LED Lighting Lowers Operating Costs with an Eco-Friendly Solution

The cost of energy, energy security, and global warming have become primary topics driving the national agenda. While businesses attempt to curb their energy costs and limit their contributions to GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions, they have to accomplish these goals while remaining profitable enterprises. Business owners are now challenged to implement sustainable initiatives that also lower their operating costs.

Lighting's role in solving these challenges is significant. According to the Energy Information Association a department of the DOE, lighting accounts for 18% of all energy and 25% of all electricity consumed. U.S. buildings consume almost 40% of all energy produced, and lighting accounts for as much as 25% to 40% of the energy consumption in the commercial building sector. Since most electricity is generated from coal, lighting accounts for a large portion of current GHG emissions. The 2007 McKinsey Report states that converting commercial fluorescent lighting to LED offers 110 megatons of GHG abatement potential by 2030. For every ton of GHG abatement achieved with LED lighting there is a potential savings of $87 by 2030. In comparison, car hybridization offers only 90 megatons of abatement potential, and will cost $100 to $140 per ton. Improving lighting efficiency is one of the easiest ways for businesses to lower their energy costs, save money, and help the environment.

Of almost equal cost and perhaps greater "pain" than the energy bill, is the constant maintenance all traditional lighting requires. Depending on usage, LED lighting systems last over 5 times as long as fluorescent. Unlike residential installations where changing a light bulb is relatively easy, the cost of changing a bulb in many commercial building is substantial. Maintenance costs can soar into the $1000's for lamps in hard to reach places that require lifts and multi-person teams. Savings and productivity improvements from reduced maintenance have a positive impact on operating costs and profits.

The best way to save energy in any lighting system is to turn lights off. Motion and light level sensors can provide 50% to 75% additional reduction in energy consumption. Although energy savings from motion sensing can be realized with numerous lighting technologies, fluorescent bulb lifetime is reduced 25% to 50% under the constant on/off cycling. What good is saving energy if motion sensing drives maintenance costs up? Fortunately, LED lighting lifetimes are increased with motion and light level sensing. LEDs and be cycled on/off indefinitely without adverse affects. Additionally, LEDs can be dimmed, over the widest of ranges, and unlike fluorescent get more efficient as they get dimmer. Dimming and improved efficiency are great benefits for daylight harvesting (utilizing natural light during peak hours of sunlight while turning unnecessary interior lights off) applications.

A new and growing cost associated with fluorescent lighting is the legislated need to recycle bulbs. All fluorescent bulbs contain mercury which is a deadly neurotoxin. Even small amounts can have adverse effects and the EPA recommends immediate and thorough actions when a fluorescent bulb is broken. California has legislated that bulbs containing mercury must be disposed in a separate waste stream. The $1 to $2 cost of recycling fluorescent bulbs hurts profits and exposes personnel to serious health risks. With over 510 million fluorescent bulbs entering the US waste stream every year the potential recycling cost to American businesses is a staggering $1 Billion dollars. LED light fixtures contain no mercury and eliminate the costs and hazards associated with recycling.

Source: http://www.industryweek.com/articles/led_lighting_lowers_operating_costs_with_an_eco-friendly_solution_18227.aspx?SectionID=2
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150 ENERGY EFFICIENT PC's TO BE WON PLUS ENERGY SAVING MONITORS FOR YOUR HOME

Following on from our fantastic green giveaway where we gave away 2 FREE energy efficient light bulbs to every Daily Mirror & Sunday Mirror reader...

Every day for the next 5 days E.ON, one the UK's leading energy companies, and the Daily Mirror are helping you to save money on your energy costs.

We're now giving away ONE HUNDRED AND FIFITY energy saving PC's with PC Powerdown and home energy saving monitors in our fabulous competition STARTING TODAY.

HUNDRED AND FIFTY readers will win one of these fantastic prizes, comprising

- Advent Eco PC. A unique PC designed to consume much less energy than a convential PC while still offering incredible performance it comes with an Intel® Core 2 Due processor, 160GB hard drive, 19" monitor and pre-loaded with Norton 360 all-in-one security
- PC Powerdown. A clever computer multi-plug that automatically switches off any equipment linked to your PC, such as a printer or scanner, when you shut down
- E.ON Home Energy Saving Monitor. This handy device will help you see the immediate effect of switching to your new low-energy bulbs and make other small changes which could save you money.

GET ENTERING NOW for your chance to win one of today's 30 ENERGY SAVING PC packages & Home Energy Saving Monitors.

PLUS there's another 30 packages to be won each day this week until FRIDAY.

E.ON If you are elderly, disabled or living on benefits you can call the Home Heat Helpline to access free home insulation, cheaper energy tariffs and practical advice on reducing your bills. Call 0800 33 66 99 or visit www.homeheathelpline.org.uk."

THE HOME HEAT HELPLINEE.ON is one of the UK's leading energy companies with over five million electricity and gas customers. They're working with us to help more people take control of their energy usage and save money on their bills.
For more information about E.ON, please visit eonenergy.com/giveaway

HOW TO ENTER

Correctly answer this question BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT for a chance to win :

Electric current is measured in _______
a) centimetres
b) metres
c) amperes

Competition

To enter online, you will need to open an account and register with click&buy to pay for online entry to the competition. You simply register once and then you can use your unique username and password to pay for all future Mirror competition entries. Your click&buy account can be settled later using direct debit, debit cards, credit cards or your BT phone bill. Please read the click&buy terms and conditions before opening an account.

For More info: http://www.mirror.co.uk/fun-games/competitions/2009/01/26/day-1-150-energy-efficient-pc-s-to-be-won-115875-21072754/
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AMD Launches More Energy Efficient Server Chips

AMD on Monday delivered latest installment of its 45 nanometer quad-core Opteron line–a high efficiency extension of its flagship server chips.AMD Launches More Energy Efficient Chips.

The company said that five Opteron HE processors are available in servers from HP and Rackable with Dell, Sun and others due later in the first quarter (statement, Techmeme). AMD outlined its plans for high efficiency Opterons when it launched its revamped server chip lineup last year.

AMD said its family of chips run at 55-watts with speeds between 2.1 GHz and 2.3 GHz. AMD reckons that the Opteron HE lineup can offer 20 percent lower idle power consumption.

The chipmaker also said that it has launched two quad-core Opteron SE processors that run at 2.8 GHz for high-performance data centers.

Like Intel, AMD has been struggling amid weak demand and paring costs. AMD reported a hefty fourth quarter loss, announced layoffs, sold non-core assets and has been cutting perks to save money. Its planned spin-off of its manufacturing unit will help AMD’s balance sheet, but the company’s resources can’t compare with Intel’s.

Source: http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=11625
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Building a Greener World with PC Virtualisation Tools

'THERE is no obstacle that can stand in the way of millions of voices calling for change." US President Barack Obama's inauguration words are a noble call to us all to rise to meet the best in ourselves. But many of us are wondering: "How do I tangibly effect change in my life? Or in my organisation?"

Obama built his campaign on the promise of economic stimulus and aggressive green PC support for green technologies. Recently, he selected alternative energy supporter and Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Chu to head the Department of Energy. He's loading his guns and locking in his economic stimulus package. He's poised to begin executing his gleaming mission.

Are we ready to execute ours?

The realities of the economy are daunting. We have organizational goals to meet, and smaller budgets with which to meet them. Businesses are closing; people are losing jobs and homes. And amid all this, our planet is increasingly evidencing the spectre of radical climate change. The need for change is breathing hot in our faces, yet the challenges we face seem insurmountable.

As Confucius said: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." If so, then what tangible solutions are available that can help us produce change in our organizations now and help us meet our goals while lowering costs and reducing the environmental impact?

The functional area where organizations can most effectively — and immediately — cut costs and produce environmental change is in IT. For example, using powerful, low-cost desktop virtualisation tools, you can reduce your IT maintenance and support costs by up to 80 per cent while also reducing electricity use and electronic waste by up to 90 per cent.

Desktop virtualisation technologies leverage the unused computing power of a single computer, creating an efficient alternative to traditional desktop-per-user computing.

I have evaluated many companies hawking products and the one I've been most impressed with is Userful (userful.com). Putting it plainly, Userful doesn't talk; it just walks. In an age when rampant rhetoric still rules the virtualisation market, those who let their demonstrated commitment to serving their customers and creating organisational change speak the loudest of all.

Userful's PC sharing and virtualisation technology turns one computer into 10; allowing up to 10 users to work on a single computer by simply attaching extra monitors, mice and keyboards. It delivers full PC performance, including full-screen streaming video, for a fraction of the cost of using a PC-per-user solution. Userful also enables users to manage and monitor their desktops through a central administrative website, allowing them to control their desktops from a simple web browser, and generating significant savings in administrative tools.

Because of the radical reduction in electricity and electronic waste, Userful's solutions are eco-friendly. A recent deployment in South Africa — which delivered 2205 virtualised desktops to 105 South African schools using only 315 computers — saves the equivalent of more than 4000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions; the equivalent of taking 700 cars off the road. And with more than 30,000 desktops now in governments, schools, libraries, businesses and military in more than 100 countries, Userful's virtualisation tools are a proven market leader.

Perhaps change begins with a simple intention. And renewal begins when a simple intention becomes a single step, multiplied. With Obama's call to us all to be the change we wish to see — and his commitment to stimulating the economy and supporting green technologies — companies like Userful are well prepared to help organisations that also embrace the call to change.

Source: http://www.businessday.com.au/business/building-a-greener-world-with-pc-virtualisation-tools-20090126-7q1g.html
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How to Buy a Green Business Desktop

While energy efficiency PC is important to home users, it's vital to the owners of small or medium-sized businesses. Electricity is a major expense these days, and with rising oil prices, the cost of electricity is sure to rise in the future. Buying an energy-efficient desktop is the first step for the owner of a new or expanding business. If your current PCs are too slow to support your business, the latest crop of energy-efficient desktops should be on your shopping list.

Look for buzzwords like EPEAT and Energy Star 4.0. Both are standards that point you to systems that have been certified as environmentally friendly and energy efficient. PCs like the power-sipping Apple Mac mini use very little juice compared with the behemoths that people bought only a few years ago. In fact, these systems use less power when idle than the incandescent work lights on many desks.

We looked at a couple of configurations for this story: the small-form-factor PC (the HP Compaq dc7800 Ultra-Slim Desktop and Lenovo ThinkCentre a61e) and the tower PC (the Dell OptiPlex 755). All three of these business-oriented Windows systems are available in multiple chassis configurations, but use the same internals (CPUs, motherboards, on-board graphics). This enables you to use the same software on the towers as you do on the small desktops. This makes sense for medium-size businesses. Most clerical workers can use small-form-factor PCs while specialized workers like the art department or desktop-publishing specialists may need towers that support discrete graphics cards or other PCIe expansion cards.

Don't leave out the Mac. On a functionality-per-cubic-foot basis, the Mac mini is one of the most efficient systems we've ever reviewed. It uses only as much power as a toy lamp, is both Mac OS and Windows XP/Vista compatible, and takes up very little space on a desk.

Whether your company is growing or just starting, equipping it with energy-efficient PCs makes great business sense. Today's power-saving desktops not only can do wonders for your electric bill, but they have the oomph to get the job done right.

Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2286036,00.asp
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World's First Green Zero-Watt PC

Fujitsu Siemens (FSC) will shortly show off what it claims will be the world's first PC that consumes not a jot of power when it's placed in standby mode, the computer said today.



Dubbed the Zero-Watt PC, the machine can still be managed in a standby state by an IT department - despite consuming no power, FSC claimed.

It's keeping mum about how this is achieved, but it pledged to spill the beans at the CeBIT show, where the Zero-Watt PC will get its first public outing. CeBIT kicks off on 3 March in Hannover, Germany.



EU legislation demands that from 5 January 2010, new PCs and other electronics products must consume less than a Watt of power when placed in standby mode.

Source: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/01/20/fsc_green_pc/
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Green Netbooks With Good Battery Backup

CherryPal announced an Atom-based "Bing" netbook that runs Linux or Windows XP, and offers a claimed five hours of battery life. The company also announced an upgraded version of its Linux-based nettop, the CherryPal C114, and launched a "Green Maraschino" open-source Linux distribution supporting the Bing.

Like the original CherryPal C100 nettop that shipped last year, the Bing netbook and the C114 nettop offer managed "cloud" computing paid for by advertising rather than a monthly fee. The free, Web-based CherryPalCloud provides storage, virus control, application upgrades, and installation. CherryPal's new "Green Maraschino" distribution addresses low-power operation, cloud computing interfaces, and larger issues surrounding green computing, says the company.

Except for its extended battery life, the Bing appears to be a fairly standard issue netbook, offering an Intel Atom N270 clocked at 1.6GHz, plus 1GB DDRII RAM. For storage, CherryPal offers a 160GB hard disk drive (HDD), plus an SD/MMC/MS card socket, and the netbook's 10.2-inch TFT display boasts 1024 x 600 resolution. For connectivity, the Bing provides 802.11b/g WiFi and three USB 2.0 ports, but no Ethernet port. There is also a microphone, earphone connection, dual speakers, and a 1.3Mpixel camera, says CherryPal. Weighing just three pounds, the netbook is claimed to yield five hours of battery life.

Applications on the Green Maraschino Linux version of the Bing include the Firefox Browser, OpenOffice, and video and music players. There is also a Skype VoIP client, and an Instant Messenger app that supports Yahoo, AOL, Google, and MSN, says the company.

ARM-based CherryPal C114

While the Bing won't ship until March, the upgraded C114 version of the CherryPal nettop is shipping now, says the company. The only apparent difference compared to the original CherryPal C100 ultra-mini PC is that the NAND Flash solid state drive (SSD) has been boosted from 4GB to 8GB.

Green Maraschino drops from the cloud

The new "Green Maraschino" open source project appears to go far beyond merely offering an optimized Linux distribution. The project aims to "provide an open platform for ultra-low power computing, from silicon to super-cloud architecture," says CherryPal.

Green Maraschino is divided into 10 sub-projects. says CherryPal:

* Embedded-Linux
* Multi-core/multi-processor load balancing and utilization optimization
* Device drivers
* Browser and plug-ins
* Local applications
* Connectivity to Internet and cloud
* Cloud infrastructure
* Cloud applications and services
* Grid and cluster engine
* Super-cloud infrastructure (cloud-to-cloud)

It is unclear whether Green Maraschino is based on the same Debian implementation used by the CherryPal nettops. With this distribution, Debian is unexposed, and all applications and functions are said to be managed via a Firefox-based browser. For its nettops, CherryPal uses a "patent-pending" technology that combines hardware and software encryption, says the company. It also collapses the operating system and browser into a single software layer, a design that CherryPal claims improves performance, and "virtually eliminates any risk of bugs or viruses."

Availability

The CherryPal C114 is shipping now for a price of $250, and the Bing will ship in March at an undisclosed price. CherryPal launched the Bing, oddly enough, at the Sundance Film Festival, and it is offering a special two-for-one deal, ending Jan. 25th. This week only, buyers can purchase both the Bing and the C114 for $400.

The purpose of the campaign is to encourage buyers to sign on as early-adopter "Brand Angels" who are willing to testify for the product and sell it for a small commission. Current C100 Brand Angels will receive a Bing for free. In addition any C114 customers who must wait more than a week for either delivery or refund, will receive a free Bing, says the company.

Source: http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS2098390697.html
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