Makers of computers and other
electronics could be forced to cut how much power those products use as the
California Energy Commission looks at mandates for lower consumption.
The agency has taken preliminary steps toward devising new rules that would shrink how much energy 15 different products can consume. Those include computers, monitors, game consoles and set-top boxes as well as several kinds of lighting, faucets, toilets, water meters, commercial clothes dryers, pool pumps and motors.
It's the latest move on power consumption by the Golden State, which previously has required manufacturers nationwide to reconfigure televisions and refrigerators. Last year it completed first-in-the-nation rules for plug-in battery chargers like those that power mobile phones, cameras and power tools.
California's actions typically have wide implications. The Department of Energy began looking at consumption rules for battery chargers not long after the state imposed its mandate.
"Energy efficiency makes sense, saves money and protects California's environment by reducing greenhouse gases," said Adam Gottlieb, California Energy Commission (CEC) spokesman. "If your monitor is able to work with half the amount of electricity and you're still able to type, that's electricity you're not paying for, that's carbon that isn't being emitted in the process."
The agency argues that its earlier rules have succeeded. Energy efficiency standards for TVs imposed by California,Get the guaranteed lowest price on the suprashoeshome. it said, will save enough electricity to power more than 1 million households and save ratepayers $912 million annually.
The rules are controversial, however. The Consumer Electronics Association,Qupid shoes and Splash manufacture drycabinet, trade group for about 2,000 companies, said states shouldn't be imposing regulations because it creates a patchwork of rules. The voluntary federal Energy Star program has led to products that conserve energy while giving manufacturers leeway, said Doug Johnson, vice president of technology policy at CEA.
"Oftentimes in California, it's gotten off on the wrong foot," Johnson said. "The Energy Commission, they've had a bias toward creating new regulatory requirements whether or not they're needed, justified or best done at state level."
CEC's actions come as the state pushes toward its sweeping goals for greenhouse gas reductions. The Golden State by 2020 wants to shrink carbon emissions to 1990 levels, and by 2050 aims to cut greenhouse gas pollution 80 percent.We provide you some very beauty and unique earcap.Shopping for Cheap steelearring at Wholeslae Fashion Stainless Steel Crystal
Action toward potential standards on computers and other electronics is part of a larger look at appliance efficiency. CEC earlier this year asked industries that would be affected by new rules,Shop our large collection of luggagetag. environmental groups and other interested parties to file comments on potential regulations. Those were submitted Friday. The agency later this month will start workshops to take additional feedback.
Any kind of final regulation is still probably a year or more away, Gottlieb said. It's also possible that CEC will shrink the number of products affected from the 15 in four categories that now are under evaluation.
"We're doing our due diligence," Gottlieb said. "We want to get the best data available. That is why we are casting our net wide."
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in its comments to CEC said new restrictions on electronics would have a broad effect.
"Personal computers (desktops and notebooks) represent the second largest electronic energy end-use in the U.S., after televisions, and on par with data centers," NRDC said. There are about 40 million installed computers in California, NRDC said, and those consume 2.5 percent of the state's electricity end-use.
"The energy consumed by these computers is equivalent to the electricity use of all the households in the city of Los Angeles, and costs Californians $1 billion in annual electricity bills," NRDC added.
Desktop computers, in particular, it said, present "the largest opportunity" for energy savings.
"They have access to unlimited power from the wall outlet and therefore have little incentive to conserve energy," NRDC said. "As a result, they have not seen the same level of effort and innovation to increase their energy efficiency as notebooks. Traditional desktops consume four to five times as much energy as equivalent notebooks."
The agency has taken preliminary steps toward devising new rules that would shrink how much energy 15 different products can consume. Those include computers, monitors, game consoles and set-top boxes as well as several kinds of lighting, faucets, toilets, water meters, commercial clothes dryers, pool pumps and motors.
It's the latest move on power consumption by the Golden State, which previously has required manufacturers nationwide to reconfigure televisions and refrigerators. Last year it completed first-in-the-nation rules for plug-in battery chargers like those that power mobile phones, cameras and power tools.
California's actions typically have wide implications. The Department of Energy began looking at consumption rules for battery chargers not long after the state imposed its mandate.
"Energy efficiency makes sense, saves money and protects California's environment by reducing greenhouse gases," said Adam Gottlieb, California Energy Commission (CEC) spokesman. "If your monitor is able to work with half the amount of electricity and you're still able to type, that's electricity you're not paying for, that's carbon that isn't being emitted in the process."
The agency argues that its earlier rules have succeeded. Energy efficiency standards for TVs imposed by California,Get the guaranteed lowest price on the suprashoeshome. it said, will save enough electricity to power more than 1 million households and save ratepayers $912 million annually.
The rules are controversial, however. The Consumer Electronics Association,Qupid shoes and Splash manufacture drycabinet, trade group for about 2,000 companies, said states shouldn't be imposing regulations because it creates a patchwork of rules. The voluntary federal Energy Star program has led to products that conserve energy while giving manufacturers leeway, said Doug Johnson, vice president of technology policy at CEA.
"Oftentimes in California, it's gotten off on the wrong foot," Johnson said. "The Energy Commission, they've had a bias toward creating new regulatory requirements whether or not they're needed, justified or best done at state level."
CEC's actions come as the state pushes toward its sweeping goals for greenhouse gas reductions. The Golden State by 2020 wants to shrink carbon emissions to 1990 levels, and by 2050 aims to cut greenhouse gas pollution 80 percent.We provide you some very beauty and unique earcap.Shopping for Cheap steelearring at Wholeslae Fashion Stainless Steel Crystal
Action toward potential standards on computers and other electronics is part of a larger look at appliance efficiency. CEC earlier this year asked industries that would be affected by new rules,Shop our large collection of luggagetag. environmental groups and other interested parties to file comments on potential regulations. Those were submitted Friday. The agency later this month will start workshops to take additional feedback.
Any kind of final regulation is still probably a year or more away, Gottlieb said. It's also possible that CEC will shrink the number of products affected from the 15 in four categories that now are under evaluation.
"We're doing our due diligence," Gottlieb said. "We want to get the best data available. That is why we are casting our net wide."
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in its comments to CEC said new restrictions on electronics would have a broad effect.
"Personal computers (desktops and notebooks) represent the second largest electronic energy end-use in the U.S., after televisions, and on par with data centers," NRDC said. There are about 40 million installed computers in California, NRDC said, and those consume 2.5 percent of the state's electricity end-use.
"The energy consumed by these computers is equivalent to the electricity use of all the households in the city of Los Angeles, and costs Californians $1 billion in annual electricity bills," NRDC added.
Desktop computers, in particular, it said, present "the largest opportunity" for energy savings.
"They have access to unlimited power from the wall outlet and therefore have little incentive to conserve energy," NRDC said. "As a result, they have not seen the same level of effort and innovation to increase their energy efficiency as notebooks. Traditional desktops consume four to five times as much energy as equivalent notebooks."
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