New Zealand has decided to ban all PCs and laptops which use too much electrcitity.
Under the new compulsory energy use rules PCs and laptops that did not meet the standards would not be able to be legally sold, leased or hired in New Zealand. However the government has admitted that he impact will be minimal as technology to reduce energy consumption, including high-efficiency internal power supply units, was already available.
Recent testing in Australia had found no correlation between the price and the energy efficiency of computers. EECA estimated using an energy-efficient computer and monitor would save about $33 in power costs a year, and by 2025 cumulative savings to households and businesses would be more than $260m.
Computer importers had been involved with EECA's Energy Star programme for a while and already had models that would meet the proposed standard. However it is not clear what will happen to home builders who buy components that suck up juice. It is likely that they could be prosecuted for selling them on.
Maximum energy use limits
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Nick Farell
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