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Conserving Energy at Your PC/Workstation

There are many things at a typical office workstation which consume much more power than is necessary. This energy conservation section covers three sources of excess power consumption at a PC/workstation and indicates steps that can be taken to reduce a company's cost of electricity and carbon emissions. Emphasis has been made on the economic reasons to invest in energy efficient products.

If your company has old, inefficient monitors in use, please see the Monitors section below.

If your company is looking to replace their current computers or would benefit from the increased productivity of a notebook or netbook computer, please see the Laptops section below.

If your company has desktop computers which do not use energy efficient power supplies please see the Power Supply section below.

Monitors

Computer monitors are on for the majority of a working day and can consume a lot of power. Older types such as the cathode ray tube (CRT) cost much more to run than a new flat-screen, LCD monitor.

Monitors ECM

Some facts about the ECM.

ECM Inputs:

  • Required inputs for the ECM

ECM Assumptions:

  • Numerical assumptions made in this ECM

ECM File:

Click here to download the Energy Efficient Monitors ECM

Laptops

In general, desktop computers use much more energy than notebooks or netbooks. Even an energy star desktop can use about 160kWh in a year where the average energy star notebook uses only 37kWh. Many offices may be wary of switching to laptops simply because they are used to having a desktop with a big screen and external hardware. This roadblock is overcome by using a laptop docking station. The monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer etc. that you have connected to your current desktop can all be connected to a docking station instead. The laptop can be easily connected or disconnected from the docking station which means there will be no change to how you operate in your workstation but you will draw significantly less power. Laptops also carry the added benefit of allowing employees to take work home or on the road which increases productivity, adding value to your company.

Laptops ECM

The Replacement of Desktop Computers with Energy Efficient Laptops ECM covers three specific cases:

  • The company is planning to replace some of their current computers with similar models (recommend an extra investment for energy efficient models)
  • The company is planning to replace all of their computers with similar models (recommend an extra investment for energy efficient models)
  • The company is not planning on replacing any computers (all cash flows from energy savings and increase in productivity)

ECM Inputs:

  • Number of working weeks in a year the company has
  • Value of an hours work done by an employee at home
  • Number of hours a week they expect an employee to work at home per laptop computer
  • Cost of one of their current PCs
  • Number of computers the company uses
  • Hours per day the computers are in sleep mode (including overnight)
  • Hours per day the computers are on and being used
  • Days in a week that the computers are used
  • Average power used by each computer while on and in use
  • Average power used by each computer while in sleep mode
  • Number of computers the company wishes to replace
  • Cost of a new, energy efficient laptop (some examples provided in the ECM)
  • Number of docking stations the company wishes to purchase
  • Cost of a docking station (some examples provided in the ECM)
  • Average power consumption of energy efficient laptop while on (some examples provided in the ECM)
  • Average power consumption of energy efficient laptop while in sleep mode (some examples provided in the ECM)

ECM Assumptions:

  • Carbon, SO2 and Nox emissions per kWh
  • Cost of electricity per kWh
  • Inflation in Canada

ECM File:

Click here to download Energy Efficient Laptop ECM

Power Supplies

Most power supplies installed in a desktop computer consume a lot of power and are only about 60-65% efficient. Many energy efficient power supplies are now available for under $80 and can increase efficiency over 80%. Replacing the power supply on a desktop computer is an easy task for an IT department and can save money on electricity.

Power Supply ECM

Some facts about the ECM

ECM Inputs:

  • Number of computers at the company
  • Current computer power rating
  • Hours a day the computer is in use
  • Current power supply efficiency

ECM Assumptions:

  • Working days in a year
  • Cost of electricity
  • Inflation in Canada
  • Carbon, SO2 and Nox emissions per kWh

ECM File:

Click here to download the Power Supply ECM

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