The world’s first monitors to feature power supplies that automatically switch off completely in power-save mode start shipping today from Fujitsu Siemens Computers.
Its new power-saving technology goes on sale in the Scenicview Premium Line ECO range – and the company estimates that, based on typical daily usage of eight hours use and 16 hours standby throughout a year, it will save UK businesses £6 per user per year.
It’s hardly a fortune, but looked at across UK industry, Fujitsu Siemens’ patent pending technology will save significant money and greenhouse gases.
Extend that to more electrical goods and, across Europe, savings could rise to 35 Terawatt hours per year, according to the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing.
Dr Joseph Reger, Fujitsu Siemens CTO, explains that, in operation, the dc power converter shuts down because the display includes a switching element in the power supply, controlled by the PC.
When the monitor powers down, it triggers the power supply to disconnect from the mains. When the PC next sends an output to the monitor, a small electrical pulse restores display power, on both analogue and digital monitor outputs.
“Over the last year we have heard a lot of ‘greenwash’: unsubstantiated marketing claims about how new IT products are doing their bit to protect the environment. Today, with the introduction of these new monitors, Fujitsu Siemens Computers is delivering products that are truly greener than any other monitor on the market, in both standby and operation – without a price premium,” says Reger.
ECO monitors also introduce DisplayView AutoBright – an automatic brightness control that adapts monitor brightness to ambient light, which Fujitsu Siemens claims means further power savings of up to 30%, as well as reducing eye strain.
Reger says we can expect two more models in the zero-watt monitor line-up in September: 24-inch and 26-inch models.