Tune into these green screens
Samsung and LG have this week been recognised for manufacturing the most energy efficient flat-screen televisions available in Australia.
The annual SEAD awards (Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment Global Efficiency project) recognise the best standards globally in small, medium and large appliances.
Samsung won two awards for its 8 star TVs in the small and medium-size categories, with LG taking home an award for its 7 star TV in the large category.
The winning TVs will be branded with the Global Efficiency Medal to allow buyers to easily identify the models.
With Australians watching an average of 10 hours of television per day, a TV can consume a significant amount of a household’s electricity.
Overall comparisons found the winning TVs used around half the power of similar sized units on the market.
An energy efficient 7 star TV costs about $69 a year to run, while an 8 star TV costs only $21 a year to operate.
By comparison, a 3 star TV costs $148 a year and a 2 star TV costs $250 a year.
Until recently, the most inefficient, 1 star TV on the market cost $1000 a year to operate. It is no longer available, as competition tightens up.
Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency Mark Dreyfus, who presented the awards to Samsung and LG, said consumers were demanding greater energy efficiency from their household appliances.
“With 2.4 million TVs sold in Australia each year, there is huge competition among manufacturers to make innovative improvements. Ten star TVs are already coming onto the market and energy efficient fridge and computer technology is moving just as fast,” Mr Dreyfus said.
In April 2013, Australia will upgrade the star rating system to remove the least efficient TVs from the market. Televisions now rated at 4 stars will be re-classified as the new 1 star.
This will save households money, reduce energy consumption and cut carbon pollution.
More SEAD awards covering other consumer electrical items, including computers, are planned for next year.
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