Energy Smart Tip - Conquer Phantom Load - Save as Much as $110 Per Year

Many of us have gadgets at work - a cell phone charger, a computer, computer speakers or a stereo, a TV or VCR/DVD player in the break room.

Even when they are turned off, some devices continue to draw power. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. These appliances draw energy at work, too - in the break room or kitchen as well as in the office. This can be called "Standby Power," "Phantom Power," "Phantom Load," or even "Vampire Power," and it can add up do a hundred dollars wasted each year.

Energy Smart recommends unplugging these appliances or plugging them in to a power strip to start saving money right away.

  • Time Required: It is quick to unplug, but may take repeated effort over time. Buying a power strip may take half an hour, but will save time to click just one switch.
  • Up-Front Cost: Unplugging is free, but may be inconvenient. Power strips generally cost less than $15. Special motion-sensing Watt Stoppers and liked Smart Strips (that turn everything off when you turn off your computer) may run about $50-90.
  • Potential Savings: Managing phantom load can save about $110 per year.

How Do I Find Appliances With Phantom Load?

The Lawrence Berkeley National Lab provides the following tips to find appliances with "phantom power" drain. Products with standby power generally use:

  • Remote control
  • External power supply
  • Digital display, LED status light, or digital clock
  • Contains a battery charger
  • Has soft-touch key-pad

How Much Power Does My Stuff Use?

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory provides this chart of common appliances and the standby power they use. The Department of Energy also provides this list of average energy use of common appliances to help you calculate how much your gadgets are costing you.

The U.S. News and World Report estimates that:

  • Each cell phone charger costs $10 to power each year
  • Computer speakers cost $4 to power each year
  • Desktop computers cost $36 more to power each year than laptop computers

This can add up to $110 each year.

How Do I Reduce Phantom Power?

There are several strategies to reduce these costs (from the University of California at Berkeley):

  • Unplug devices when not in use, or plug them in to a power strip that you switch off. Unplug appliances that are rarely used, and plug more frequently used gadgets into a power strip. Use one power strip per "cluster" (computer cluster, video cluster, audio cluster). To further reduce inconvenience, consider purchasing a power strip such as the Watt Stopper or Smart Strip (see an article about these products from CNET). Watch out for cords with transformer boxes - these are 60-80% inefficient, so are excellent candidates to be plugged in to a power strip.
  • Buy Energy Star appliances for the devices it would be impractical to unplug. These appliances will get the same job done using less energy. Utility rebates may be available. Contact Energy Smart for assistance at (651) 292-4652.

Resources:

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory - Standby Power

Success Stories:

Adobe Systems Incorporated (San Jose, CA)

Empire State Building (New York, NY)

For more energy efficiency tips, check out Quick Tips for Energy Efficiency.