The battle over regulating power consumption in TVs is just getting cranked up in California. One of the interesting issues will be to see how the different stats and arguments match up. The California Energy Commission says that TVs and the black and silver boxes that go with them (set-top boxes, DVRs) consume about 10 percent of household power. The total has grown in part because of the increasing size of TVs. To curb it, the CEC wants standards that would lead to TVs that consume 33 percent less power than they do now by 2011 and 49 percent by 2013. The Consumer Electronics Industry, however,  is against the regulations and says that TVs only consume 4 percent to 5 percent of household power. The CEA, though, does not include DVRs, DVDs and set-top boxes. Overall, the CEA says consumer electronics gobbles up 12 percent of power in the home. That 12 percent figure includes PCs. In reality, the two sides might be closer than they think. PC makers have managed to cut power consumption considerably and a lot of consumers have shifted to notebooks. In an even comparison, the CEC and the CEA might be within a few percentage points of each other. Still, it should be an interesting argument. Which brings us to the big argument: Should TV power consumption be regulated? CEC has technology and history on it side. TV makers are already working on ways to reduce power consumption; manufacturers should easily be able to make the first set of standards it has issued, the CEC has said. History also works in its favor. Simply put, manufacturers don't push energy efficiency until required. Appliance makers didn't push efficiency until the state passed regulations. The Detroit auto regulators improved mileage in cars until the CAFE standards were slackened in the 80s. The regulations on appliances did not kill innovation. On the other hand, the car makers dug themselves into a deep hole without regulation. The CEA, however, can argue that voluntary standards like EnergyStar work and will encourage innovation. If they can produce some sales stats that people are gravitating toward these kind of TVs, it can be argued that the market is doing its trick. Another issue, though, will be utility rebates. If efficient TVs are selling because of utility rebates, regulation might be a better bet. What's the point of using money from public-private institutions to get consumers to buy the "better" products from manufacturers that they would have to make if regulations were passed. But rebates work to get people to buy, and that's the point, isn't it? Again, it will be worth watching. What happens in California provide a model.