Looking for an energy efficient TV? What type of TV costs the least amount of electricity to run?
In this guide we’ll outline exactly what to look for in a new TV if choosing an efficient model is your primary goal.
TV size, the type of TV, energy efficiency rating and how you use the TV can all have an impact.
Let’s explain in more detail…
Energy Efficient Televisions UK
Quick takeaways:
- The most efficient TVs will have an energy rating of A+++
- The most efficient type of TVs are LED models i.e. televisions that use Light Emitting Diodes (LED).
- In general, the larger the TV (in terms of dimensions) the more energy it will take to run.
- Older plasma and lamp lit LCDS cost more than modern LED TV models.
- Once you have determined the appropriate size, you can also limit energy use by reducing your TV’s brightness settings.
- For example this TV on Amazon is A+++ and LED.
How much energy do TVs use?
To determine how much your TV is costing to run firstly you need to determine how much energy it uses.
To do this look for the kWh/1000h number on the TV’s energy label to figure out how much it’ll cost to run over an average year.
For example, 1,000 hours is around 2-3 hours per day or about 20 hours a week.
Next you will need to determine how much you are paying for your energy in per kWh. You can easily do this by checking your latest energy bill.
The most recent Energy Price Cap, together with the Energy Price Guarantee this means the most you will be paying is 34p per kWh.
TV Size Running Costs Comparison
| Running costs per year | 32” TV | 40” TV | 60” TV |
| F rated TV | £21 (13kgCO2e) | £29 (18kgCO2e) | £57 (35kgCO2e) |
| G rated TV | £36 (22kgCO2e) | £50 (31kgCO2e) | £97 (60kgCO2e) |
Which TV is cheapest to run?
As mentioned there a number of factors that need to be considered when thinking about the running costs of your TV.
Firstly, it makes sense to purchase a modern LED TV model over an older plasma or LCD model.
Next try to limit it’s size as much as possible, of course this is largely based on your own preferences, but remember that in general it will be cheaper to run a 32 inch TV vs a 60 inch TV.
In addition to hours used each day, the next most important factor is the brightness of the TV. Therefore, make sure to reduce the level of brightness as much as you can tolerate.
Also, please note that leaving your TV on standby can also cost money.
How do Energy Efficiency Ratings Work?
The Energy label or energy label rating system was launched in the UK over 20 years ago.
The system is designed to provide an indication of how much energy the appliance or in this case the televsion and how much it will use during operation.
The rating system for televisions has a scale from A to G, with A+++ being the most efficient and G the least efficient.
The general rule is that the appliances are categorised by their size.
In short, this means that two different sized appliances with the same energy rating may actually have different running costs.