Tier 2 IR Advanced PowerStrips - 50% Energy Savings Claims

A number of our partners have recently asked us for our views on whether the claim of 50% energy savings with an InfraRed (IR) - only Tier 2 Advanced PowerStrip (Tier 2 APS) is obtainable and if possible, what such a high percentage reduction in the AV environment would actually look like from a user perspective.

In July 2015, TrickleStar commissioned UL Environment to test the energy savings potential of an IR-only sensing Tier 2 APS. To undertake the study, UL Environment developed the UL standard:ULE ECVP 108 Version 3 - Estimating Energy Savings for Energy Saving Power Strips. ULE ECVP 108 is the most comprehensive effort to date to develop an independent, harmonised, scientific approach to energy savings claims for Advanced PowerStrips.

Using this standard, UL determined that an IR-only sensing Tier 2 APS would typically reduce energy consumption in the AV environment by an estimated 26%, which based on the national average baseline equates to 115.53 kWh annual savings. To put this in perspective, the following conclusions were derived from national TV viewing behaviour (figures may vary depending on usage and connected equipment). View TrickleStar report here.

Is it realistic to assume that the average American falls asleep in front of the TV more than once a week, or every night for that matter? The UL report strongly suggests that the claim of 50% energy savings for a typical user is unrealistic and not representative of typical use.

Another way to think about a 50% energy saving is as follows: If the IR-only Tier 2 APS is designed to switch off the television and connected equipment when not in use, a 50% energy savings implies that the average American leaves their TV on without watching it roughly half of the time. For example, if someone watches TV for four hours per day, this means that they are only watching TV for two hours. Similarly if someone is actually watching TV for 4 hours a day then a 50% saving implies the TV is left on for 8 hours a a day.

Recognising a 50% savings claim for an IR-only Tier 2 APS is unrealistic for a typical user is imperative when deploying a Tier 2 APS into energy efficiency programs to avoid program evaluation reductions.

The UL Environment report and simple common sense do not support 50% energy savings for the vast majority of users. To date there is also currently no actual pre-post field testing to support an energy savings claim of 50% energy saving from an IR Tier 2 APS.

This article was reviewed and approved by UL prior to publication.