Energy Solutions

Project Overview

In 2008, Energy Solutions authored a proposal on behalf of PG&E for a new efficiency standard for televisions sold in California. This proposal ultimately served as the foundation for a final standard adopted by the California Energy Commission (CEC) in 2009. This first ever active mode standard for TVs further cemented California as a trailblazer in developing appliance efficiency standards.

By focusing on a television efficiency standard, Energy Solutions helped deliver a high-impact, cost-effective, technically feasible policy that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in California while saving consumers money. With an estimated savings of 6,515 GWh, the efficiency standard will be an important strategy for reaching California’s ambitious AB 32 greenhouse gas reduction goals. This standard is also serving as a model for standards being considered by other states and the federal government.

Need

Televisions consume more energy than any other media device in today’s homes. With rising flat screen sales and an increasing number of TVs per household, televisions are the fastest growing domestic electric load. Projected large increases in television-related energy consumption have the potential to erode historic efficiency gains being made in other sectors such as lighting and refrigeration.

Solution

Energy Solutions worked with PG&E throughout a two-year process to successfully design, evaluate and advocate for a television efficiency standard in California. In the first phase, Energy Solutions developed a report on behalf of PG&E that provided comprehensive technical, economic, market, and infrastructure information on options for a potential television standard. The findings of this report resulted in a proposal to the CEC for a performance-based standard that set a maximum power level for televisions based on screen size – the bigger the television, the more power it would be permitted use when turned on. Energy Solutions then worked hard with partners such as NRDC to build a broad coalition in support of the proposed standard. This unprecedented coalition included TV and component manufacturers, environmental groups, and utilities, which provide service to over 35 million Californians.

The standard was adopted unanimously by the CEC in November 2009. It is projected that the standard will generate 6,515 GWh in energy savings (roughly 2% of California’s total system-wide electricity consumption in 2008) and save consumers approximately $8.1 billion in electric bills.

Benefits

Not only will the standard help drive innovation towards more energy efficient TVs, it will also:

• Help the typical Californian save between $50 and $250 over the life of the TV from reduced operating costs, with statewide savings approaching a billion dollars per year.
• Eliminate a power plant-equivalent load from the California grid (~500MW).
• Avoid over 3 million metric tons of CO2e emissions, equivalent to taking over half of a million cars off the road.
• Support state-level environmental priorities set out in California’s Climate Change Scoping Plan and Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan.