Electronics Manufacturers Consider Tuning Out Government's Energy-Efficiency Program

Among the chief complaints is a requirement that companies seeking an Energy Star label have their products' energy usage tested in third-party labs. Previously, companies were allowed to conduct the tests themselves after signing an agreement "committing" that their products met Energy Star specifications.

The testing requirements have become "costly to the point where companies question whether it is worth it to go through the Energy Star process," says Doug Johnson, vice president of technology policy for the Consumer Electronics Association, which represents companies like Apple and Sony Electronics. "Our members have been reevaluating whether it's worth participating in the Energy Program on a model-by-model basis."

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