Canada Proposes Labels for TVs Showing Annual Operating Cost, Energy Use

Canada wants energy labeling for TVs that gives information about energy costs and use. Natural Resources Canada proposed EnerGuide labeling regulations that would require TVs imported into the country or “shipped inter-provincially” to carry the labels. The move follows EnergyGuide labels for TVs being weighed by the Federal Trade Commission. NRCan is proposing that labels be mandatory for TVs made after June 30, 2011.

The agency cited the rising electricity costs of operating TVs and the increase in the number of hours that households are watching TV among reasons for the regulation. Energy Star has helped consumers identify energy-efficient products, it said, and “EnerGuide labelling could go further by showing the average cost of energy consumption of each product which would encourage consumers to make sound purchasing decisions on a comparative basis.” The regulation will apply to CRT and digital TVs and TVs with computer capabilities “marketed and sold to consumers primarily as televisions.” Front projectors are excluded.

The proposed label will display the annual operating cost more prominently than energy use in kilowatt hours, the agency said. “NRCan believes that consumers, when purchasing televisions, will respond better to yearly operating costs than kWh.” When computing annual energy costs, the EnerGuide label will assume that the TV will be used “as a primary TV,” meaning it will account for costs in the first year of use, the agency said. That’s because in following years the set might be “moved to another room, be used as a secondary TV, be turned on less often and therefore use less energy,” it said.

The label will give “an idea” of the cost of use and kWh used, and “by no means gives an exact amount.” It will compare operating costs and energy use of TVs of the same screen size, the agency said. NRCan will provide “scales” to TV makers for comparison, it said. The agency is seeking comment on a proposal to group into one category the “less popular screen sizes, provided the screen size remains close.” For instance, TVs below 15 inches could be grouped together, as could 18, 19 and 20 inch sets, it said. At the other end, sets 60 to 69 inches can be brought under one category and 70 to 79 inches under another group, it said. “This would be in order to avoid a proliferation of scales."

The label should be “readily visible” when the TV is “viewed from the front,” the agency said. It could take the form of an “adhesive tag, a flap tag, a hang tag or a non-adhesive tag,” it said. Details on the font, size, color and other specifications will be contained in a separate “schedule of regulations” later, it said. There will be no change in reporting requirements from those proposed in standby power regulations, the agency said, and the “energy efficiency verification mark” will be same as in proposed standby power rules. Comments on the labeling regulation are due April 26.