California has become the first state in the nation to pass energy efficiency standards for new television sets.

   "USA Today" reports the California Energy Commission yesterday unanimously approved the limits requiring TVs to use 33-percent less energy beginning in 2011 and 50-percent less by 2013.

   The Commission says the measure could  save state consumers as much as $1-billion a year.

   The Consumer Electronics Association trade group says the new rules could drive up the price of television sets used by hotels and high-performance models used by TV professionals.

   The CEA's Jason Oxman says there's also a chance that manufacturers will move non-complying sets to other states, or cut prices to sell them before the rules take effect.

   TVs account for about ten-percent of the energy use in the average home, but newer digital models with large plasma or LCD screens use more energy than older analog sets that utilize cathode ray tubes.


   (Copyright 2009 by VERTEXNews/Newsroom Solutions)