By Connie Thiessen
OTTAWA – New data shows the Canadian Energy Efficiency Voluntary Agreement (CEEVA) for Set-Top Boxes has resulted in a 58% drop in average energy consumption since the program’s launch in 2017.
Five of the largest Canadian Pay TV service providers (Bell Canada, Cogeco, Rogers Communications, Shaw Communications, and Videotron) are signed on to the program in addition to manufacturers (CommScope, EchoStar Technologies, and Technicolor, soon to become VANTIVA), the Consumer Technology Association and CableLabs. A second program was launched in 2019 for small network equipment (SNE), such as modems and routers.
According to a new independent annual report, the program has resulted in a fifth consecutive year of energy reduction from 116.2 kWh/yr to 48.5 kWh/yr. The report also found that 99.8% of all new set-top boxes purchased in 2021 met CEEVA efficiency levels, surpassing the energy efficiency goals established in the agreement. In the second year of reporting, 100% of new SNE purchases met the levels established in the agreement, while those purchased in 2021 were, on average, 38% more efficient than SNE purchased in 2020.
“The impact that CEEVA is having is remarkable,” said Fahd Aman of Cogeco and chair of the CEEVA steering committee, in a release. “Through CEEVA STB and SNE, Canada’s leading internet and television service providers and manufacturers continue to make real progress towards reducing emissions while supporting technological innovation.”
The terms of both the CEEVA STB and SNE programs have been extended to 2027.
The annual audit was published by D+R International, Ltd., which verified lab test results of each set-top box conducted by accredited third-party test organizations and conducted an audit of select procurement data.
This article first appeared in Broadcast Dialogue.
