Mikio Katayama, President of Sharp, vowed to fight global warming by making environmentally-friendly TV displays and solar energy products, its two main businesses, reports AP. In its effort to do so, it is planning to boost production of LCD panels for TVs from 60,000 a month to 90,000 a month this year. It will start that in July, earlier than originally planned.One of the key benefits of LCD TVs, according to Katayama, is that they consume about 60 percent of the energy used by picture tubes. Sharp is developing LCD TVs that will trim that to about 50 percent.
Sharp has already shown a 52 inch prototype LCD panel just over one inch thick that consumes less energy than the current LCD or plasma display panel sets. On Tuesday, it showed a 65-inch prototype panel that’s the same thickness. LCD TVs will account for about 45 percent of overall worldwide demand for TVs this year.
In addition, Katayama said, “We plan to contribute to preventing global warming through clean energy.” Sharp is a leading maker of solar cells. Last spring, it launched a solar awareness campaign.
At the International Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas, TVs was one of many greener products the industry is pushing.