TV energy regs approved

Update: I promised a response from the manufacturing industry. Here’s a quote from my email inbox:

“Today’s decision is little more than a stimulus package for neighboring states,” said Shawn Worst, Evolution Home Theatre in San Diego.  “These regulations will effectively remove hundreds of big screen television models from California store shelves – leaving consumers with higher prices and fewer choices and force many to shop across state lines.  Many local retailers, installers and distributors are already hanging onto their businesses by a thread.  This decision makes clear just how tone deaf the state is to the economic woes of its small businesses.”

Original post:

The California Energy Commission this morning approved new rules that will regulate the energy efficiency of future televisions.

Some manufacturers opposed the rule. But the CEC pressed forward, arguing that televisions nearly outnumber Californians and account for 10 percent of an average household’s energy use (including accessories like digital recorders).

The “historic” vote was 5-0.

“The real winners of these new TV energy efficiencies are California consumers who will be saving billions of dollars and conserving energy while preserving their choice to buy any size or type of TV,” Energy Commission Chairman Karen Douglas said in a statement.

The CEC has said the regulations should not raise the price of televisions at the store.

Doubtless there will be less optimistic appraisals of today’s vote. When I get them I’ll post them here.

Thanks to the UK Science Museum, incidentally, for the cool old-style photo. Older cathode-ray tube or console televisions are actually more energy-efficient than newer flat-screen models, according to CEC.