Liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) are known for their energy-efficient operation. All display devices consume energy during use. LCDs, however, consume less energy than many other types of display devices. There are also ways to further reduce the energy usage of an LCD. If you’re looking to save energy with an LCD, you may want to consider the five following tips.
#1) Light Guides
LCDs with light guides will typically consume less energy than their counterparts without light guides. All LCDs have backlighting. Backlighting is a lighting system that illuminates the LCD’s pixels. With that said, some LCDs have light guides as well. Light guides distribute the light produced by the backlighting. Choosing an LCD with light guides will typically result in a more energy-efficient operation.
#2) Lower the Brightness
Whether it’s a computer monitor, a TV, a human machine interface (HMI) or any other type of display device, you can lower the brightness to save energy. Nearly all types of LCDs have adjustable settings. When accessing your LCD’s settings, look for the brightness. Lowering the brightness will reduce the amount of energy consumed by the LCD’s backlighting, thus saving energy. A study conducted by Harvard found that lowering the brightness can reduce energy consumption by up to 20%.
#3) Opt for a White Background
For a traditional LCD, using a white background can conserve energy. Traditional LCDs don’t have self-illuminating pixels. As previously mentioned, they rely on backlighting to illuminate their pixels. White backgrounds require less energy than other colors. Ideally, you should turn off your LCD when you aren’t using it. For idle screens, though, opting for a white background can conserve energy.
#4) Smaller Size
The size of an LCD will affect its energy usage. Larger LCDs, not surprisingly, consume more energy than smaller LCDs. If you’re looking to buy an energy-efficient LCD, you may want to choose a smaller size. The backlighting will have a smaller screen to illuminate, so it won’t consume as much energy.
#5) Avoid Screen Savers
Some types of LCDs support screen savers. A screen saver is a program that displays one or more images when the LCD isn’t being used. While using a screen saver may sound harmless, it can lead to increased energy usage. Screen saves consume energy in the form of backlighting. The LCD’s backlighting will have to illuminate the pixels to produce the screen saver. To conserve energy, consider turning your LCD off when you aren’t using it instead of using a screen saver.
