To assess the potential of smart electronics to reduce home and office electricity demand, to incorporate smart electronics into the Energy Star Program, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Smart Electronics Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (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 consumption 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 greenhouse 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 technologies could slash gadgets' energy 
        consumption by more than 30 percent at no cost or by more than 
        50 percent at a small cost, meaning that total greenhouse 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 implementation.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
            (2) Consumer electronics.--The term ``consumer 
        electronics'' means electronic equipment intended for everyday 
        use, most often in entertainment, 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:
                    (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 efficiency with 
                multiple functions on semiconductors.

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 integration 
        of smart electronics technologies and capabilities 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 specific Energy Star 
        program focus on smart electronics; and
            (4) analyzes and ranks the potential of cost-effective 
        smart electronics technologies.

SEC. 5. INCORPORATION OF SMART ELECTRONICS IN ENERGY STAR PROGRAM.

    To the extent that it is consistent with the findings of the report 
under section 4, the Secretary and the Administrator 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 Secretary and the 
Administrator shall establish within the Energy Star program a Smart 
Electronics Registry that provides a voluntary mechanism for 
electronics manufacturers and sellers to register their smart 
electronics products. In operating the registry, the Secretary and the 
Administrator 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.
    (b) State Standards.--Nothing in this section shall prohibit a 
State from enacting smart electronics standards more stringent than 
protocols and criteria established pursuant to this section.

Summary: Smart Electronics Act - Requires the Secretary of Energy (DOE) and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to submit a report that: (1) assesses the potential for cost-effective integration of smart electronics technologies and capabilities 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 specific Energy Star program focus on smart electronics, and (4) analyzes and ranks the potential of cost-effective smart electronics technologies. 

Defines "smart electronics" to mean consumer electronics that include measures to reduce energy use and increase energy efficiency, such as: (1) power-factor correction, (2) stand-by power mode, (3) communication with smart grid and in-home and networked energy monitoring equipment, (4) on-demand and variable processing speed semiconductors, (5) off-peak operation and charging, (6) low power switchable modes, and (7) the ability to achieve greater efficiency with multiple functions on semiconductors.

Requires the Secretary and the Administrator, to the extent consistent with report findings, to: (1) develop a smart electronics emphasis as part of the implementation of the Energy Star program, and (2) establish within that program a Smart Electronics Registry that provides a voluntary mechanism for electronics manufacturers and sellers to register their smart electronics products. Directs the Secretary and the Administrator to work with: (1) manufacturers to develop testing and verification protocols to ensure that products qualify as smart electronics, and (2) sellers to develop qualification criteria for smart electronics sales location labeling.

Permits states to enact smart electronics standards more stringent than protocols and criteria established under this Act.