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The California Energy Commission hopes to end the burden of energy-inefficient plasma and LCD TVs on the state’s power grid. The regulations are expected to pass mid-2009, and could be in full effect by 2013.

Officials claim that the standards, once fully in place, would be a power gain equivalent to that of 87,000 homes. On the flip side, if the regulations do pass, it will surely remove some TVs from store shelves and slightly boost sticker prices.

During peak viewing times, TVs use about 10-percent of the power needed to power all of Southern California!

These gray areas in the market could lead consumers to outside markets via Amazon.com, or just some old-fashioned pillaging.

I have to say, maybe this is a good thing. TV just makes kids fat and violent. Also, plasma TVs which hold very little market share use more than 3-times as much energy! And with sales of televisions growing by 4 million a year, that’s kinda scary.

The regulations would be spread out over a two year period, where the first phase would take place in 2011. The final phase would take place in 2013.

Needless to say, television manufacturers kinda thinks this sucks.

California has pioneered legislation like this before. In fact, the federal government has adopted California’s rules on everything from appliances to home insulation.

>>See Also: California Ups Renewable Energy Mandate to 33% by 2020

Source: Los Angeles Times | Photo: © Leezh | Dreamstime.com