WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Governors Association announced a new partnership with the Climate Savers Computing Initiative that aims to bring ever more energy-efficient computers to state offices and agencies.
The partnership joins the NGA's Securing a Clean Energy Future initiative with the green computing group, which was founded by Google and Intel in June 2007 and now includes dozens of the world's largest computer and technology companies.
This new program has set as a preliminary goal a 50 percent reduction of the energy used by state-owned computers in the next four years through three steps:
- Pledging to buy Energy Star-certified, highly energy efficient computer equipment for state offices;
- Maximizing the energy efficiency of machines still in use by educating users about computer power management tools like sleep and hibernation modes; and
- Committing their states to buy energy efficient computers in coming years.
The commitment was first signed by Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, the chairs of the NGA's Clean Energy Initiative.
Energy efficient desktops and laptops have become a hot topic in the drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency across the board. Most computers already in use end up wasting as much as 50 percent of the energy they draw from the wall, and even computers with power-management features installed are more likely than not to have these options disabled.
Even though newer, more efficient computers cost an estimated $30 more per machine, the governors yesterday said they were will to shoulder the additional upfront cost to save energy and would quickly recoup the costs.
"As with many energy efficient pieces of equipment, there is a slightly increased out-front capital cost but over the life of the computer you actually recoup those savings so we think it's a win-win situation," Sebelius said during a press conference about the announcement.
Furthermore, states can use their large-scale buying power -- they buy as many as 4,000 new computers each year -- to drive down the cost of these computers over time.
Yesterday's announcement addresses one of four platforms on Pawlenty's agenda. As the chairperson of the National Governor's Association, he launched as his Chair's Initiative the
Securing a Clean Energy Future program. In addition to energy efficiency, the program will develop approaches to increase the use of biofuels, reduce greenhouse gases and advance research in clean energy technologies.
