Mandatory PC energy standards proposed

21.10.2011
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority has begun the formal process of engaging industry on energy-saving standards for personal computer equipment, with a discussion document that suggests mandatory standards that would shut out computers judged inefficient from being imported into or manufactured in New Zealand.

Computerworld reported hints of such a move .

The proposed regime would cover tablet computers as well as desktops, laptops and netbooks and could apply from as early as October next year. "some small scale servers would be required to meet regulatory targets in the idle and off modes," the document says, but servers in general are not covered.

Fortunately for importers, the standard proposed will be based on the US government's Energy Star standard. Computers purchased by US government agencies already have to comply with this standard and since the government is such a large sector of the market, US-made computers have complied with successive versions of the standard "within a year or two" of the standard being issued, EECA's discussion document says.

Additional energy allowances are written into the standard for discrete graphics, television and audio cards in special purpose computers. Regular computers are put into one of four categories, allowing powerful multi-core machines to consume more energy and still be compliant.

As the number of computers in the country grows, their total energy consumption is mounting, EECA says. "Electricity consumption from home computers and monitors accounted for an estimated 364 GWh in 2010 or 3 percent of residential electricity use.