January 8th, 2009
By Tom Kessler
Green Right Now
Television manufacturers are using this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to debut new eco-friendly products and designs. In some cases, the new digital TVs surpass the federal government’s Energy Star 3.0 requirements.
Japan’s Sony is unveiling a series of energy efficient televisions. The company says its new BRAVIA VE5-series models (pictured) will offer substantial power savings by using a zero-watt standby power switch, along with motion and light sensors that minimize energy usage.
Irvine, Calif.-based VIZIO is rolling out seven new EcoHD LCD HDTVs that consume less energy and exceed Energy Star 3.0 requirements by as much as 25 percent.
All of these announcements come as several states, led by California, set requirements that small appliances and electronics must meet new guidelines for better energy efficiency.
Even when not in use, many home entertainment devices can consume up to 10 watts of power. In California power adapters will be required to draw a half-watt or less. State regulators say the average California household has 10 to 20 energy-sucking appliances and electronics. The requirements will save commercial and residential users there at least $3 billion over 15 years, the state projected.
VIZIO says all of its LCD HDTVs meet Energy Star 3.0 requirements for lower energy consumption. But the company touts that its seven new EcoHD models exceed the federal standards by up to 25 percent. The amount of energy consumed depends on the size of the TV. VIZIO says its 22-inch and 19-inch-class EcoHD TVs use less energy than a conventional 60 watt light bulb.
In addition, VIZIO says its new line of TVs is RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) compliant. The government’s RoHS Directive restricts the use of six hazardous materials found in electrical and electronic products.
Sony executives say the new BRAVIA VE5-series – including 52-inch, 46-inch and 40-inch models — are the first to incorporate Sony’s exclusive micro-tubular Hot Cathode Fluorescent Lamp. Sony says the technology helps reduce power consumption by almost 40 percent compared to the company’s other LCD HDTV models.
Sony’s technology addresses a common situation – a television that has been left unattended by consumers who become busy and forget to turn the set off when they leave the room. Sony new TVs employ a “Presence Sensor” that automatically turns off the TV picture when no one is present near the set after a user-set time frame. When the sensor detects motion, the TV turns itself back on.
Sony says the new VE5 models are the first LCD televisions to offer a zero-watt standby Energy Saving Switch. When not in use, the standby switch can be manually turned off, cutting power to nearly zero watts.
The new sets also feature a light sensor that automatically adjusts the backlight depending on ambient room light, which saves energy. Sony says all the new 2009 LCD high-definition televisions exceed Energy Star(R) 3.0 requirements.
