Site Prices Update
Last Updated28th June 2022
All calculations on this site are based on current fuel prices, they are checked regularly and calculations are automatically updated.
The costs calculated based on these fuel prices should be regarded as 'good estimates', given that fuel prices vary in different parts of the county and at different time of the year.
The calculations also have different levels of accuracy depending on the nature of the calculation. For example calculating the energy use of a known power output TV is very easy compared to calculating the effect on energy savings when insulating a cavity wall.
Site Calculations
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User PricesFor several of the fuel prices on this site you can now set your own prices and all the calculations on the site will adjust accordingly.
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At Confused About Energy we aim to provide practical, impartial advice on all aspects of energy usage, climate change and ways to save money on energy bills.
All calculations on this site are based on current fuel prices they are checked regularly are automatically updated and were last changed on:-
28th June 2022
The costs calculated based on these fuel prices should be regarded as 'good estimates', given that fuel prices vary in different parts of the county and at different time of the year.
The calculations also have different levels of accuracy depending on the nature of the calculation. For example calculating the energy use of a known power output TV is very easy compared to calculating the effect on energy savings when insulating a cavity wall.
Site Calculations
| Electricity | £0.271 per unit (1 kWh) |
| Economy Electricity | £0.094 per unit (1 kWh) |
| Gas | £0.072 per unit (1 kWh) |
| Domestic LPG | £0.122 per unit (1 kWh) |
| Heating Oil | £0.104 per unit (1 kWh) |
| UK Grid CO2 Emissions | 0.233 kg per kWh used |
The main units used in this site are in the table below, For a complete explanation of power and energy Read More.
| Unit | Name | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| W | Watt | Unit of Power |
| kW | Kilowatt | 1000 watts |
| kWh | Kilowatt hour | Measure of Energy |
| L | Litre | Measure of Volume |
Please use twitter to ask a question Message @@EnergyThinking
How much does it cost to have a tv on for 1 hour?
The running costs of TVs vary greatly depending on a number of factors:-
Screen size
The bigger the screen, the more energy is required, the higher the running costs
Type of TV
There are the very old cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions, there are not too many of these still operational, Plasma TVs, LCD TVs, LED TVs and more recently OLED TVs. Plasma TVs use a lot more energy than LCD TVs and LED TVs and are therefore more expensive to run for a given screen size. LED TV’s are not a completely new format of TV- they are an updated version of the previous LCD generation. LED use the same technology as an LCD TV, but instead of being illuminated by a florescent bulb from behind, they are lit by a more energy efficient array of LEDs (light emitting diodes). OLED TV's are different to LEDs, OLED stands for ‘Organic Light Emitting Diode’ they use ‘organic’ materials to create light when supplied directly by an electric current. Unlike LED/LCD screens, an OLED TV doesn’t require a backlight to illuminate the set area. Without this restriction of an external light source, OLED screens can be super thin and flexible.
Technology
High Definition (HD and UHD) TVs contain more pixels, have better resolution and picture quality but they cost a little more to run. However some features such as autobrightness can help to increase energy efficiency.
How much does it cost to run a TV for 1 hour, the table below provides a guide to annual running costs of different sizes and types of TV.
| Screen Size (inches) | OLED | LED | LCD | PLASMA | CRT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15" | N/A | 15W £0.004 |
25W £0.007 |
N/A | 65W £0.018 |
| 17" | N/A | 18W £0.005 |
30W £0.008 |
N/A | 75W £0.02 |
| 19" | N/A | 20W £0.005 |
35W £0.009 |
N/A | 80W £0.022 |
| 20" | N/A | 24W £0.007 |
40W £0.011 |
N/A | 90W £0.024 |
| 22" | N/A | 30W £0.008 |
45W £0.012 |
N/A | 110W £0.03 |
| 24" | N/A | 40W £0.011 |
60W £0.016 |
N/A | 120W £0.033 |
| 27" | N/A | 45W £0.012 |
70W £0.019 |
N/A | 150W £0.041 |
| 30" | N/A | 50W £0.014 |
80W £0.022 |
150W £0.041 |
N/A |
| 37" | N/A | 60W £0.016 |
100W £0.027 |
180W £0.049 |
N/A |
| 42" | N/A | 80W £0.022 |
120W £0.033 |
220W £0.06 |
N/A |
| 50" | N/A | 100W £0.027 |
150W £0.041 |
300W £0.081 |
N/A |
| 60+" | 140W £0.038 |
140W £0.038 |
N/A | 400W £0.108 |
N/A |
The above figures are only guidelines and there will be variations within different screen size categories depending on product specifications, however as a general rule buying a smaller screen will save you money on your electricity bill and the TV is cheaper to buy as well ! Below are a few tips to consider in addition to screen size when buying a TV:-
- Check out the power consumption in the technical specification. This will usually be stated in Watts. The higher this figure the greater the energy consumption and the greater the running costs. Use our simple calculator 1 in the left column to estimate TV running costs, just put in the Watts figure and the number of viewing hours per day and it will tell you the approximate annual cost:-
- Lookout for TVs with power saving features. For example some LCDs give you the ability to adjust the intensity of the backlight which can reduce power consumption. Others have specific power saving modes. These options make the TV less bright but it can improve image quality if the room lighting is lower.
The table below provides a guide to annual running costs of different sizes and types of TV. These figures are based on watching an average of 5 hours TV per day.
| Screen Size (inches) | OLED | LED | LCD | PLASMA | CRT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15" | N/A | 15W £7.424 (6.4kg) |
25W £12.373 (10.6kg) |
N/A | 65W £32.169 (27.7kg) |
| 17" | N/A | 18W £8.908 (7.7kg) |
30W £14.847 (12.8kg) |
N/A | 75W £37.119 (31.9kg) |
| 19" | N/A | 20W £9.898 (8.5kg) |
35W £17.322 (14.9kg) |
N/A | 80W £39.593 (34kg) |
| 20" | N/A | 24W £11.878 (10.2kg) |
40W £19.797 (17kg) |
N/A | 90W £44.542 (38.3kg) |
| 22" | N/A | 30W £14.847 (12.8kg) |
45W £22.271 (19.1kg) |
N/A | 110W £54.441 (46.8kg) |
| 24" | N/A | 40W £19.797 (17kg) |
60W £29.695 (25.5kg) |
N/A | 120W £59.39 (51.1kg) |
| 27" | N/A | 45W £22.271 (19.1kg) |
70W £34.644 (29.8kg) |
N/A | 150W £74.237 (63.8kg) |
| 30" | N/A | 50W £24.746 (21.3kg) |
80W £39.593 (34kg) |
150W £74.237 (63.8kg) |
N/A |
| 37" | N/A | 60W £29.695 (25.5kg) |
100W £49.491 (42.6kg) |
180W £89.084 (76.6kg) |
N/A |
| 42" | N/A | 80W £39.593 (34kg) |
120W £59.39 (51.1kg) |
220W £108.881 (93.6kg) |
N/A |
| 50" | N/A | 100W £49.491 (42.6kg) |
150W £74.237 (63.8kg) |
300W £148.474 (127.7kg) |
N/A |
| 60+" | 140W £69.288 (59.6kg) |
140W £69.288 (59.6kg) |
N/A | 400W £197.966 (170.2kg) |
N/A |
I find it doubtful that HD costs more to run. HD is essentially, as you say, smaller pixels. Pixels are what is used to build the on-screen image -- say, to represent a white circle. Now, the smaller the pixels, the more accurate that representation will be -- you will not need as many pixels to represent the same thing, because they hug the circle boundary more closely. Additionally, HD screen technology is newer, and should benefit from smaller, more efficient microelectronics, more modern ideas about power saving, etc.Now, you could argue that most HD TVs usually come with small computers, freeview decoders, sometimes faster screen updates, etc. In that case, they would certainly cost more. However, you are no longer comparing like for like, as you're getting extra features in that sort of HD.
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