POWER LEVEL BILL FOR ELECTRONICS STILL POSSIBLE

Senate action on energy bill passed by House that would set strict standby mode power limit on consumer electronics devices was less likely after Sept. 11 attacks. Still, bill sponsors were “still optimistic the Senate will act before the end of the year,” they said. Bill, proposed Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) Act of 2001 (HR-4) by House Commerce Committee Chmn. Tauzin (R-La.), was passed by House Aug. 2 and placed on Senate calendar Sept. 4, days before terrorist attacks that upended agenda of Congress. “If we remain in session until Thanksgiving, as many people predict and expect us to be, I think there is a good chance the Senate will deliver an energy bill,” Tauzin spokesman Ken Johnson said. If Congress adjourns sooner due to “a new threat, then chances are problematic,” he said.

Buried in massive bill are 2 provisions anxiously watched by consumer electronics industry. One would direct Dept. of Energy (DoE) to limit household appliances in standby mode to power consumption of 1 w. Household appliance is defined as any device that uses household current, operates in standby mode or is product recognized under DoE and EPA EnergyStar program. Digital TVs, digital set-top boxes and digital video recorders are exempt pending separate rulemaking, and limited exemption is provided for analog TVs. Chief concern of EIA is specific mention of 1 w as power consumption level for standby mode, which EIA Asst. Mgr. Environmental Affairs Jason Linnell called “a presumptive one- size-fits-all one-watt standard for all products.” Bill’s attempt to define standby mode is too simplistic, he said: “Standby is not necessarily wasted energy. Products are performing functions when in a standby mode.” Setting arbitrary power limit “could end up limiting some of those functions,” he said.

Second provision in bill eyed by industry would set maximum energy consumption for products classified as “major consumer of electricity,” defined as more than 100 kw per year. EIA objects to mandatory rulemaking on consumption levels that doesn’t give DoE flexibility to determine whether standard is necessary on product-by-product basis. “The thing to remember is that an energy conservation standard by law can never be raised” due to the Energy Policy Conservation Act of 1992. “This threatens innovation -- a big problem for us,” Linnell said. He cited personal computer as example where technology changes rapidly. Permanent power limit set too low could prevent manufacturers from introducing new technology “where more energy use is necessary,” he said.

Bill also would threaten future of EnergyStar industry-govt. partnership, Linnell said: “The EnergyStar program for many product categories sets voluntary power consumption standards for consumer electronics and office equipment for the standby mode, so there’s already a program in place that’s been successful.” Companies are setting low standby consumption levels through that program, he said: “HR-4 disregards that by establishing a mandatory standard which threatens the voluntary nature of EnergyStar.”

With eye on still-possible Senate energy bill, EIA has been working with Senate staff and coalition of trade associations and electronics companies “to develop language to do something similar to the House but on a much more reasonable basis,” Linnell said. While he said language wasn’t final, proposed provisions would direct DoE to investigate whether there should be standby power standards for different products before rulemaking begins. “We want to give the DoE the power to look into it and go through the technical process [to gain] better understanding of the products,” he said.