Energy saving ecobutton launched

An energy saving device which puts computers to sleep when not in use was launched this afternoon.

The device, known as the ecobutton, connects to a computer through a USB cable and makes the computer go into a deep sleep or eco mode once one clicks on it. It was launched by Innovative Solutions.

A programme downloadable from eco-button.com calculates the carbon units and money saved by the device, which costs €19.99, once the computer specifications and electricity tariff details are inputted.

The European Union consumes about 5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from computers being left idle each year. 355 million tonnes of carbon dioxide are emitted annually worldwide.

It is estimated that there are 185 million computers in the EU and one billion worldwide. It costs about €7 billion to power them all.

Household use of the devise would save one an average of €65 a year and 135 kilogrammes of CO2.

A business with 100 computer stations put on eco mode for about three hours a day could save around €6,000 a year.

A €1 from each of the first 1,000 devices sold in Malta will go to Inspire - the Eden and Razzett Foundation.

Resources Minister George Pullicino, who was present for the launch, said that a draft report on CO2 emissions by Malta commissioned a year ago was expected to be concluded in the coming days.

The report, which was to be presented to cabinet, should offer guidelines for Malta to reach the 2020 targets for CO2 emissions.

Mr Pullicino said that in the next few days the government would also be launching a carbon neutral programme - a facility on the ministry’s website which would show how many trees had to be planted for the CO2 being emitted.

While in 1990 Malta emitted 1.4 million tonnes of CO2, these had increased to 2 million tonnes by 2005.