Goal: Power Down
When you leave for the day, PLEASE TURN OFF all electronic devices including:
- Computers
- Monitors
- Printers
- Copiers
- Scanners
Desktops and Laptops consume significant amounts of energy and many of these devices are left on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Over the course of a year, that usage can add up. The table below gives two examples of the costs associated with leaving a laptop or a desktop powered on and idle for an entire year. When these devices are in use (such as watching a DVD, browsing the internet, or playing games) the energy usage roughly doubles.
Device |
Idle Usage |
Electric Usage / year |
Financial Cost |
Environmental Cost (Carbon Dioxide) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dell 3.4Ghz Desktop w/ 17" LCD |
85 Watts |
744 kWHrs |
$82 |
580 lbs |
|
Dell D610 2.0Ghz Laptop |
25 Watts |
219 Watts |
$24 |
170 lbs |
- Cost based on $0.11/kWhr for 2005/06
- CO2 emissions based on 0.78/lbs CO2/kWh from NYSEG in 2005
The most obvious way to reduce the energy usage of these devices is to turn them off when they are not in use. We find that many users leave these devices on over night out of convenience.
If the entire Cornell staff, faculty and student population (~32,000 people) had desktops powered on 24/7, it would cost the university a little over $2.6 million in energy costs and generate over 18.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide every year. Significant cost and environmental savings could be realized by turning off these machines when they are idle.
Quick Facts
A typical workstation consists of energy eating devices such as a computer, monitor, and any number of peripherals. For example, in Facilities Services, a standard set-up might consist of a Dell Optiplex GX280 desktop, Dell 17" CRT monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers and a scanner.
Such a configuration when left turned on and idle, would consume 150 watts or 3.6kWhrs every day or $1,143 per year.