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Dell Unveils Energy Savings Calculator

This tool allows a customer to view power consumption for individual components, such as monitors or graphics cards, compare the current savings to older configurations, and establish aggregate savings for an entire year.

Dell unveiled an energy savings calculator today that goes beyond what most others offer.

More than just monitoring energy usage, this tool allows a customer to view power consumption for individual components, such as monitors or graphics cards, and compare the current savings to older configurations. It can establish aggregate savings for an entire year in a variety of currencies.

The goal was to create a best-in-class energy calculator, Jay Taylor, Dell's energy efficiency strategist, said in a telephone interview.

"We have made a generational leap in terms of what you can measure," Taylor said.

Dell has famously committed to becoming the world's greenest computer company with moves such as cutting its greenhouse gas emissions, implementing a ban on exporting e-waste to developing countries, buying green power and making more efficient products. The company also said select configurations of its Latitude, Precision, and Optiplex lines comply with the new Energy Star 5.0 standards, which were released July 1.  
Dell's Latitude E4200 and E4300 laptops are Energy Star 5.0 compliant.
Images courtesy of Dell

"The energy efficiency topic is here to stay," Taylor continued. "Our customers come to us to say, 'Help us be more efficient and be a better business.'"

The benefits of the energy savings calculator can have an impact on a company’s bottom line and may act as the proverbial straw that pushes companies to upgrade their existing systems to the latest Energy Star 5.0 line of computers, noted Allen Whitley, environmental marketing manager.

While the Latitude, Precision, and Optiplex lines all meet the latest efficiency requirements set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, nearly all products consume less than five watts in low-energy mode, the company said.

"We’re driving energy efficiency across all of our hardware platforms and our compliance with Energy Star 5.0 is just another illustration of how we strive to lead the industry," Todd Forsythe, Dell's vice president of business client product marketing, said in a prepared statement.

Calculator image CC licensed by Flickr user bgilliard.

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