Power adapters, also known as external power supplies, are crucial to the operation of virtually all small electronic devices, yet they tend to be very inefficient. In the United States alone, total electricity flowing through external and internal power supplies is about 207 billion kWh/year, equal to about $17 billion a year, or six percent of the national electric bill, says EPA. On average, ENERGY STAR-qualified power adapters will be 35 percent more efficient.
Consumers will soon be able to purchase a variety of products, such as cell phones and PDAs, that are shipped or sold with ENERGY STAR qualified power adapters. Eventually, these new efficient adapters will be incorporated into a wide spectrum of products including laptops, cordless phones, and office equipment, and as replacement adapters sold separately. Products with qualified adapters will be identified by the ENERGY STAR label on product packaging, literature, or store displays.
For additional information on ENERGY STAR and external power adapters, go to www.epa.gov.
