California Advances TV Energy Standards

The California Energy Commission on Friday unveiled what will likely be the nation's first rules for mandating energy efficient televisions.

A final vote on the rule is expected in November. If the regulation went through, by 2011 California retailers would only be able to sell televisions that meet the guidelines of the Energy Star program.

Commission spokeswoman Susanne Garfield-Jones said at least 850 televisions already meet the standards, the AP reports.

"The energy savings can be huge given that we have about 35 million TVs in the state, and we sell about 4 million each year," Garfield-Jones said.

California has previously set efficiency standards on dishwashers, washing machines, and other appliances, tackling the state's electricity demand. Regulators started the focus on televisions 18 months ago, and say they're growing in size and energy consumption.

Televisions connected to DVD or Blu-ray players, DVRs, or cable boxes now consume around ten percent of a home's electricity, according to the Energy Commission. The 2011 regulations are expected to reduce energy consumption by about one-third.