We live in a connected age. Take a look around and chances are someone will be on a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or a combination of two, even all three devices. These are connected to a network. A network that enables users to message, catch up on the latest news, watch their favorite shows, work and play games. However, this level of connectivity and convenience does not come without a price.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), networked devices will account for 6 percent of global electricity demand by 2025. Up to 80 percent of that demand will be used just to maintain a network connection, keeping devices ready and waiting. The energy wastage from idle network-enabled devices is an estimated 400 terawatt hours (TWh) per year, incurring a cost of US$80 billion in 2013 alone.
With growing energy demand and high energy wastage, there is an increasingly urgent need to implement countermeasures. Addressing energy waste could lead to as much energy savings as the annual electricity generated by 133 mid-size coal-fired power plants (500 megawatts each), each requiring 1.4 million tonnes of coal per year.
The challenge of achieving energy efficiency requires a double-pronged approach: one that addresses how mobile devices can be more energy efficient, and one that helps users change the ways they use their devices. In addition to managing energy use, this will help prevent the perennial fear of every user of a mobile device – a flat battery or a battery running low on power.
Increasing energy efficiency of devices
Today’s mobile technologies squeeze more powerful performance into ever-smaller devices, boost battery life, reduce weight and heat, and virtually eliminate the need for noisy cooling fans. Analysis by IEA shows that implementing best available technologies and solutions could cut energy demand by more than 60 percent and still enable devices to stay functional.
For example, advances in storage technology have allowed more data to be stored on memory discs and chips without increasing the size of them. In doing so, more data can be retrieved with lower energy consumption.
Another example is power peak shift technology, which addresses the common scenario of users leaving their devices, especially laptops, plugged in on a full battery. Patented by Toshiba, the original intent of the power peak shift control was for its mobile computing devices to stop drawing power from the AC power supply and start using the on-board battery during power peak hours. The technology has since evolved for the function to be applied based on the user’s energy use patterns, instead of being fixed during the designated power peak hours.
Encouraging energy savings via gamification
However, there is still much to be done. While manufacturers do their part in promoting energy efficiency, users also have a part to play. This is more difficult because there no benchmarks from which to measure their energy consumption.
Gamification is one way to address this challenge. It encourages users to more actively save energy through the use of game thinking and game mechanics.
An example would be Toshiba’s Eco Utility for their mobile computing devices. The function shows in graphical form the amount of energy savings generated by the user. It also prompts and challenges users to continue saving more energy. The Eco Utility function indicates progress in energy saving, sending congratulatory messages that encourage users to save.
Outlook for the future
To meet the growing energy demands of the future, adopting renewables and increasing energy efficiency is crucial. Technology will be important to this endeavour, both in terms of accelerating the growth of renewables and seeking solutions to ensure devices are as efficient as possible.
An example of how technology is helping to advance energy efficiency in storage for mobile devices in the development of spintronics. The working memory in today’s devices stores bits of information in capacitors by electrically charging or discharging them. That information is lost if the power supply is cut off, making the memory volatile. Spintronics is an alternativemeans by which information can be stored in the spin states of electrons, a quantum-mechanical phenomenon that can persist even when power is shut off.
Technologies such as these will be increasingly vital, particularly with the global shipment of mobile devices, comprising PCs, tablets, ultramobiles and mobile phones, expected to reach slightly under 2.5 billion units in 2015 – a 6.5 percent increase from 2014 according to Gartner. Hence, the onus is on PC companies to continue innovating to ensure energy efficiency is not left behind in an increasingly mobile population.
By : Energy Market Authority