New rules would restrict imports of power-guzzling screens

The regulations are part of ministry’s national master plan for energy efficiency. The goal is to reduce the country’s energy use by 20 percent by 2020.

By EHUD ZION WALDOKS
How much electricity does your computer monitor or your TV use on standby? Too much, the National Infrastructures Ministry has decided.
The ministry has submitted draft regulations to limit the import of digitalscreen appliances that waste electricity.
According to the ministry, all of the machines on standby will use up to five billion kilowatt hours per year in 2020 if nothing is done. If the regulations are approved, an estimated third of that amount will be conserved.
By 2020, TV receivers will use 2 billion kilowatt hours per year. However, the proposed regulations would reduce that by 700 million kilowatt hours. The savings in 2011 alone would amount to 70 million kilowatt hours.
The regulations, which were submitted to the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee for approval, set specific limits for electricity appliances consume on “standby” mode and would forbid the import or sale of those that exceed them. The new regulations would apply to TVs, TV receivers, computer screens and any other appliance with a digital screen that provides information.
The new regulations would only apply to new purchases and go into effect 60 days after they appear in Reshumot, the government gazette.
The regulations are part of the ministry’s national master plan for energy efficiency.
The goal is to reduce the country’s energy use by 20 percent by 2020. Ministry officials believe that regulations like these can enable them to meet more than half that goal.
These regulations follow several sets of regulations in recent years that have limited the import of inefficient models of appliances such as refrigerators, washers and dryers, and other big-ticket items, and governed chillers for air conditioning systems.
The ministry has also embarked on a pilot program to replace aging refrigerators that belong to poor people, so as to lower their electricity bills and electricity use in general.