Televisions
A Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) for televisions is proposed for introduction in early 2012.
The proposed MEPS would increase the energy efficiency of New Zealand's television stock by:
- setting minimum energy standards to protect consumers from low quality, low efficiency products
- giving consumers access to better information so they can weigh up energy use in their purchase decision, through a mandatory requirement for energy rating labels.
The proposed MEPS would align New Zealand with standards already in place in Australia.
Where to from here?
A public consultation for the proposed MEPS for televisions was held in early 2011.
If the proposed standards are approved for use in regulation, it is proposed that the Standard would come into effect in early 2012.
The adoption of these measures and the timeframes for introduction in New Zealand will be carried out in consultation with New Zealand stakeholders.
Download the MEPs discussion document for televisions.
More information about the proposed standards that have been adopted in Australia is available on the Energyrating website.
If you would like further information on this topic please contact regs@eeca.govt.nz.
Why set standards for televisions?
Televisions are big energy users, and the amount of energy they use is growing.
- Televisions are the fourth largest energy-using product category in New Zealand households (behind hot water systems, refrigerators and space heaters).
- They use more energy than clothes washers, clothes driers and dishwashers combined.
- The amount of energy used by televisions is rising, and this trend is projected to continue.
- In total, our televisions are estimated to use about 3 petajoules of energy per annum - enough to run a city the size of Waitakere for a year.
Some information to help consumers choose more efficient televisions is already available. New Zealanders can identify the most energy efficient televisions by looking for the ENERGY STAR® mark, awarded only highly efficient products through the voluntary ENERGY STAR programme.
However, without further intervention television energy use in New Zealand will continue to rise.
Increasing the energy efficiency of New Zealand's televisions through MEPS and labelling requirements would:
- save consumers money on their power bills
- reduce national electricity requirements and
- reduce the country's greenhouse gas emissions.
More information
