Obama moves to make TVs more expensive

Why not move to make electricity less expensive?

Climatewire reports in “Will more efficient televisions take a bite out of 5-8% of the world’s electricity use?”,

The Department of Energy introduced a new award last week for the most energy-efficient televisions in an attempt to make a major cut in energy consumption in living rooms around the world.

The Global Efficiency Medal was created by the Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD) Initiative just ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), an annual industry event taking place this week in Las Vegas where high-tech companies present their new products and features.

“Televisions are a good place to start, in my mind, because they are a big part of [energy] demand,” said Rick Duke, a deputy assistant secretary at DOE, noting that televisions use between 5 and 8 percent of the world’s electricity. According to SEAD, this amounts to 168 terawatt-hours of electricity use annually, producing 27 megatons of carbon dioxide emissions…

But:

However, while some buyers may like energy efficiency in, say, refrigerators, television viewers may not. “Clearly, in the appliance area, energy efficiency is a top consideration among many consumers. In consumer electronics [like televisions], it’s a growing element of interest by consumers, but it’s overshadowed by things like best picture and overall viewing experience,” explained John Taylor, vice president of public affairs for LG Electronics USA.

Energy efficiency is oversold as a benefit, according to the Congressional Research Service. As Steve Milloy pointed out in “The Futility of Hybrid Cars“:

But according to the CRS, “the diffuse nature of efficiency opportunity and the economic complexity of decision making” has historically made moving beyond the 5 percent to 7 percent electricity savings range “a persistent challenge to conservation proponents.” Although more aggressive policies could be attempted, the CRS says, there is “little track record upon which to base projections of future effectiveness.”