Las Vegas, NV — Since we've seen so many electronics companies improve the energy efficiency of their goods, eliminate toxins and put an increased focus on the greener aspects of products over the last year, it's only understandable that the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show's Sustainable Planet section grew 40 percent for this year with more than 30 exhibitors.
The products on display at the show include:
- Toshiba's E-CORE LED light bulb, which was originally available only in Japan but is coming to the U.S. The E-CORE lasts 40,000 hours (about four and a half years if you leave it on all the time) and results in 85 percent less lower consumption and 85 percent fewer carbon dioxide emissions than incandescent bulbs. Toshiba is also showing its new LED Downlight, which is mercury-free, emanates few UV rays and is available only in Japan.
- ViewSonic's new 24" and 22" VX50 Series monitors, which carry the Energy Star logo and provide HD displays with mercury-free WLED backlights, using less power than monitors without LED backlighting.
- Sony's new Vaio notebooks, including the 10-inch W Series with LED backlights and recycled-plastic case, and the 3-pound Z Series with carbon-fiber and aluminum case.
- A prototype of OpenPeak's Home Energy Manager (detail above), a home energy-management system that runs on OpenPeak's OpenFrame device, a touch-screen communications center. The system lets users control home energy use and costs by setting budget limits and setting energy-connected appliances like dishwashers to work only in certain conditions. The systems alerts users when they are reaching budget limits and gives recommendations for reducing energy expenses. The system will be piloted for one year at consumer homes in Houston starting later this year to see how it impacts user behavior, how much money it helps save (preliminary data says it can cut energy bills by 25 percent) and how it can be improved. Direct Energy, Whirlpool, Best Buy and Lennox International are all involved with the consumer home pilot.
- SilverPAC's SilverStat 7 smart thermometer, which allows users to program lighting and HVAC controls based on energy bills. The device suggests when to turn off certain equipment and items.
- TrendNet's new dual-band router, the TEW-673GRU, which uses up to 70 percent less energy than comparable routers with the help of an Energy Star qualified power adapter that used 30 percent less power than other adapters.
