Eco-business / Social Venture

November 9, 2003

 

IBM Japan Offers Electrical 'Peak Shifting' Software for ThinkPad Laptops

Keywords: Climate Change Eco-business / Social Venture Energy Conservation Manufacturing industry 

IBM Japan Ltd. has added a feature that will help reduce electricity use at peak times of the day, or "peak shifting," by offering several models of ThinkPad notebook PCs equipped with a peak-shift function, which can automatically switch the PC's power source from AC to battery mode. This will help reduce power consumption at peak times of the day in summer.

To cope with the year-on-year increases in electricity demand during peak periods, utilities are forced to increase the output of power plants. This will result in greater emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), a major factor in global warming. Peak shifting, however, can help reduce these CO2 emissions.

Some ThinkPad models are equipped with a peak shift control program, which, for example, can instruct the PC to be powered by AC adapter between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., switch to the internal battery at 1 p.m., and back to AC power at 4 p.m. The battery can be recharged during late-night hours when electricity demand is low.

As the shipments of notebook computers have been increasing every year, the total consumption for these computers can no longer be ignored. The company distributes the peak shift control program free of charge to corporate customers using the ThinkPad models.



Posted: 2003/11/09 10:01:31 PM
Japanese version

 

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