for nearly 30 years, while power demand nationwide has
grown by about 50%.
The new rules target energy-intensive smaller TVs as well as
flat-screen liquid crystal display, or LCD, plasma, and other types
of large television sets, which have become popular among
consumers, although many of them use more electricity than
conventional models.
Some plasma-screen TVs use as much as three times the
electricity as older, conventional TVs with cathode-ray tubes.
California's new television efficiency rules are aimed at
boosting reliability of the state's power grid and also cutting
energy use as part of the state's 2006 plan to combat climate
change, the commission said.
-By Cassandra Sweet, Dow Jones Newswires; 415-269-4446;
cassandra.sweet@dowjones.com
Grafico Azioni Panasonic (NYSE:PC)
Storico
Da Lug 2024 a Ago 2024
Grafico Azioni Panasonic (NYSE:PC)
Storico
Da Ago 2023 a Ago 2024