Plasma TV Energy Usage

In an age in which people are focused on going “green,” or intent on being environmentally sensitive by cutting down their consumption of non-renewable resources, individuals are paying much closer attention to energy usage at home and in the office. It is not surprising then that plasma TV energy usage is a concern to many. It is also not surprising then that the Electric Power Research Institute was founded and actively releases reports on the energy usage of various appliances.

In this same age, many people enjoy the benefits of plasma screen televisions, both for home entertainment and in certain office situations. But what would the Electric Power Research Institute have to say about these high definition, flat panel screened, sharp resolution TV sets?
 
Unfortunately for owners of such sets, the Institute has found that plasma TV energy usage far surpasses that of other types of TV sets. In a report issued in December of 2007, the Institute found that Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) sets, which are plasma TV’s main rival, used 75% more energy than a regular cathode ray tube television. The plasma TV’s energy usage was a full three times the amount of energy swallowed up by a standard TV. In many circles, the plasma TV’s energy usage has been compared to the gas guzzling properties of certain automobiles. It has been nicknamed “The SUV of TVs.” 

The report estimated that once a household replaces their cathode ray tube set with a plasma TV, their energy usage increases approximately $40 per year. While a forty dollar increase may not be devastating financially, those who are in the “green” mindset may be alarmed at the environmental impact. With the millions of plasma TV sets sold in a single year country wide, cumulative energy usage across the nation skyrockets. In fact, a recent issue put before the government in the United Kingdom proposed banning the sale and use of high energy usage appliances, such as plasma TVs, within their borders.

Do not eliminate these plasma sets from competition yet, however. The issue of plasma TV energy usage has not yet been settled. There may be more energy efficient models on the market within the next one or two years. At the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show, the people at Panasonic unveiled their brand new plasma TV prototype that attempts to eliminate some of the energy usage concerns held by consumers. The company claims that through the use of a different mixture of phosphors and a modified plasma cell construction, the energy usage of their prototype was actually half that of the current models. This reduction in energy usage for the plasma TV puts it on nearly equal footing with the LCD sets, which have been surpassing the plasma TVs in sales, despite the LCD’s higher cost.

While the plasma TV has earned its reputation as an “energy hog,” it seems that it will not always be so. Those trying to convert to a “green” lifestyle can feel a little more comfortable mixing their home entertainment with energy conservation by purchasing the newer plasma TVs that are just around the corner.

And like every other plasma TV, you won't be able to top the picture quality.