Global electricity use of networked devices is growing rapidly
JUL 16, 2014
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.028094
MIT Technology Review : According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the electricity demand of networked devices, such as computers, tablets, and smartphones, was 420 TWhr in 2008 and 616 TWhr in 2013. The agency predicts that by 2025, networked devices will require 1140 TWhr and account for 6% of the world’s total electricity use. Up to 80% of that total will be used simply to maintain network connections, when the devices are otherwise unused. The IEA estimates that minimizing electricity consumption when devices are in standby mode could reduce electricity use by 600 TWhr per year by 2020.
© 2014 American Institute of Physics
