What Is an Energy Star Rating on a TV?
A modern television can guzzle electricity, drawing as much power per year as a conventional refrigerator. This can have a huge impact on the environment as well as your utility bill, which is why owning an Energy Star-rated appliance can help with both.
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Energy Star
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Energy Star is a joint program between the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. It was first introduced in 1992 as a voluntary labeling program to assist consumers in identifying energy-efficient products.
Requirements
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There are strict requirements on the maximum power consumption a TV can draw in order to receive an Energy Star rating. In standby mode, which for many modern televisions is when they are off, the TV must draw less then one watt. The maximum amount the TV can draw while being on depends on several factors, including screen size, type and whether or not the television is high definition.
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Warning
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An issue was discovered in 2009 which allowed certain Energy Star-labeled TVs to draw up to 20 watts in standby mode. The problem was caused by the TV powering on to download program guide information. Check the Energy Star website to determine if your television is affected and how to correct this problem.
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References
- Photo Credit Plasma panel image by Nikolay Okhitin from Fotolia.com
