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Turn Off and Unplug

by Denise Monteleone

     Not all electrical devices stop using electricity when they are turned off. Some items continue to use “Standby Power” or "Phantom Energy”. The definition of “Standby Power” is the power consumed by a product when in the lowest power consuming mode. This typically occurs when the product is switched off or not performing its primary purpose. Examples are appliances that have a lighted up displays, glowing clocks, power tools, battery chargers and just about anything that has a remote control to start them up. Appliances such as televisions, computer monitors, and DVD players can also draw power whenever they're plugged into an outlet. Altogether, Standby Power can account for about 10 percent of an individual home's electricity use. This may add up to as much as a month of free electricity every year. Consider plugging bundled devices- TV, DVD player, and DVR, or computer, monitor, and printer- into the same power strip (if it is rated for the entire electrical load of the appliances)and then turning off the power strip when not in use for long periods of time. At work, turn off office lights when at lunch and consider unplugging any equipment that is not used for long periods of time, close all office windows and turn down the heat. Before buying new electronics, first check the information from the Federal Energy Management Program at the U.S. Department of Energy and only buy “ENERGY STAR” items.

Related links:

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/technologies/standby_faq.html#G2

http://standby.lbl.gov/summary-table.html

http://www.energysavers.ghttp://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12300ov/tips/

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Last Modified: December 22, 2010
Please forward all questions about this site to: Denise Monteleone

One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security. Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE's Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by the Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit, applied science and technology organization.

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