Large TVs before the end - EU regulation with new ecological guidelines
Created: 12/19/2022 3:33 p.m
By: Ulrike Hagen
Large, high-definition TVs could soon be banned.
New EU directives tighten the rules – new energy limits will apply from March 1, 2023.
Strasbourg – On average, a third of household electricity consumption is due to televisions, computers and the like, according to figures from the consumer advice center, which warned customers against backup supplies during the energy crisis.
Now the EU is taking action.
It sets new limit values for the energy requirements of television sets - and from March 1, 2023, tightens the ecodesign regulation.
New energy limits for monitors and televisions will then apply.
Larger OLED TVs and screens with a very high resolution in particular could be on the verge of extinction, like devices from the new generation of 8K televisions.
A few large televisions in the living room could soon be a rarity.
A new EU directive tightens the rules.
© AndreyPopov/Panthermedia/Imago
Large televisions are threatened with extinction – EU regulation with new ecological guidelines
On the one hand, the new EU regulations reassess the efficiency classes of TV sets.
This means: The classification on the so-called "energy label", which classifies all electrical appliances from A to G in the trade, will change significantly.
Televisions that were previously classified in energy class A, for example, are now in class G. The new label has been in effect since March 1, 2021. From March 2023, however, the ecodesign regulation will also be tightened: the minimum standard will then be class F. Larger, high-resolution displays are therefore threatened with a sales stop.
Power consumption when watching TV: This is how much it costs to watch TV
When it comes to the power consumption of a television, the technology of the screen is particularly important.
The energy requirement between, for example, LED televisions and OLED televisions varies significantly.
The size of the screen, its brightness and individual settings also affect the power consumption of the device.
● LED TV power consumption: about 70 watts per hour
● LCD TV power consumption: about 100 watts per hour
● OLED TV power consumption: about 150 watts per hour
● Plasma TV power consumption: about 175 watts per hour
Source: EnBW
New Ecodesign Ordinance: Large, high-resolution TV sets are threatened with a ban on sales
The new directives deal with electricity-saving measures which, like energy-saving measures, with new rules for electricity and gas, should set the course for climate protection.
While the Energy Efficiency Directive with its energy labels helps consumers to buy economical devices, the Ecodesign Ordinance regulates the environmentally friendly design of products and is aimed at manufacturers.
The tightening from March 2023 will primarily affect the providers of electricity guzzlers, who should actually be banned from the household.
Energy efficiency regulations can mean the end for 8K televisions
As
Chip.de
reports, the manufacturers Samsung, Panasonic and Phillips declare that devices with 4K or OLED technology will also meet the guidelines.
But: It gets tight for screens with an 8K resolution.
At 7,680 × 4,320 pixels, their pixel density, which is four times higher than 4K displays, will make it all but impossible to comply with the new energy limits.
According to
Chip.de
, there is a de facto threat of a ban on the sale of 8K televisions in the EU.
Excluded are the devices that are already on the market on March 1st.
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New energy limits for large TVs in the EU: interest groups warn
The power consumption limits for 8K televisions and micro-LED displays are set so low that hardly any device is able to comply with them, industry associations warn.
As DigitalEurope, the association of national electronics associations and European electrical companies, states, 71 percent of 1281 examined 8K and micro-LED displays would not reach the new values.
Loophole with consumer deception: Manufacturers dim standard brightness
It is easily possible to comply with the new eco-design limits through the back door – especially via the factory settings.
To do this, for example, the brightness in standard mode - the default "normal" configuration for delivery - is simply dimmed down to reduce the output power consumption:
"Users are unlikely to like the out-of-the-box image quality, but manufacturers can make sure buyers know that settings need to be tweaked during use," says the 8K Association.
In plain language: Manufacturers can use targeted deception to cheat the information on the power consumption of their devices.
Consumers should then be prepared for surprises when they see their electricity bill.
Because an electricity price brake from January is not yet in sight.