The 2009 incarnation of CES features a "Greener Gadgets" pavilion with 25 exhibitors, listed below. While "greenness" isn't at the top of most consumers' consideration when buying a music player or television, consumers will likely find more devices with the EPA's Energy Star logo this year. Already announced at CES are Energy Star compliant TVs from LG Electronics, Vizio and JVC, laptops from HP, and cordless phones from VTech.

However, changing standards makes it difficult to know if your new Bluetooth phone, DVR or receiver is more energy efficient than your old one.

In 2009 earning the right to use the EPA's Energy Star logo on new products will be tougher for big screen TV manufacturers due to revised testing procedures and a more stringent set of requirements. As reported by the Environment News Service, the Energy Star version 3.0 standard took effect in November, and compliant TVs will use up to 30 percent less energy.

Energy Star is a voluntary program, but many manufacturers want the label to show their eco-correctness.

Previously, TVs were only tested in standby mode; now they must use less power while you're watching the latest Blu-ray title. Nearly 400 models have qualified for the Energy Star logo, according to Doug Johnson, the Senior Director, Technology Policy at the Consumer Electronics Association.

Set-top boxes offered by cable TV providers are also getting greener thanks to a new standard that took effect January 1. For the first time the boxes, which can include digital video recording features, must include a low-power mode as well as a method to automatically wake up as needed, according to Johnson.

Consumers may have little to no choice in set-tops as cable providers often have only 1 or 2 models available, and to date they haven't advertised their energy efficiency. The new lower power boxes will slowly arrive in homes as the EPA requires that all companies who want to use the Energy Star logo must provide Version 2.0 boxes to 10 percent of their customers by the end of the year.

Consumers may not be able to buy devices that comply with the most recent certification for some time, according to Steve Hartquist, the general manager of the retail products group at product testing company Intertek. Hartquist, whose company provides third-party Energy Star testing as well as performing evaluations for the EPA, said there is often a two-year lag between a new standard and products in the market because of product development cycles and the time it takes to test.

"They don't design to be ahead of the curve, they wait and design as they go," Hartquist said. The EPA develops its new standards by reacting to "best of class" performance of existing products rather than leading industries to make leaps in energy efficiency, according to Hartquist.

Sometimes products without the Energy Star logo can be just as energy efficient, Hartquist said, as not all companies feel compelled to go through the certification process. And occasionally products that were self-certified as compliant are found in later EPA testing as not being up to snuff, he said. It may be confusing to consumers that products on store shelves with Energy Star logos may comply with different standards, Hartquist said. Products that were in the pipeline before the changeover can still be sold, and the logos do not include information about under which iteration of the Energy Star standard they were tested.

Companies certify their results through internal testing or use independent labs. Hartquist said his company has tested fewer consumer electronics devices than in the past, while PC and monitor companies such as Hewlett-Packard continue to use third-party testing so that they can use the Energy Star Logo on the products on display at CES.

CES Greener Gadgets exhibitors:

3E-Technologies, Inc.
Areaware
Bits Limited
Buztronics, Inc.
ELV Motors
Freeplay Energy
Fuji Enviromax Batteries
Green Goods
Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies
Kinesis Industries
Medis Technologies, Ltd.
Motorola
Planet Metrics
PowerFilm, Inc.
Quality Systems Integrated Corp.
Solar Light Technologies
Solar Wholesale Direct
Solarrific, Inc.
SOLIO - Better Energy Systems
The Wireless Source
TIA
Tricklestar Ltd
Univenture