I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2748 
To assess the potential of smart electronics to reduce home and office elec-
tricity demand, to incorporate smart electronics into the Energy Star 
Program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 1, 2011 
Mr. HONDA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To assess the potential of smart electronics to reduce home 
and office electricity demand, to incorporate smart elec-
tronics into the Energy Star Program, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Smart Electronics 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The International Energy Agency estimates 
new electronic gadgets have the potential to triple 
their energy consumption by 2030 to 1,700 terawatt 
hours, the equivalent of today’s home electricity con-
sumption of the United States and Japan combined. 
(2) According to the International Energy 
Agency, electronic gadgets already account for about 
15 percent of household electric consumption, a 
share that is rising rapidly as the number of these 
gadgets multiplies. Last year, the world spent 
$80,000,000,000 on electricity to power all these 
household electronics, and that is projected to rise to 
$200,000,000,000 a year by 2030. 
(3) Most of the increase in consumer electronics 
will be in developing countries, where economic 
growth is fastest and ownership rates of gadgets is 
the lowest. 
(4) This proliferation in the use of devices will 
jeopardize efforts to increase the energy security of 
the United States and reduce the emission of green-
house gases. 
(5) The cost to business is even higher. Power 
consumed by the typical corporate data center is 
growing by 20 percent per year. Existing tech-
nologies could slash gadgets’ energy consumption by 
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more than 30 percent at no cost or by more than 
50 percent at a small cost, meaning that total green-
house gas emissions from households’ electronic 
gadgets could be held stable at around 500,000,000 
tons of carbon dioxide per year. 
(6) Governmental policies and programs such 
as Energy Star have the potential to be enhanced to 
achieve even greater energy savings through clear 
mandates and incentives and upgraded implementa-
tion. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
(2) CONSUMER ELECTRONICS.—The term ‘‘con-
sumer electronics’’ means electronic equipment in-
tended for everyday use, most often in entertain-
ment, communications, and office productivity. 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Energy. 
(4) SMART
ELECTRONICS.—The term ‘‘smart 
electronics’’ means consumer electronics that include 
measures to reduce energy use and increase energy 
efficiency, such as the following: 
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(A) Power-factor correction. 
(B) Stand-by power mode. 
(C) Communication with smart grid and 
in-home and networked energy monitoring 
equipment. 
(D) On-demand and variable processing 
speed semiconductors. 
(E) Off-peak operation and charging. 
(F) Low power switchable modes. 
(G) The ability to achieve greater effi-
ciency with multiple functions on semiconduc-
tors. 
SEC. 4. ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS. 
Within 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary and the Administrator shall submit a report 
to Congress that— 
(1) assesses the potential for cost-effective inte-
gration of smart electronics technologies and capa-
bilities in all products that are reviewed for potential 
designation as Energy Star products; 
(2) assesses the growth of consumer electronics 
utilization and the associated energy consumption; 
(3) analyzes the potential energy savings and 
electricity cost savings that could accrue through 
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specific Energy Star program focus on smart elec-
tronics; and 
(4) analyzes and ranks the potential of cost-ef-
fective smart electronics technologies. 
SEC. 5. INCORPORATION OF SMART ELECTRONICS IN EN-
ERGY STAR PROGRAM. 
To the extent that it is consistent with the findings 
of the report under section 4, the Secretary and the Ad-
ministrator shall develop a smart electronics emphasis as 
part of the implementation of the Energy Star program. 
SEC. 6. ENERGY STAR SMART ELECTRONICS REGISTRY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To the extent that it is consistent 
with the findings of the report under section 4, the Sec-
retary and the Administrator shall establish within the 
Energy Star program a Smart Electronics Registry that 
provides a voluntary mechanism for electronics manufac-
turers and sellers to register their smart electronics prod-
ucts. In operating the registry, the Secretary and the Ad-
ministrator shall— 
(1) work with manufacturers to develop testing 
and verification protocols to ensure that products 
qualify as smart electronics; and 
(2) work with sellers to develop qualification 
criteria for smart electronics sales location labeling. 
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(b) STATE STANDARDS.—Nothing in this section 
shall prohibit a State from enacting smart electronics 
standards more stringent than protocols and criteria es-
tablished pursuant to this section. 
Æ 
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