Energy-Efficient Television: It All Depends on How You Look at It

Consumer electronics are increasingly focusing on the issue of energy efficiency, and television manufacturers in particular are looking for ways to deliver cost savings to customers.

Of course, size matters.

In Germany, the “Energy Efficiency Tracking” survey, conducted from January to May 2010 by GfK Retail and Technology, found the size of the TV screen is the most important criterion for TV power consumption.

In the long term, screen size creates a considerable difference in energy consumption. Left on for four hours per day—in standby mode the rest of the time—a 47-inch TV consumes nearly twice the kilowatt hours (kWh) per year as a 32-inch model.

Even among televisions with the same screen size, GfK found the average power consumptions varied between the top 10 manufacturers. The most energy-efficient televisions with 32-inch flat screens consumed 75 watts, half the 151 watts of the highest consumption screen.

On average, however, over the course of a year, not only does a 32-inch TV save roughly half the electrical costs of a 47-inch model, the environmental savings are considerable. The smaller model generates 100 kilograms (kg) of CO2 emissions per year vs. 200kg for the larger screen.

LED technology is responsible for much of the savings, monetary and ecological. It reduces the energy consumption of a 32-inch TV by about 30%—though, again, efficiencies can vary as much as 50% depending on manufacturer.

The average price of a TV in Germany with LED technology is currently around EUR 720, some EUR 190 more than the cost of traditional screens. However, taking the total average service life into account, GfK reckons the difference is under EUR 80. Plus, over a seven-year service life, electricity costs savings are almost EUR 200, which more than compensate for the higher cost of acquisition.

As a result, not only will consumers get to look at a better picture—they may see a slightly greener world.

For more information on this subject, see Consumer Electronics Products Turn Green.