Did you know that IT systems often consume more energy than necessary? This can be changed quite easily. IT systems can be both powerful and energy-efficient at the same time. This means you don't have to compromise on performance or efficiency. Simple measures can significantly reduce the high energy costs associated with all types of IT equipment.
In this blog post, we show you which devices consume a particularly large amount of energy and how you can reduce not only energy consumption but also energy costs with targeted measures.
Smart and energy-efficient IT not only ensures greater sustainability within the company and an optimised infrastructure, but also better use of resources and lower operating costs. This includes keeping an eye on energy consumption and renewing or specifically developing outdated systems in order to combine them with modern technologies. This can increase security, speed and flexibility within the company. Energy-efficient IT use contributes to economic efficiency, the environment and corporate strategy:
Companies face the challenge of operating IT in a way that is powerful, secure and economical at the same time. Energy-efficient IT forms the basis for stable processes, lower costs and a future-proof infrastructure.
High energy consumption in companies is usually caused by a combination of several factors. It is particularly noticeable in computationally intensive environments, with inefficient infrastructure or in the continuous operation of devices.
Other causes include:
Many devices often consume power unnoticed, even when you would not expect it. This is called creeping consumption or standby consumption: Basically, it can be said that devices also consume energy in standby mode, albeit only in small amounts. This often leads to unnecessary energy costs and an additional burden on the environment.
Which IT devices consume a lot of energy (including standby)?
Office equipment:
Entertainment and gaming:
Servers and data storage:
The energy consumption of a device depends not only on its type, but also on its energy efficiency class and size. Larger devices such as televisions, monitors or devices with a low efficiency class consume significantly more electricity than smaller devices or devices with a higher class. Computationally intensive applications such as complex games or elaborate editing programmes also increase electricity consumption.
The energy efficiency label helps to estimate the energy requirements of a device: the better the label, the less electricity is consumed (electricity consumption is usually specified for one year).
The classes range from:
A – Very low power consumption; highest efficiency thanks to modern technology; very sustainable
B – Low power consumption; good energy efficiency with a balanced price-energy ratio
C – Solid standard for many households; average energy consumption
D – Meets EU requirements; no peak values; inexpensive to purchase, but high energy costs possible in the long term
E – High electricity consumption due to less modern energy efficiency; higher energy costs in the long term
F – Low energy efficiency; high electricity consumption + operating costs
G – Very low energy efficiency; very high electricity consumption; very high long-term costs
Even though IT devices with a higher efficiency rating are usually more expensive, the investment pays off in the long term as they will significantly reduce electricity costs in the future.
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Optimise IT infrastructure
Make operation and use more efficient
Optimise cooling and energy sources
Organisation and control
Energy-efficient IT pays off because it reduces costs, protects the environment and future-proofs your business. Even small measures, such as modern hardware, smart UPSs or energy-optimised switches, can significantly reduce power consumption.
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Many IT devices consume varying amounts of electricity depending on their type, size and energy efficiency class. High energy consumption is usually the result of several factors working together:
Yes, IT devices in standby mode consume power unnoticed, which is also known as standby power consumption. This leads to unnecessary energy costs and additional strain on the environment, even if only small amounts of energy are consumed. On average, devices in standby mode account for around 10% of electricity consumption.
Stealth energy consumption is higher in older devices in particular, as they do not have modern technology. For example, a computer or laptop consumes around 2 to 10 watts in standby mode, depending on the size and type of device.
The energy consumption of IT equipment in companies can be reduced by taking a number of simple measures:
Servers, high-performance computers and data storage systems have particularly high energy requirements because they run continuously to ensure permanent availability and security of the systems. In addition, they require powerful cooling systems to prevent overheating.
Furthermore, the use of powerful processors, which require high computing power, especially in AI applications or cloud computing, leads to additional power consumption.
The energy efficiency class of IT equipment helps to better estimate the energy requirements of a device. The better the label, the less electricity is consumed, with the electricity consumption figure usually applying to one year. Devices with a higher energy efficiency class are often more expensive to purchase.
Nevertheless, the investment is worthwhile in the long term, as it leads to permanently lower electricity costs. The classes range from A (very low power consumption with maximum energy efficiency) to G (very high power consumption with very low energy efficiency).
