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Global implications of standby power use
Abstract
Separate studies indicate that standby power is responsible for 20-60 W per home in developed countries. Standby power is responsible for about 2% of OECD countries total electricity consumption and the related power generation generates almost 1% of their carbon emissions. Replacement of existing appliances with those appliances having the lowest standby would reduce total standby power consumption by over 70%. The resulting reductions in carbon emissions would meet over 3% of OECD's total Kyoto commitments. Other strategies may cut more carbon emissions, but standby power is unique in that the reductions are best accomplished through international collaboration and whose costs and large benefits would be spread over all countries.
... The Caribbean island Curaçao was taken as a first case study. Based on a consumption, the energy consumption of appliances during standby periods represents a significant share of the energy globally used (Heo et al., 2008;Lebot et al., 2000). In 2014, the International Energy Agency reported that in developed countries, wasted standby energy accounts for around 2% of global electricity use and 10% of national residential electricity use. ...
... Total standby power in these homes ranged from 14 to 169 W, with an average of 67 W. This corresponded to 5-26% of the homes' annual electricity use. Lebot et al. (2000) provided a global estimate of standby energy consumption in the residential sector of the OECD member countries. These countries represent roughly 65% of the world's electricity use and 54% of global CO 2 emissions. ...
... These countries represent roughly 65% of the world's electricity use and 54% of global CO 2 emissions. Based on this estimate, Lebot et al. (Lebot et al., 2000) concluded that standby energy in the residential sector accounted for 1.5% of the total electricity consumption (124 TWh) and contributed to 0.6% (68 million tons) of CO 2 emissions. In comparison, this represented the annual CO 2 emissions of 24 million European-type cars. ...
Rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) are of significant concern in modern society, as they lead to global warming and consequential environmental and societal changes. The standby energy consumption of appliances in households is considerable and can be up to 15% of the appliance energy consumption in the residential sector. Overall, standby energy consumption is accountable for roughly 1% of total global CO2 emissions. When we contrast this impact on global CO2 emissions with the impact of the transportation sector, standby energy's contribution is minimal. The transportation sector is responsible for about 24% of the global CO2 emissions arising from the combustion of fuel. Nevertheless, a significant reduction in standby energy consumption in the residential sector is crucial to reduce the CO2 footprint accordingly.
This paper is among the first to assess the magnitude of standby energy consumption and to explore options for reducing standby energy consumption in the Caribbean. The Caribbean island Curaçao was taken as a first case study. In a field study of 20 households, the standby energy consumption of about 300 appliances were measured. It was estimated that about 8% of residential electricity consumption was linked to standby energy consumption. The average standby power of the 20 households in Curaçao is 50.3 W. Past research shows that it may be possible to reduce the estimated standby energy consumption by approximately 43%, which is about 6.4 MWh/year in Curaçao. Besides adopting technical solutions, the intended reduction of standby energy consumption can be realized through the introduction of import regulations to favor the selling of appliances with lower standby energy consumption and the creation of public awareness through TV and other media campaigns.
... Recent studies (Rainer et al. 1996; Siderius 1999; Lebot et al. 2000; Ross and Meier 2000) brought to attention the issue of reducing the standby electricity losses of household appliances as an option to mitigate CO 2 emissions in the residential sector. The results of research conducted by researchers around the globe showed that a significant amount (5%- 26%) of household annual electricity use is " lost " by electricity consumption for secondary services that we do not need and are not aware of (Ross and Meier 2000; Lebot et al. 2000; Rainer et al. 1996; Meier et al. 1992; Siderius 1999; Nakagami et al. 1999). ...
... Recent studies (Rainer et al. 1996; Siderius 1999; Lebot et al. 2000; Ross and Meier 2000) brought to attention the issue of reducing the standby electricity losses of household appliances as an option to mitigate CO 2 emissions in the residential sector. The results of research conducted by researchers around the globe showed that a significant amount (5%- 26%) of household annual electricity use is " lost " by electricity consumption for secondary services that we do not need and are not aware of (Ross and Meier 2000; Lebot et al. 2000; Rainer et al. 1996; Meier et al. 1992; Siderius 1999; Nakagami et al. 1999). Since the variety of electric appliances and their penetrations are rapidly growing worldwide, and most of these have in-built standby features, the problem is expected to escalate in the near future, unless global measures are taken. ...
... In order to consider the cost-effectiveness of measures aimed at reducing standby losses, it is necessary to understand the scale of the issue in various countries. A large number of studies have been conducted on standby power consumption in Western Europe, The United States, Japan and New Zealand (Lebot et al. 2000). However, in most cases these studies are not nationally representative or the methods used are not compatible with each other. ...
In recent years, several developed countries have launched a concerted effort towards reducing standby electricity losses in household appliances and information technology (IT) equipment. Unnecessarily consumed electricity poses a special burden for the residents of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. Electricity prices have risen drastically during the past decade in these countries, with incomes stagnating or losing their value, thus paying utility bills has become a major problem for a wide group of consumers. In addition, the old and often obsolete appliance stocks in these countries are in dynamic turnover. Thus, early policy action to reduce standby consumption of newly purchased appliances in these times of dynamic market changes can have a major long-term impact. However, to the knowledge of the authors, no comprehensive studies have been conducted exploring the extent of the problem in CEE yet. A team at the Central European University (CEU) has attempted to establish the baseline for standby electricity consumption in the region. The research included measurement of appliances and IT equipment in 99 households in 3 countries – Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria –, and interviews about residents' awareness of the standby problem and possible mitigation measures. The results of the measurements have been used to develop national indicators related to standby losses for these countries. Our findings show that the current figures used internationally (e.g., by the IEA) are underestimates. The interviews show that there is a very limited awareness of the problem and possible solutions among consumers, while most of them would be willing to modify their behaviour in order to cut electricity bills.
... The electrical energy consumed by electrical appliances when they are turned off, or not in primary use, is called standby electricity or leaking electricity. It was reported that standby power represents 20-60 W per home in developed countries, and is responsible for about 2% of the total electricity consumption in OECD countries [6]. Studies in Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and the United States have found that standby power accounts for as much as 10% of national residential electricity use [7]. ...
... [13]. It was found by Lebot et al. [6] that reducing standby power would result in reductions in carbon emissions that would meet over 3% of the OECD's total Kyoto commitments. This represents a considerable saving. ...
... Researchers have used somewhat different definitions in studies of standby power [5]. For example, some described it in functional terms, such as 'the power consumed by an appliance when not performing its primary functions', while others have tried to use a technically simple definition, such as 'the minimum power consumption of a device while connected to the mains' [6]. Although the IEA (International Energy Agency) tried to reach a consensus on its definition, standby power is complex and would depend upon the device being measured [6]. ...
High growth in the uptake of electrical appliances is accounting for a significant increase in electricity consumption globally. In some developed countries, standby energy alone may account for about 10% of residential electricity use. The standby power for many appliances used in Australia is still well above the national goal of 1W or less. In this paper, field measurements taken of standby power and operating power for a range of electrical appliances are presented. It was found that the difference between minimum value and maximum value of standby power could be quite large, up to 22.13W for home theatre systems, for example. With the exception of home audio systems, however, the annual operating energy used by most electrical appliances was generally greater than the annual standby energy. Consumer behaviour and product choice can have a significant impact on standby power and operating power, which influences both energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions.
... Although consumption by individual appliances might seem marginal, the cumulative total is significant. International studies based on experimental campaigns performed at residential houses have indicated a standby power demand per household in the range 23-125 W [4]. Same number in developed countries varies between 20- 60 W, and is responsible for about 2% of the total electricity consumption in OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries [5]. In Ref. [6] average standby power 67 W was measured wherein minimum value was 14 W and maximum 169 W. Studies in Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, the United States and Australia have found that standby power accounts for as much as 10% of national residential electricity use [3, 6, 7]. ...
... Switched off equipment show even more than 40% of on regime consumption, which in case of printer is 80%. It has also been reported that some appliances may use more energy in standby than in main operational mode [5]. More drastic is situation in case of reactive power. ...
In every household there are several appliances that consume energy even after they are turned off. Compared to whole cost for electricity the undesirable energy consumption is rarely noticed. Within this paper the amount and the characteristics of this so called parasitic energy is investigated. Measurements were done at one average household to examine electricity consumption in whole apartment and separately on every device. In addition to active power the reactive part of the power is also investigated. Based on this research it can be concluded that despite the assumption that the device is switched off, the appliances still consume remarkable active and reactive power at standby or off condition.
... Bekleme konumu elektrik tüketiminden oluşan CO2 salınımı 1.8 milyon tona eşittir. Bu salınım bu sene içerisinde Türkiye'nin bütün CO2 salınımının %1'ine eşittir[17].IEA'nin 2001 senesindeki araştırmasıyla aynı bilgileri kullanarak yapılan farklı bir araştırmada ise Türkiye'deki yaklaşık bir ev için bekleme durumu gücü 10 W değerinde farz edilmiştir[18]. Çalışma ışığında toplam olarak 1421 elektronik alette bekleme durumu gücü ölçülmüştür. Konut başına yaklaşık bekleme durumu gücü ve bekleme durumu elektrik enerji sarfiyatı 23 W ve 100 kWh/yıl değerinde hesap edilmiştir. ...
Ülkemizdeki toptan elektrik enerjisi sarfiyatının ortalama yüzde yirmi beşi hanelerde
kullanılmaktadır. Türkiye’de konutlarda kullanılan elektriğin seneler boyunca değişimi, elektrik enerjisi çıktısının enerji kaynağına bağlı yayılımı ve bu durumda bekleme durumu elektrik tüketimine ilişkin verilerden bahsedilmiştir. Bu çalışmada İzmir ili özelinde elektrik tüketimi hesaplama ve Türkiye genelinde konutlarda kullanılan cihazların pasif durumdaki enerji kaybı ve örnek hesaplamaları yapılmıştır
... The IEA (2001) estimated that standby power and LoPoMo waste may account for as much as 1% of global CO 2 emissions and 2.2% of OECD electricity consumption. Lebot et al. (2000) estimated that the total standby power consumption in an average household could be reduced by 72%, which would result in emission reductions of 49 million tCO 2 in the OECD. Various instruments -including minimum energy efficiency performance standards (MEPS), labelling, voluntary agreements, quality marks, incentives, tax rebates and energy-efficient procurement policies -are applied globally to reduce the standby consumption in buildings (Commission of the European Communities, 1999), but most of them capture only a small share of this potential. ...
... The IEA (2001) estimated that standby power and LoPoMo waste may account for as much as 1% of global CO 2 emissions and 2.2% of OECD electricity consumption. Lebot et al. (2000) estimated that the total standby power consumption in an average household could be reduced by 72%, which would result in emission reductions of 49 million tCO 2 in the OECD. Various instruments -including minimum energy efficiency performance standards (MEPS), labelling, voluntary agreements, quality marks, incentives, tax rebates and energy-efficient procurement policies -are applied globally to reduce the standby consumption in buildings (Commission of the European Communities, 1999), but most of them capture only a small share of this potential. ...
... Different household appliances are considered as dishwashers (maximum power for dishwasher in "delay start" is about 9.4 W [5]), and washing machines. The typical electricity loss for an appliance can range from as little as 1 W to as high as 30 W, [6]. This loss and the associated costs are not high enough to attract the attention of consumers, but when such power losses of all home and office appliances are aggregated at the level of a country, the amount becomes significant and cannot be ignored. ...
Limited energy resources and environmental concerns due to ever increasing energy consumption, more and more emphasis is being put on energy savings. Smart networks are promoted worldwide as a powerful tool used to improve the energy efficiency through consumption management. as well as to enable the distributed power generation, primarily based on renewable energy sources, to be optimally explored. To make it possible for the smart networks to function, a large number of electronic devices is needed to operate or to be in their stand-by mode. The consumption of these devices is added to the consumption of many other electronic devices already in use in households and offices. thus giving rise to the overall power consumption and threatening to counteract the primary function of smart networks. This paper addresses the consumption of particular electronic devices, with an emphasis placed on their thermal losses when in stand-by mode and their total share in the overall power consumption in certain countries. The thermal losses of electronic devices in their stand-by mode are usually neglected, but it seems theoretically possible that a massive increase in their number can impact net performance of the future smart networks considerably so that above an optimum level of energy savings achieved by their penetration, total consumption begins to increase. Based on the current stand-by energy losses from the existing electronic devices, we propose that the future penetration of smart networks be optimized taking also into account losses from their own electronic devices, required to operate in stand-by mode.
... Our average estimate of mobile phone energy consumption in Europe is within the same range as an estimate of mobile phone energy consumption in the USA in 2004 [7], [21], but much lower than the estimate on the energy consumption of mobile networks in Japan in 2006 [3], [30]. For comparison to other types of energy consumption, our average estimates are lower than estimates of Google's energy consumption in 2010 [12] and an order of magnitude lower than estimates on the energy consumption of data centers in Western Europe or the USA in 2005 [11] or the total standby power consumed by consumer appliances in the USA in 1998 [31]. Finally, our average estimates were ca. ...
This paper studies the electricity consumption of mobile phone chargers. The charger's electricity consumption varies depending on its state. We measured the electricity consumption of various phone and charger models in different states. We also did panel studies on the recharging behavior of smartphone users. Based on these and other sources, we are able to estimate mobile phone recharging electricity consumption, cost, and CO2 emissions both in Europe and in the USA. Our analysis shows that the actual recharging of batteries consumes only 40% of the total energy; the rest is wasted mainly by unnecessarily plugged-in chargers consuming 55% of the total energy.
... The Battery ePark and refurbished smartphone require battery charging, but additional power is also consumed by the plugged-in battery charger itself-with or without the phone connected-called "standby power." An estimated 5-13 % of all power worldwide is consumed solely by standby power (Lebot et al. 2000). Consequently, the USA and European Union have both passed regulations to limit the permitted standby power consumption for consumer electronics to 0.5 W (U.S. Congress 2007;European Union 2008). ...
Purpose
Waste management for end-of-life (EoL) smartphones is a growing problem due to their high turnover rate and concentration of toxic chemicals. The versatility of modern smartphones presents an interesting alternative waste management strategy: repurposing. This paper investigates the environmental impact of smartphone repurposing as compared to traditional refurbishing using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
Methods
A case study of repurposing was conducted by creating a smartphone “app” that replicates the functionality of an in-car parking meter. The environmental impacts of this prototype were quantified using waste management LCA methodology. Studied systems included three waste management options: traditional refurbishment, repurposing using battery power, and repurposing using a portable solar charger. The functional unit was defined as the EoL management of a used smartphone. Consequential system expansion was employed to account for secondary functions provided; avoided impacts from displaced primary products were included. Impacts were calculated in five impact categories. Break-even displacement rates were calculated and sensitivity to standby power consumption were assessed.
Results and discussion
LCA results showed that refurbishing creates the highest environmental impacts of the three reuse routes in every impact category except ODP. High break-even displacement rates suggest that this finding is robust within a reasonable range of primary cell phone displacement. The repurposed smartphone in-car parking meter had lower impacts than the primary production parking meter. Impacts for battery-powered devices were dominated by use-phase charging electricity, whereas solar-power impacts were concentrated in manufacturing. Repurposed phones using battery power had lower impacts than those using solar power, however, standby power sensitivity analysis revealed that solar power is preferred if the battery charger is left plugged-in more than 20 % of the use period.
Conclusions
Our analysis concludes that repurposing represents an environmentally preferable EoL option to refurbishing for used smartphones. The results suggest two generalizable findings. First, primary product displacement is a major factor affecting whether any EoL strategy is environmentally beneficial. The benefit depends not only on what is displaced, but also on how much displacement occurs; in general, repurposing allows freedom to target reuse opportunities with high “displacement potential.” Second, the notion that solar power is preferable to batteries is not always correct; here, the rank-order is sensitive to assumptions about user behavior.
... The IEA (2001) estimated that standby power and LoPoMo waste may account for as much as 1% of global CO 2 emissions and 2.2% of OECD electricity consumption. Lebot et al. (2000) estimated that the total standby power consumption in an average household could be reduced by 72%, which would result in emission reductions of 49 million tCO 2 in the OECD. Various instruments -including minimum energy efficiency performance standards (MEPS), labelling, voluntary agreements, quality marks, incentives, tax rebates and energy-efficient procurement policies -are applied globally to reduce the standby consumption in buildings (Commission of the European Communities, 1999), but most of them capture only a small share of this potential. ...
... Although consumption by individual appliances is small, the cumulative total is significant. It was reported that standby power represents 2060 W per home in developed countries, and is responsible for about 2% of the total electricity consumption in OECD(Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries [2]. ...
In this paper we concern ourselves with the problem of minimizing the standby
power consumption in some of the house hold appliances. Here we propose a
remote controlled device through which we could reduce the amount of standby
power consumed by the electrical appliances connected to it. This device
provides an option of controlling each of the appliances connected to it
individually or as a whole when required. The device has got number of plug
points each of which could be controlled through the remote and also has a
provision of switching off all the points at once.
... Тези загуби сравнени с общите загуби от " stand-by " са с относително малък дял, но пораждат интерес за бъдещи анализи. Табл. 2. Обобщени годишни разходи за електроенергия за " Stand-by " Данните, публикувани в [1, 4, 5] , потвърждава достоверността на представените резултати. ...
This article analyses the problem of electrical energy consumption in stand-by mode of different devices, used in the daily work of teachers and students in the technical university of Varna. Results from electrical measurements as well as summarized data for the university are presented. Recommendations for reducing energy expenses are pro-posed.
... Running Monte Carlo simulations is essential to obtain the customer data for variable numbers of customers. In fact, field measurements [2,[7][8][9] would be possible only on a preselected set with fixed number of customers. In addition, it is sometimes difficult to gather only the data of the residential customers, without superposition of other loads (e.g. ...
This paper deals with the characterization of the probability distributions of the aggregated residential load. A detailed statistical study has been performed on a set of data referred to single-house extra-urban customers, in order to assess the time evolution of the average value and standard deviation of the aggregated load and its possible representation with some typical probability distributions. The results have shown that the aggregated residential load data can be satisfactorily represented by using a Gamma probability distribution with parameters variable in function of time and number of customers
In recent decades, government agencies developed programs to improve the efficiency of our electronic products and appliances. A 1999 study estimated that up to 10% of electricity consumed by residential products was wasted when products had been turned off by consumers [1]. Early efficiency programs focused on minimizing the amount of power consumed by these so-called energy vampires while in off mode. Newer efficiency metrics look at reducing energy waste in all operating modes.
This paper discusses the importance of reducing plug loads as the industry embraces net zero energy buildings. As buildings have become more energy efficient, plug loads as a proportion of the building load have increased significantly. Data is presented to explain this phenomenon. A methodology and results are discussed for surveys of existing plug loads in an office building and server room similar to many offices around the country, with a view towards reducing energy consumption. Calculations are performed for estimated energy use and potential savings. Finally we discuss developing technologies that can further help to reduce plug load energy use.
Useless electricity consumption is the electricity consumption of an electric appliance or system that is not performing its primary function or that is performing its primary function without being useful. So, useless electricity consumption does not only consist of standby losses. To identify the useless electricity consumption in a building, a profile-based approach is developed. This approach is used to investigate the useless electricity consumption in five buildings of the University of Leuven. The result of this study is that in these buildings the useless electricity consumption accounts for 4 to 13% of the total electricity consumption. This paper will give a detailed discussion of a case study in a library of the university.
Most energy end uses such as space conditioning or water heating are apparently well-defined in what is included, and have terminology that derives from the professionals who work in the relevant field. The topic of "miscellaneous" consumption lacks such clarity for historical and practical reasons. As this end use grows in size and interest for the energy community, the confusion and ambiguity around the topic is an increasing barrier to progress. This paper provides definitions for key terms and concepts with the intent that that future work can be more correctly and consistently reported and interpreted. In addition, it provides a taxonomy of product types and categories, which covers both residential and commercial miscellaneous consumption. A key element is identification of "electronics" as a distinct energy end use. Finally, products are identified as to whether they commonly have a low-power mode, and product types that have such modes within the traditional end uses are also listed.
Standby electricity use, or leaking electricity, is the electrical energy consumed by electrical appliances when they are turned off, or not in use. This electrical energy is used by internal or external transformers, or features such as remote control, memory, clock display, and instant-on, and represents a significant component of residential electricity consumption. In this paper, results from detailed field measurements of the standby power requirements of new stock and existing minor and miscellaneous household appliances are presented. Measurements were made in four electronic appliance retailers and 75 houses in Halifax, Canada, and cover a wide range of appliances. Using the findings from these field measurements and self-reported usage, the annual average standby energy consumption per household in the sample was estimated to be 427kWh, which is equivalent to a constant load of 49W. This could be reduced by 59% (to 177kWh) if the standby power requirement of all appliances with a standby power requirement over 1W was reduced to 1W. The estimated household standby power consumption of 427kWh per year is likely to be slightly lower than the actual, since major and hard-wired appliances are not included in the analysis. Future work on the measurement of standby power requirements of such appliances is needed to further understand the residential standby power consumption.
We investigated the variation in standby power consumption in 10 California homes. Total standby power in the homes ranged from 14 to 169 W, with an average of 67 W. This corresponded to 5–26% of the homes’ annual electricity use. The appliances with the largest standby losses were televisions, set-top boxes and printers. A short-term measurement of a home’s utility meter can provide surprisingly good estimates of total standby power if certain precautions are taken. The large variation in the standby power of appliances providing the same service demonstrates that manufacturers are able to reduce standby losses without degrading performance. Replacing existing units with appliances using 1 W or less of standby power would reduce standby power use by 68%, achieving a 7% reduction in annual electricity consumption. At least 70% of new appliance purchases in these homes will have standby power consumption.
This paper presents the first study of standby power use and its saving potential in China. Standby power use refers to power consumed by appliances when they are switched off or are not providing their intended functions. Appliances in 28 urban Chinese homes were surveyed and standby power use was measured. The combined standby power use was about 29 W per home. However, many occupants unplug appliances when not in use, so standby energy use accounts for 50–200 kWh per year in an average urban home. Residential standby power consumption in China requires the electrical output equivalent of at least six 500 MW power plants. Levels of standby power use in Chinese homes are below those observed in developed countries but still high in part because Chinese appliances have higher standby than similar products in developed countries. Existing technologies are available to greatly reduce standby power at low costs.
Most climate change policy attention has been addressed to long-term options, such as inducing new, low-carbon energy technologies and creating cap-and-trade regimes for emissions. We use a behavioral approach to examine the reasonably achievable potential for near-term reductions by altered adoption and use of available technologies in US homes and nonbusiness travel. We estimate the plasticity of 17 household action types in 5 behaviorally distinct categories by use of data on the most effective documented interventions that do not involve new regulatory measures. These interventions vary by type of action and typically combine several policy tools and strong social marketing. National implementation could save an estimated 123 million metric tons of carbon per year in year 10, which is 20% of household direct emissions or 7.4% of US national emissions, with little or no reduction in household well-being. The potential of household action deserves increased policy attention. Future analyses of this potential should incorporate behavioral as well as economic and engineering elements.
This paper reports on the results of a study carried out on the basis of information obtained from real case investigations on residential customer behaviour, lifestyle, and usage of the appliances. The aggregated load patterns of single-house customers have been first computed by using a bottom-up approach. Then, the time-dependent uncertainty of the aggregated load power has been assessed from simulations in function of the number of residential customers. Finally, a goodness-of-fit analysis has shown that a Gamma probability distribution, with parameters related to average value and standard deviation of the simulation results, satisfactorily represents the probability distribution of the load power at each time instant.
This paper describes the European energy efficiency policy to improve energy efficiency of external power supplies. The EU code of conduct, which is discussed in this paper is an important platform for promoting energy efficiency in power supplies in Europe and elsewhere in the world. The revised code of conduct with the inclusion of on-mode efficiency criteria would bring additional savings of 30 TWh per year by 2010.
The combined energy consumption of US televisions and videocassette recorders was about 40TWh per year in 1998, corresponding to 3.6% of national residential electricity consumption. The average household television energy consumption was about 310kWh per year, 23% of which was used while the units were not active. The average household videocassette recorder energy use was about 100kWh per year, 95% of which was used while the units were not active.