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LCD and plasma TVs are actually more efficient per square inch than those old-fashioned CRT screens. But that doesn’t mean they consume less electricity. In fact, simply because they are, on average, so much more gigantic than old CRTs, they consume far more electricity.

Your average 42 inch plasma TV will probably be eating up more power than your refrigerator over the course of a year’s use. And that’s just the use, nevermind all of the mining, packaging, processing and shipping that go into them before they arrive.

But while manufacturers once competed only on price, size and contrast ratio, a fourth important factor is finally emerging among television purchase points: efficiency. GreenTechMedia was in Japan this week covering the Ceatec conference, where efficiency is being touted left and right.

Sony had a 42-inch LCD TV from 2005 sitting next to a 42-inch LCD TV from 2008. The only difference: the 2005 one consumed 131 watts while the 2008 consumed 57 watts. And that’s just the beginning. Manufacturers across the board are planning on slashing power consumption by their televisions.

Sanyo hopes to reduce power consumption in their televisions by two thirds by 2011, and Sharp has a 26 inch LCD TV that consumes only 40 watts of power.

All of this is great news for the environment, but also great news for me. I haven’t yet bought an LCD TV.  Though I’ve wanted one for some time, the power requirements have been a complete deal-breaker for me. But now that they’re getting into the range of your average light bulb (and reducing the vampire load) I’m getting pretty excited about my next upgrade.

Via GreenTechMedia