Can standby power consumption be reduced?
Yes. Many new technologies can improve the efficiency of power supplies, manage power use more carefully, and limit power use of displays. We believe that it is technically feasible to reduce standby power by 75% overall. Most savings will be less than a watt, but other cases will be as large as 10 watts.
We estimate that a 75% reduction is possible in new equipment. The savings can be achieved through improvements in (1) hardware, such as power supplies,IC chips and I/O components, and (2) software, with the implementation of more efficient power management. In an effort to help manufacturers reduce standby power consumption in their products, we’ve compiled a list of technologies presently available on our design help page. We believe that nearly all domestic appliances can be designed to serve standby functions using no more than one quarter of what they presently use. The material found on this page is considered archival. Please visit http://standby.lbl.gov for the most recent information about Standby Power.
