To ban or not to ban?

The EU is placing checks on home energy use. First it was a ban on incandescent bulbs starting 2010, now it plans to effectively ban large plasma TVs. The new standards, which will go into effect soon will pull the least efficient TVs from the shelves and start a labeling system that ranks the efficiency of the remaining models.

The California Energy Commission too has proposed state standards that would require TVs to use 50 percent less energy by 2013. The California proposal is even more stringent than the EU standards.

According to the Wall Street Journal, a 42-inch plasma set consumes more electricity than a full-size refrigerator, even when switched on for a few hours only. If a CRT set consumes 150 watts, a plasma Tv consumes up to 600 W. In terms of carbon emissions, older-style TVs produce 100kg of climate-warming CO2 per year - while larger, plasma screens pump out 400kg.

But is it a good idea to ban products that consume huge amounts of power? After all, there was a demand for the technology which delivers on high-resolution image and sound. Should we then be looking at banning high-end cars and SUVs? Would it not be a better idea to impose a cess? But, is that going to deter buyers? Is a cess the solution in a power deficit scenario or a ban? Let us have your thoughts.