California to place new energy efficiency regulations on HDTV sets in 2011

The California Energy commission is expected to announce new energy efficiency regulations for big-screen HD televisions sold after January 1st, 2011. That’s 20Eleven… giving consumers enough time to buy energy-hogging screens prior to the new restrictions going into effect.

Suffice to say, the HDTV manufacturers and their lobby are hardly happy about this, but they’re already doing much R&D work on finding solutions for energy efficiency in the newest models currently on the drawing board. Already major retailers offer some sets with much better energy costs per household than sets sold only a couple of years ago.

Don’t expect this to truly impact HDTV costs over the holidays or in the near future, as the cost for manufacture is constant being driven down by cut-rate manufacturers of big-screen TV’s… if anything this is a boon to consumers who might, over time, actually save money on their home energy costs.

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