I remember when the first LCD monitors became available for use with computers. They were only 14 or 15 inches, and they were expensive (nearly a thousand dollars), but they were thin and sleek, and compared to a CRT monitor, there was absolutely no comparison. It took a couple years to take off, but these days virtually all desktop computers come with LCD monitors, and prices have come down dramatically (I’m looking at my 24” LCD that I picked up for $200 as I type this).

The same flat revolution has taken over in the television market. The “original” 42-inch plasmas cost many thousands of dollars and were limited to commercial applications like airports and conference centers, and to very high-end consumer stores. Today, flat-panel plasma and LCD screens dominate over the poor CRT screen.
Unfortunately, while the flat panels looked svelte and thin, it turns out their appetite for power is much higher than tube-based monitors (why can’t the human body follow the same rule?). California’s Energy Commission is now taking aim at gluttonous plasma and LCD screens by proposing new standards on power consumption.

According to the article, a CRT monitor takes 193 kilowatt hours per year to operate. A typical LCD monitor jumps to 275 kilowatt hours (42 percent higher than CRT), while a typical plasma monitor consumes a whopping 688 kilowatt hours per year (256 percent higher). The Commission estimates that a typical plasma screen consumes more energy than a large refrigerator.

The proposed rules would place mandatory energy limits on plasma and LCD televisions. Currently only 25 percent of televisions sold in California meet the standard. The proposed rules would take effect from 2011 to 2013, and eventually reduce television energy consumption by half. For individual consumers, that means a savings of $18 to $30 per year.

The proposal is strongly opposed by the Consumer Electronics Association, which estimates California will lose $50 million a year in lost tax revenue and 4,600 jobs. Interestingly, Vizio, which already sells a line of televisions that meet the 2013 standards, and the LCD TV Association, support the proposal.

This is a development to watch. California is a huge market, and manufacturers tend to dislike making multiple models for different states, so if this proposal goes through it will likely affect plasma and LCD televisions sold throughout the United States. The new rules will undoubtedly increase the cost of producing LCD and TV televisions, and presumably that means higher prices for consumers and businesses as well. For now, the rules exclude computer monitors. As computer monitors grow in size, however, the power consumption of monitors will no doubt also attract scrutiny. I wouldn’t be surprised if regulators took aim at computer LCD monitors next. The industry may head off such regulation, of course, by simply incorporating the energy saving technology from televisions into computer monitors. Time will tell.