Regulations urge lcd tv supply chain to implement changes
1 min read
In a move that could have global repercussions, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has called for the energy consumption of some television to be cut by as much as two thirds by 2013.
The guidelines could compel the lcd tv supply chain to implement changes in its products and components, according to market analyst iSuppli.
The EPA's 'Energy Star Program Requirements for TVs, V3.0 ' guidelines could impact on mode power consumption limits for televisions. The EPA believes V3.0 of the regulation can reduce energy demand by millions of Kilowatt hours per year. The guidelines will grow more stringent over time and will be phased in for different types of television retailers in the coming years, with tier one tv brands immediately subject to the requirements and tier two and three manufacturers being impacted in 2010 and 2012 respectively.
The larger the television size, the more power consumption should be cut to comply with the requirements. For 26in sets, maximum power consumption when the television is turned on should be reduced to 42.3W by 2013, down 52.8% from 89.7W in 2008. For 50in sets, on mode power consumption should be reduced to 106.9W in 2013, down 66.3% from 317.5W in 2008.
iSuppli reports that television power consumption is soaring mainly due to the transition from crt to lcd display technology, as well as the resultant shift to larger screen sizes.
At screen sizes smaller that 26in, only a small difference exists between the power consumption of the two television types. However, lcd tvs in the popular 37, 40, 42 and 50in sizes have dramatically greater power consumption than the smaller crt tvs which max out at the 35in dimension.
Previous global standards, including earlier versions of the Energy Star regulations, focused on reducing power consumption only during the off and standby modes. However, the new requirements focus on the on mode, in which tvs consume the most power. The new guideline is the first such standard to go into effect, but will be followed by similar guidelines in other countries.
While many design changes will occur in television electronics and OEM enabled features, including technologies like ambient light sensing to help facilitate intelligent backlight drive options, iSuppli believes that the largest gains will have to come from redesigns of the panel materials and backlight source electronics.
