Jordan O'BrienThat shiny new 4K TV that you’re installing in a client’s house could have a direct effect on their energy bill, says British Gas. The UK’s largest energy provider claims that 4K TVs use a third more energy than HD TVs, with UK consumers predicted to pay an extra £82m by 2019 in higher electricity bills.
Modern TVs with advanced features have often been criticised for requiring more electricity, but thus far manufacturers have been adamant that their TVs are as energy-efficient as possible. That’s not always the case however, with culprits such as the Sony ZD9 gaining a paltry B energy score rating – probably due to the fact that it’s currently the brightest TV on the market.
Preliminary findings released from British Gas’s upcoming Home Energy Report 2016, due in January, reveal that household energy bills from watching TV are likely to increase for the first time since 2011. Data analysed by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) points to the new generation of 4K TVs as the source of this upturn in increased energy consumption.
The report shows that in 2001 the average household spent £14 on powering its TVs for a year, and that by 2008 it had increased 44% to £20. This figure then declined over the next seven years to £18 – driven by more energy-efficient TVs.
Two million UK homes are expected to purchase a 4K TV by the end of the 2016, while nine million households are predicted to own one by 2019. However, the greater image clarity comes at a higher energy cost. In 2015, the average 4K TV used 33% more energy than an HDTV. So on average, energy consumption from a 4K TV is now more than three times that of a laptop and five times that of a games console.
When examined from an energy usage perspective, the total number of 4K TVs in UK households during 2014 required an additional 11 GWh electricity compared to their HD counterparts, equating to just £1.8m in higher energy bills around the country. In 2019, however, this extra energy usage will leap dramatically by 4264% (to 480 GWh), costing UK homeowners around Britain an additional £82m.
Of course British Gas hasn’t taken into account the potential for more energy efficient 4K TVs landing on the market at a later stage. Currently 4K TVs are still in their relative infancy, and like the drop between 2008 and 2015, it’s possible that manufacturers could make their TVs a lot more energy efficient.
Daniel Colford, smart energy expert at British Gas notes: “TV has long been considered the nation’s favourite pastime and as such people will always look to upgrade to the latest technology to improve their viewing experience. With living rooms now awash with technology and entertainment gadgets, many of which routinely use power even if on standby, we recommend taking a closer look at each device to see how its energy use can be reduced and getting smart meters installed to monitor overall household energy consumption.”