Just like the television became a household must-have in the fifties, nowadays, it’s the home computer. Proof?
According to a 2009 Nielsen report, over 80% of Americans now have a computer in their homes. And approximately 92% have internet access – which means they’re spending more time on them. This is up from 77.9% in 2008. So yes, we’re hooked and wired . . . we love our PCs.
How Much Energy Does a Computer Use?
The amount of energy a computer uses depends on a number of factors: eg, the brand, the programs loaded and activities performed with it.
On average though, a desktop PC will use 60 to 250 watts of energy. Some experts estimates that home computers account for 10 to 15% of monthly home energy use. Here’s how to save energy when using your home computer:
Use Sleep Mode: When your PC is on sleep/standby mode, its use drops to just 1-6 watts of energy, as opposed to the 60 to 250 watts when it’s not in sleep mode.
Get an energy efficient monitor: On average a 17-inch CRT monitor uses 80 watts of energy. Contrast that with a 17-inch LCD monitor, which uses roughly 35 watts.
Turn It Off: This is a no brainer. When your system is not in use, turn it off. And once it’s been fully charged, turn it off and unplug it.
Energy Saving Tip for All Home Appliances: If you leave anything plugged in – even if it’s turned off – energy is still being used.
Get Energy Savings Every Day of the Week
One of the easiest ways to save on your Pennsylvania electric bill is to switch to a conventional electric plan. What do we mean by this? Specifically, if you’re using a prepaid electric service plan, you are undoubtedly paying more than you need to.
That’s because the very foundation of these plans is to charge more because the consumers they target are “risky” eg, credit challenged, low incomes, etc.
Traditional Pennsylvania energy companies have many budget friendly options for consumers like these – and many of them are low deposit and/or no-deposit plans.
Ask your Pennsylvania electricity rep for qualifying details.
If you a commercial electricity service customer in PA please click on the link below to be taken out to multiple competing PA electricity companies to bid on your electric usage. Our energy consultants will show you an energy proposal with the top bids and how much money you look to save on your commercial or industrial electricity costs.
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