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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's voluntary Energy Star program is about to tighten up its energy efficiency requirements for TVs.

The original Energy Star 3.0 spec was pretty weak. It affected only power consumption in power-on mode, ignoring the several watts most TVs consume in standby mode. The new Energy Star 4.0 spec, taking effect May 1, 2010, will have requirements for both power-on and standby modes. Energy Star 5.0, taking effect on May 1, 2012, will be even stricter.

Power consumption for a 60-inch screen must be 391 watts or less for 3.0, 210 watts or less for 4.0, and 108 watts or less for 5.0. Down in the 32-inch category, power consumption must be 120 watts or less for 3.0, 78 watts or less for 4.0, and 55 watts or less for 5.0. Standby must be a single watt or less.

Energy Star will also get itself shipshape in other ways. Products may no longer wear the label until a lab report is approved by the EPA. And manufacturers will not be granted access to the Energy Star mark unless a qualifying product is submitted and approved.

While Energy Star is a voluntary federal program, the toughening of it comes at the same time as California's new TV energy efficiency requirements, which are expected to prompt similar moves in some other states. It also parallels another federal initiative: the Federal Trade Commission's requirement that TVs wear EnergyGuide labels at the retail level.

See Electronic House, Energy Star press release, and Energy Star letter to manufacturer partners (PDF).