Roll-out of Version 3.0 Energy Star is gradual. Tier 1 started on November 1, 2008 with Tier 2 going into effect on September 1, 2010.
Tier 1 Manufacturer Requirements
For a manufacturer to qualify as Energy Star after November 1, 2008, they must comply with program requirements including, but not limited to, complying with EPA requests for product tests, producing an Energy Star TV within six months after entering into an Energy Star agreement, and providing yearly reports to EPA detailing metrics on the distribution and sales of Energy Star TVs.
Energy Efficiency Measures
A qualifying TV will feature power-saving requirements beyond what is currently rated as Energy Star.
Power consumption for a qualifying TV can't exceed a predetermined maximum usage over a 24 hour period – five hours On Mode and nineteen hours Standby. The maximum power consumption is computed by screen size - specific power requirements for six screen sizes are published further down the page.
The EPA lists estimates of yearly power consumption for specific models on the EPA's Energy Star website.
Manufacturers must also set the Energy Star Standby setting and Automatic Brightness Control to default so it comes out of the box ready to consume less electricity.
Additional Measures Manufacturers Can Take
Manufacturers can receive a special distinction by volunteering to tackle other measures beyond what is required by Version 3.0 Energy Star.
Some of the measures include seeking out energy efficient upgrades to their facilities, buy other Energy Star labeled products, and use the Energy Star power setting.
Tier 2 Overview
Tier 2 goes into effect on September 1, 2010. Specific details, like maximum power consumption for On mode, haven’t been released yet by the EPA.
The table below is the maximum power consumption for Tier 1 of Version 3.0 Energy Star specification.
| Diagonal Screen Size | Maximum Power in Watts per 5 Hours of On Mode | |
| SDTV (480 lines) | HDTV (720 or 1080 lines) | |
| 20 | 45 | 66 |
| 32 | 78 | 120 |
| 42 | 115 | 208 |
| 50 | 153 | 318 |
| 60 | 210 | 391 |
