Eco Factor: Energy-efficient PC consumes zero energy when powered down.
Most energy-conscious PC users simply turn off their computer instead of making it go to sleep mode to save energy when the system is not being used. But even turning off a computer and leaving it plugged into the wall socket doesn’t mean that the system is not consuming energy, as some sensors for certain devices keep running and hence the system consumes up to 4 watts of power. Fujitsu Siemens has introduced a new power saving system dubbed the Esprimo 7935 PC that the company is claiming to be a zero-energy computer.
Of course the zero-energy stats kick in when the system is duly powered down and not set into the stand-by mode. For businesses with a lot of computers who administer software updates overnight, Fujitsu Siemens has developed a technology that allows the machines to be awake and consume a very small amount of power during a predefined time slot, during which updates, if any, can take place. After the time slot is over, the system returns to zero-energy mode. Other green credentials of this system include a 89% efficient power supply, which means that less electricity is wasted in the form of heat. The PC also conforms to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star 5.0 standard. The system is expected to debut in the second half of this year, though pricing and other details are not yet released.
The Dark Side:
The predefined time slot for updates can be a worry if the update takes more time that previously assessed. In that case the system will go back to the zero-watt mode, which might lead to an incomplete update process.
