Currently reading: Ford's computer shutdown saving
Blue Oval says shutting down computers at night and weekends will save $1.2m

Ford has instigated an energy-saving programme across its business, saying actions as simple as shutting down computers at night and weekends can make huge savings.

It estimates that 60 per cent of its employees globally don't shutdown their computers at the end of a working day. Doing do, it says, would save 16,000-25,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide a year and $1.2m (£800,000) in energy costs.

As a result, Ford is installing a new programme on its computers to maximise power saving potential. This will include a managed shutdown of all computers each night and weekend.

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Symanski 31 March 2010

Re: Ford's computer shutdown saving

garryv12 wrote:
phone chargers left plugged in etc.

Phone chargers use approximate zero power when not charging. Even when they're charging how much power do you think it takes to recharge your phone? Answer: Very little.

For computers it's really the accessories that take power, such as an external USB hub. The PC itself isn't bad. Where you have a switched mode power supply they'll be very efficient.

Sky Digiboxes now switch in to standby at night, offering savings of a few watts of power too. But even when they're running they're very efficient. From memory running a standard light bulb took more power.

Guilty is energy efficient light bulbs! Why? Because they don't give as much light as they claim, quickly fade to half brightness and need replacing much much more often than they're supposed to because of this. So for the same brightness of a standard bulb you're having to use more of these. Added that they're more complex to manufacture, and you've lost your "green" credentials. Edison had it spot on....

Not guilty is modern electronics on standby.

ordinary bloke 31 March 2010

Re: Ford's computer shutdown saving

garryv12 wrote:
I think most of us are as guilty. Leaving home computers chugging away overnight, TV's and Sky boxes on standby, phone chargers left plugged in etc.
I've always tried to ensure that I switch off these types of items, not always successfully, but have recently acquired an electricity useage guage and it certainly concentratesthe mind when you can see exactly how many pence per hour that TV on standby or set of spotlights is costing. I'm sure we could all benefit from having a smart meter or something similar as and when they are rolled out by the electricity companies.

garryv12 31 March 2010

Re: Ford's computer shutdown saving

I think most of us are as guilty. Leaving home computers chugging away overnight, TV's and Sky boxes on standby, phone chargers left plugged in etc.