Washington State Cutting Energy Use, Slashing Millions Of Pounds In Carbon Emissions

Governor Gregoire’s power-saving initiative showing results

April 21, 2008 -- OLYMPIA – On the eve of Earth Day, Washington Governor Chris Gregoire today announced that state agencies have begun using new energy saving software that will save thousands of taxpayer dollars while reducing greenhouse emissions by millions of pounds annually.

The effort is in response to the Energy Conservation Priorities challenge Gregoire made to state agencies.

The software produced by Seattle-based Verdiem Corp. cuts energy usage by automatically placing desktop and laptop computers into lower power settings when not in use -- resulting in an estimated average savings of $20 per computer per year. With an inventory of more than 63,000 PCs in state cabinet agencies alone, the potential for cost savings is more than $1 million annually.

“State government is doing its part to reduce greenhouse emissions by eliminating unnecessary energy usage, and this is providing an excellent way to cut the kilowatt-hours we use,” Gregoire said.

The Washington State Department of Information Services negotiated a master contract with Verdiem to make its software available to state agencies, local and tribal governments and qualified non-profit organizations in Washington.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is one of several state agencies now using the software and is currently deploying the software on PCs throughout its system. Early reports indicate that the software will save WSDOT nearly 50 percent of its annual power costs for PCs. When WSDOT implements the software on all 7,200 of its computers, the agency will save approximately five million kilowatt hours each year -- the equivalent of over two million pounds in greenhouse gas emissions.

The energy-saving software is scheduled to be used by all cabinet level state agencies by June 30, 2008. Studies show that PCs and monitors use as much as 14 percent of all power consumed in office environments.

Once all state agencies are using the software, carbon emissions could be reduced by 14.3 million pounds annually, the equivalent of taking 1,187 passenger cars off the road each year.

Source: Washington Governor

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