Monitor Draws Zero Power on Standby
by Jorge Chapa, 11/12/07
Standby power is the bane of all electricity consumption. Essentially if there is a light coming out of a device, it is consuming power. It is such an important problem that the British Government is considering banning standby power altogether. As part of their green initiatives, Fujitsu Siemens has come up with a new type of monitor that uses zero standby power. Is this the solution?
The technology, which can be applied to any type of monitor, whether it is a television, or a computer screen, works by storing electricity into additional capacitors within the device. When the device is turned off, the capacitors maintain a charge of power that will allow the monitor to be brought back to life immediately, as long as it happens within five days. This technology is expected to go into production into new monitors next spring.
Having said that, and while we applaud the measure, wouldn’t it just be easier for everyone to turn their power off when they stop using them?
Wouldn’t it what! I can’t understand why they monitors and heeaps of other electrical goods need stwitches at all if you have to go around the house turning everything off at the powerpoint, after having ‘turned it off’ at the desk/ kitchen/ loungeroom/ bedroom. Was it some sort of ‘good idea’ that the electric companies and the electrical good manufacturers came up with to get people to use more power? If so it a bloomin’ nuisance as well as a scam, whose time has come to an end. Good riddnace to ’stand by’. After all isn’t that the primary function of a power point on the wall.