The humongous computers were followed by the room-size main frames. Univac and IBM, HP, Honeywell, Control Data, and others served the needs of major enterprise with large mainframes. Along with those mainframes came software jobs, engineering and technical staffing needs. And an immediate and permanent need to air condition (cool) the computer rooms. And, oh yes, huge power bills.
Ten years ago the EPA published a report to Congress on Data Center and Server Energy Efficiency. The August 2007 EPA report found that data centers in the United States used about 1.5% of all electricity consumed in the country. That data usage had doubled in the prior five years. The EPA warned that the data usage would double again should the then-current data center power consumption trends continue. The EPA encouraged server vendors (IBM, HP, others) to publish typical energy usage numbers to assist their customers in making informed decisions based on energy efficiency. IBM said its mainframe gas gauge, part of its Project Big Green was part a $1 billion investment announced in May, 2007 to increase the efficiency of IBM products. This story received incisive coverage in Network World, a key trade journal read by data center and main frame professionals.
Today the US Government weighs in even further on this topic. The EPA, at its website, lists Energy Star guidelines for saving energy, using less power and being more efficient with your home computer equipment. There’s also an Energy Star buying guide considerations page.
Desktops are slowly being replaced by laptops and tablets. Some users even abandon both for smartphones. Odd though this may sound, a colleague of mine wrote two books on his Blackberry, the first on an old Blackberry, and the second on a Blackberry smartphone.
Laptops and tablets eat up fewer watts on your electric bill You can charge the batteries and extend usage without plugging in to an outlet. Portability also frees up usage and makes computing ubiquitous.
A White Paper published in 2006 found significant computer energy and electrical savings between desktops and laptops. It reviewed studies conducted over the previous five year period. Looking just at the PC versus Laptop numbers, we learn that sixteen years ago laptops required between 12W and 22W when active, between 1.5W and 6W in low power, and between 1.5W and 2W when turned off if the battery is fully charged. That’s fewer watts to pay each month on your monthly electric bill.
This study calculated that on average laptops require 15W when active, compared to 55W for active desktops, 3W in low power mode, compared to 25W for desktops in low power mode, and 2W when turned off, compared to 1.5W for desktops which are off.