Eco Factor: Energy-saving computer chips to be made using magnetic materials.
According to the Department of Energy, about 50 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, which is about 3 percent of the total U.S. consumption, is consumed by computer servers in the U.S. To reduce this staggering amount, Columbia University has received a federal grant of $2.8m to develop computer chips that are more energy efficient.
Columbia University will work with IBM and Cornell University on the SEAS project. The project involves building a power converter that can fit on a silicon chip, instead of being positioned on the main circuit board, as energy is normally lost when electricity travels from the converter to the chip.
Via: CleanTechnica
