This document discusses energy usage in information and communications technology (ICT). It notes that as mobile ICT equipment like laptops and phones emerged, energy became an important design consideration. Wireless base stations and routers also consume significant energy as they operate continuously. Worldwide PC sales increased dramatically from the 1990s to 2010s, resulting in a large overall carbon emission from ICT equipment. The document highlights that the energy costs during the lifetime of a standard PC, which consumes around 200W continuously, are often more than the initial purchase costs of the PC itself. This raises issues around reducing the energy consumption and costs of powering ICT systems.

1. Prof. dr. ir. Gerard J.M. Smit
ICT & Energy
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2. Electricity consumption in ICT
S.H. Clevers, R. Verweij. ICT stroomt door. Inventariserend onderzoek naar het elektriciteitsverbruik
van de ICT-sector & ICT-apparatuur. Den Haag 25-10-2007.
(http://www.ez.nl/content.jsp?objectid=155077&rid=155076)
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3. Energy issues of ICT
Batteries and mobile ICT equipment
With the first laptops and mobile phones energy became an
important design issue for the first time in ICT
Power density of processors W/cm2
High cost of cooling processor boards
Energy cost of communication
Wireless base stations working 24/7
Routers working 24/7
Large amount of PCs
Worldwide sales of PCs is in hundreds of millions
Result
Cost for energy during lifetime is often more than purchase costs
Large overall CO2 emission of ICT equipment
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4. Worldwide sales of PCs in millions
1400
1200
1000
800
PC's
600
400
200
0
1991-1995 1995-2000 2001-2005 2005-2010
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5. Why is this a problem?
Standard PC consumes ~ 200W
24 Hours per day 365 days per year
Total energy consumption: 1.752 kWh per year
Or 1.752 x 0.25 = € 438 energy costs per year
You can buy a PC for € 500
Energy costs during lifetime more than purchase costs
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6. The energy bill of Internet
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