A new study has found television sets are now 60 per cent more energy efficient than they were five years ago.
Research carried out by efficiency site Sust-it found it now costs nearly £65 less a year to run a television than the same sized sets in 2006.
When plasma and LCD TVs first arrived in the shops, consumers were impressed with their stunning picture quality and screen size, and overlooked the fact that, compared with most tube televisions, the sets were energy guzzlers.
In 2006 a 42 inch Plasma could have cost £77.93 per year to run at today’s prices. But now thanks to public awareness and advances in technology, a similar model uses nearly six times less energy, produces 264.90 kg less carbon and costs only £13.76 to run per year.
Sust-it used its extensive energy usage data to compare the running costs of 1,800 televisions and found that since October 2006 and July 2011, there has been a decrease in the average amount of energy flat screen TV’s are using, and, in addition, the decrease in stand-by consumption is nearly 100 per cent.
According to the researchers, this is good news for the environment, as TVs account for around 6 to 8 per cent of the global domestic electricity usage, and for the consumer by saving them money on electricity bills.
Ross Lammas from Sust-it, did add a cautionary note, adding: “Whilst we welcome the stunning reduction in energy consumption of TV’s, consumers need to be wary of old energy hungry plasma models, which are still available and will be difficult to spot until new energy labels for TV’s become mandatory in December 2011– my advice is go for an LED model.”
Tom Monetto, UK product manager for Sharp, whose TVs tops Sust-it’s efficiency charts, said: “Sharp have made increasing energy efficiency a key part of its wider commitment to minimising the environmental impact of product lifecycles.
“Technological advances are made not only to improve picture quality, but also to reduce energy needed to power the screen. Where ten years ago, a 32-inch TV would have consumed nearly 300 kWh (kilowatt-hours) per year, the same size Sharp TV now requires 80% less energy when On, and an amazing 98% less in stand-by mode.”
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