The United States Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) reports that if all Americans would switch to Ultra HD TVs, U.S. viewers' annual utility bills would be $1 billion higher. The NRDC calls for TV manufacturers to make more energy-saving improvements.
On average Ultra HD TVs consume 30% more energy than HD TVs. And between TVs there are huge differences, "We found an almost threefold difference in energy consumption between the best and worst UHD TVs, with some models using little or no more energy than their HD predecessors, proving the technology already exists to cut needless energy waste in these large televisions", said senior scientist Noah Horowitz, director of NRDC's Center for Energy Efficiency.
The NRDC and its partner, Ecos Research, analyzed public databases of UHD television energy use and market share sales data, and also performed power use measurements on 21 televisions representing a cross-section of 2014 and 2015 models. The testing focused on 55-inch TVs because they are the most prevalent size and represent the best value among UHD televisions on the market today.
Currently one-third of all new televisions sold today have screens 50 inches or greater and TV power use often increases with screen size. NRDC's analysis showed that some of the really large, ast efficient models used as much annual energy as a new refrigerator.
Also the new High Dynamic Range, or HDR, feature that provides brighter colors and deeper shadows could significantly increase TV energy consumption. Testing showed the HDR version of a movie used 47 percent more power than the same title in 4K format.
The NRDC also has tips for those who want to save power while using their Ultra HD TV. By enabling Automatic Brightness Control, which adjusts screen brightness in response to changes in room light levels, caused televisions to use 50 percent less power, on average. However, energy savings varied by model and ranged from 17 percent to 93 percent.
And when looking for a new TV, you can cut several hundred dollars off the lifetime energy costs of a new UHD TV by a) buying models with the ENERGY STAR label, b) ensuring Automatic Brightness Control is enabled, and c) avoiding the quick start feature on Internet-connected televisions that results in significant amounts of wasted standby power.
