CEA Urges Regulators, Environmental Groups to Work Cooperatively with Industry on Energy Efficiency Initiatives

Business Wire, June 27, 2005

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Efforts to Conserve Energy Must Avoid Inadvertently Increasing Energy Consumption, Hindering Innovation, and Reducing Consumer Choice

As the federal government, along with more and more states, consider legislative and regulatory initiatives impacting the energy consumption of consumer electronics products, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is urging regulators, legislators and environmental groups to take a more consumer-friendly approach to saving energy. CEA officials are carrying this message as they meet later this week with representatives of the California Energy Commission (CEC), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), in San Francisco, CA.

"There has been close coordination between government regulators, environmentalists, and utilities on energy efficiency matters, but poor coordination with high tech industry. We would like to change that," said Gary Shapiro, CEA President and CEO. "We encourage these groups to step away from the government regulation mandatory standards approach they have traditionally favored and consider market-oriented approaches to energy savings that are more consumer-friendly and supportive of innovation and competition."

CEA is encouraging public and private sector groups with an interest in energy efficiency to participate in industry-led standards development efforts. As a standards-setting organization, CEA routinely develops standards and technical specifications for consumer technology products and is also accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). CEA is opposed to government standards that limit the energy consumption of consumer electronics. For high tech products, such artificial and unnecessary government mandates are not only damaging to technology innovation and design, they ultimately harm consumers and limit their choice of digital products, features and services, according to CEA.

"Representing more than 2,000 technology companies nationwide, CEA believes reducing the nation's energy consumption is an important and worthwhile cause," said Shapiro. "Although consumer electronics use only a small fraction of energy in the home, we believe consumer electronics products are part of an energy savings solution. Home networking and automation products help save energy by providing increased control over home heating, cooling and lighting systems. Likewise, information technology and telecommunications products enable telecommuting and remote access to information and entertainment, both of which save fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

In addition, according to CEA, many consumer electronics companies voluntarily participate in the EPA's ENERGY STAR program. To date, the consumer electronics industry has worked in partnership with EPA to develop voluntary energy-efficiency guidelines for a variety of product categories, including home audio, video and computer products.

About CEA:

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the consumer technology industry through technology policy, events, research, promotion and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA represents more than 2,000 corporate members involved in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and integration of audio, video, mobile electronics, wireless and landline communications, information technology, home networking, multimedia and accessory products, as well as related services that are sold through consumer channels. Combined, CEA's members account for more than $121 billion in annual sales. CEA's resources are available online at www.CE.org, the definitive source for information about the consumer electronics industry.

CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES - Defining Tomorrow's Technology. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services, including technical training and education, industry promotion, engineering standards development, market research and legislative advocacy.

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