EPA Issues Revised Energy Star Specification for TVs
February 19, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced a revised Energy Star specification for televisions. Televisions must meet the following version 3.0 product criteria to be Energy Star qualified:
Definition
- Television (TV): A commercially available electronic product designed primarily for the display and reception of audiovisual signals from terrestrial, cable, satellite, Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) or other transmission of analog and/or digital signals consisting of a tuner/receiver and a display encased in a single housing. The product usually relies upon a cathode-ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma display or other display device.
- TV monitor: An electronic product intended to display a video signal from an external tuner or other video source such as a VCR or DVD player on a CRT, LCD, plasma display or other display device. For purposes of this agreement, this definition includes analog and digital television monitors.
Television monitors with computer capability such as a computer input port may qualify as Energy Star under this specification as long as they are marketed and sold to consumers as focusing on television/video as the primary function and incorporate Display Power Management Signaling (a standard from the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) consortium for managing the supply of power of video monitors for computers through the graphics card) so that users may benefit from power management allowing the product to automatically enter a low power mode after a certain period of inactivity when it is being driven by a computer through a computer input port.
Television monitors are considered to have computer monitor capability under this specification if any input on the product is intended by the manufacturer to be used as a computer input and, as such, the product complies with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Class B computer peripheral requirements and is authorized under the FCC's Declaration of Conformity program.
- Rear-projection TV: A type of TV in which the display device is a projector that focuses images onto a screen located within the housing of the TV.
- Direct-view TV: A type of TV whose display device emits light either directly from the screen surface or transmits light from a source mounted directly behind the screen. Examples include CRT, LCD and plasma display technologies.
- TV combination unit: A system in which the TV and an additional device(s) such as DVD player, high definition display (HDD) or VCR are combined into a single unit and which meets all of the following criteria: the additional device(s) is included in the television casing; it is not possible to measure the power requirements of the two (or more) components separately without removal of the television casing; and the system is connected to the wall outlet through a single power cable.
- Component television unit: A television system composed of two or more separate components such as a display device and tuner marketed and sold as a television under one model or system designation. The system may have more than one power cord. For purposes of meeting Energy Star criteria, the total power for the system is considered.
- Analog: For purposes of this agreement, analog televisions have a National Television System Committee (NTSC), Phase Alternating Line (PAL) or Séquentiel couleur avec mémoire (SECAM) tuner and may have analog video inputs such as composite video, component video, S-video or RGB.
- Digital: For purposes of this agreement, digital televisions include at least one digital tuner or at least one digital video input such as a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI). Products with an analog tuner and both analog and digital inputs should be considered digital units.
- Native vertical resolution: The physical pixel count for the vertical axis of the television. For example a television with a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 would have a native vertical resolution of 1080.
- Electronic Program Guide (EPG): An interactive, onscreen menu of TV program information such as time, date and description of TV programs downloaded from an external source.
- External power supply: A component contained in a separate physical enclosure external to the television casing and designed to convert line voltage alternating current (AC) input from the mains to lower direct current (DC) voltage(s) for the purpose of powering the television. An external power supply must connect to the television via a removable or hard-wired male/female electrical connection, cable, cord or other wiring.
- Point of deployment (POD) module: A conditional access module for digital cable signal reception.
- Standby: The lowest power consumption state that cannot be switched off (influenced) by the user and that may persist for an indefinite time when the appliance is connected to the main electricity supply and used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
For purposes of this specification, standby is defined as the time when the product is connected to a power source, produces neither sound nor picture, neither transmits nor receives program information and/or data excluding data transmitted to change the unit's condition from standby to on mode and is waiting to be switched to on mode by a direct or indirect signal from the consumer such as with the remote control.
- Download acquisition mode (DAM): The product is connected to a power source, produces neither sound nor a picture and is downloading channel listing information according to a defined schedule for use by the electronic programming guide, monitoring for emergency messaging/communications and/or otherwise communicating through a network protocol. The power use in this mode is typically greater than the power requirement in standby and less than that in on mode.
- On mode/active power: The product is connected to a power source and produces sound and a picture. The power requirement in this mode is typically greater than the power requirement in standby and download acquisition modes.
- Disconnected: The product is disconnected from all external power sources.
Qualifying products
Any TV, TV combination unit, television monitor or component television unit that is marketed to the consumer as focusing on television as the primary function, which meets the respective product type definition and is capable of being powered from either a wall outlet or a battery unit that is sold with an external power supply is eligible to earn the Energy Star designation.
This specification does not cover monitors with computer capability such as a computer input port with video graphics array (VGA) that are marketed and sold as 1) computer monitors or 2) dual function television and computer monitors.
To qualify as Energy Star under both tiers of this specification, TVs must not exceed power consumption of 1 watt in standby.
TVs that do not have a state meeting the definition of standby such as Public Alert CEA 2009A certified models, which offer 24/7/365 active features to alert users are not able to qualify for Energy Star. Additionally, this lowest power consuming standby state must be the default standby state for the TV as shipped to consumers, according to the EPA.
Test methodology
Models capable of operating at multiple voltage/frequency combinations: Manufacturers shall test their products based on the market(s) in which the models will be sold and promoted as Energy Star qualified, said the EPA. For products that are sold as Energy Star in multiple international markets and, therefore, rated at multiple input voltages, the manufacturer must test at and report the required power consumption or efficiency values at all relevant voltage/frequency combinations.
For example, a manufacturer that is shipping the same model to the U.S. and Europe must measure, meet the specification and report test values at both 115 volts/60 Hz and 230 volts/50 Hz in order to qualify the model as Energy Star in both markets.
If a model qualifies as Energy Star at only one voltage/frequency combination such as 115 volts/60 Hz, then it may only be qualified and promoted as Energy Star in those regions that support the tested voltage/frequency combination such as in North America and Taiwan.
Test procedures
Standby power modes should be tested according to International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 62301, Ed 1.0 - Household Electrical Appliances - Measurement of Standby Power.
On mode power should be tested according to draft IEC 62087, Ed 2.0: - Methods of Measurement for the Power Consumption of Audio, Video and Related Equipment, section 11, "Measuring conditions of television sets for On (average) mode."
According to market research, North American shipments of TVs will top 36 million units in 2008. These TVs will be larger, in use more hours a day and offer better features than their predecessors. However, these enhancements can come with a "hefty" energy price tag. The U.S. has more than 275 million TVs in use, which consume more than 50 billion kilowatt hour (kWh) per year, according to the EPA.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).