The Standby Problem: How a Spanish Designed Device Could Solve It
Okay, time to get up and get some exercise. Turn off that computer, DVD player, Playstation and TV and get out there! But wait . . . are they really off? According to Madrid based company Good for You, Good for the Planet, the answer is no.
Good for You, Good for the Planet’s Jorge Alonso Garcia says that nearly “100%” of electronic devices remain on standby mode after they’ve been turned off. “This is so that they can be quickly turned on again,” he explains.
So What Does the Device Do?
100%Off, the device designed by Good for You, is a microprocessor which uses algorithms to detect a decline in the flow of electricity being sent to an electronic device or appliance. Once 100%Off has detected a decline, it completely shuts the device or appliance off. (The amount of time 100% off waits before a complete shutdown of the device is configurable through programming.)
In essence, 100%Off stops the flow of electricity to a device while the device is still plugged in. Unplugging a device is easy, but do your really want to risk a hernia and move that 800lb entertainment center away from the wall to pull out the plug every night? Good for You is betting that the answer is again, no.
Is it Even Worth It?
Well, according to a European Commission study, in 2005, the amount of electricity consumed by devices left on standby across Europe would have been enough to power a small country like Greece or Portugal for an entire year. The standby problem is not unique to Europe, of course. The United States faces the same problem, and worldwide, electronic devices left on standby account for up 1% of global CO2 emissions. It’s also estimated that the standby problem accounts for approximately 12% of home energy consumption in developed countries.
“In less than a year you’ll recoup 100% of the devices cost,” touts Garcia. In Spain, average household energy consumption per year is about 367 Euros ($474 USD). Good for You claims that 100%Off could save the average Spanish family 44 Euros ($57 USD) per year.
Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
Plugging up a leak in the power grid without unnecessary, government regulation is a great idea and one I’m in favor of, but having a Company name that consists of seven words, and a comma isn’t! Seriously, Good for You, Good for the Planet, hire a new marketing person, inmediatamente!
Image Credits: Paul Randall via Flickr, under a Creative Commons license.
What an amazing device. I’ve heard others recommend plugging all electronic devices into a power strip, which you have to turn off whenever you’re not using the devices, but this a much smarter way to go.
Yes, indeed. Good for You Good for The Planet will have to find a partner before 100%Off becomes widely available, though. Turning off the power strip that devices are connected to is a good way to stop standby power drain too.