Careless Computing Costs UK PLCs Millions On Energy Bills

Research finds Top 200 UK companies waste huge volumes of non-renewable energy through inefficient IT

London, UK – Thursday 11 May, 2006; The UK’s 200 largest publicly listed companies are wasting in excess of £61 million annually by using power-hungry desktop computers, according to new research from IT services firm Computacenter and Fujitsu Siemens Computers. Resellers urged to use “energy calculator” to work out how much prospects and customers could save by switching to green PCs and stimulate hardware sales.

With energy consumption and carbon emissions at the top of the political and social agenda globally, today’s companies are under increasing pressure to fulfil their social and environmental responsibilities.

The joint research investigated the energy consumption of the 200 publicly listed companies based on the number of traditional desktops they operated daily, and calculated the potential energy savings that could be made if these were replaced with more energy efficient ‘green PCs’. The findings concluded that the adoption of a ‘greener’ desktop strategy and better working practices would deliver significant financial savings and reduce the environmental burden.

Companies can also introduce policies and procedures that encourage employees to switch off their computers when not in use, for example the IT department can use automated software that turns off all idle PCs out of office hours. Previous research from Fujitsu Siemens Computers found that more than a third (37%) of workers don’t switch off PCs when they leave the office *.

Key research findings from the study, which was carried out in early April 2006, include:

• The 200 companies evaluated collectively waste in excess of £61 million pounds of electricity per year – this equates to over 2.8 million kWh of energy
• By adopting green IT equipment and switching off desktops when not in use the top 200 companies will make annual savings of around £305,000 each
• One of the largest companies in the top 200 has the potential to save at least £2m from its annual electricity bill by adopting green IT equipment and policies

Ed Kenny, director of Corporate Hardware at Computacenter, said: “Our figures are conservative, as they are based on PCs running at idle. Therefore, energy consumption on a day-to-day basis is actually likely to be significantly higher. Although technology can help companies realise cost savings and operational efficiencies, it is important that these are not achieved at the expense of the environment.”

Garry Owen, head of product marketing, Fujitsu Siemens Computers, concluded: “The fact that green PCs and the adoption of energy efficient practices will save money and reduce the damage done to the environment is a compelling business case for any organisation.”

Ends

Notes for Editors

• Research methodology: Computacenter compared the power consumption of standard desktop equipment from a well-known brand with Fujitsu Siemens Computers (FSC) energy efficient PCs. This figure was then multiplied by the number of desktops and converted into a cost based on average industrial power costs of 4.6p /kWh (October 2005 Department of Trade and Industry).
• Desktop power consumption rates - based on FSC Esprimo E5600 AMD desktop and an equivalent Intel based product from a well known PC manufacturer
• Screen power consumption rates – based on a 17” FSC TFT and an equivalent 17” TFT monitor from the same well-known PC manufacturer
• Electricity cost - Industry average electricity price of 4.6p /kWh (Department of Trade and Industry October 2005) was used as a cost reference and multiplied by the number of desktops and screens for each of the Top 200 UK listed companies

• Number of desktops and screens - MIS database from Fairfax Business Media Ltd together with the Sunday Times Top 200 list of companies (figures based on market cap), data was extracted on the numbers of desktops and screens that a featured company had.

• Power Consumption figures – Based on independent desktop group test carried out by PC Pro magazine and published in issue 138 (April 2006)
• Total number of kWh - A formula was used to calculate the total number of kWh used by each company for both screens and desktops based on power consumption figures provided by PC Pro magazine - it was assumed that desktops/screens were left on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year running at an average consumption of "idle".

About Computacenter

Computacenter is Europe’s leading independent provider of IT infrastructure services. To help our customers maximise the value of IT to their businesses, we offer services at every stage of infrastructure investment.

We can advise customers on their IT strategy, implement the most appropriate technology from a wide range of leading vendors and manage elements of their technology infrastructures on their behalf. At every stage we help them minimise the cost and maximise the business value of their IT expenditure.

Our corporate and government clients are served by a network of branch offices across the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium and, through our international partners, at locations across the globe.

 

About Fujitsu Siemens Computers

Fujitsu Siemens Computers is the leading European IT provider with a strategic focus on next-generation Mobility and Dynamic Data Center products, services and solutions. With a platform and services portfolio of exceptional depth, our offering extends from handhelds through desktops to enterprise-class IT infrastructure solutions and services offerings. Fujitsu Siemens Computers has a presence in all key markets across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with the services division extending coverage up to 170 countries worldwide.

Leveraging the strengths, innovation and global reach of our joint shareholders, Fujitsu Limited and Siemens AG, we make sure we meet the needs of customers: large corporations, small and medium enterprises and private users. To meet international standards for corporate social responsibility, Fujitsu Siemens Computers is a member of the United Nations Global Compact.  For further information about Fujitsu Siemens Computers, please visit: www.fujitsu-siemens.co.uk

 
For more information, contact:

Johnny Sollitt-Davis
Octopus Communications
0845 3700 655