Life cycle costs of power used in USB consumer products and VOIP PSTN adapters

Energy price hikes; shortages, and global concerns make headlines, daily.  The search for alternative fuels is ongoing, and conservation measures and concepts are disseminated worldwide.  Everybody is focused on energy.

One method to examine energy consumption is in terms of the dollar (Euro, Yuan and Yen) value of the subject energy use.  For this piece a small amount of power, 4.2 watts, used or deferred will be the subject energy use.

In one year there are 8,765 hours.  Since, a small amount of power use (or deferred in smarter energy designed products) gets multiplied by a relatively large number of hours (the unit of energy use cost computation) a small difference in energy consumption can result in a much larger amount of energy use. The total hours and the subject energy gets multiplied to form Watt-Hours. Energy is denominated in terms of $/KWH (Dollars per Kilo-Watt Hours).  For this subject a value of $0.16 per KWH is used.

Over a one-year period of time a 420-Watt energy use results in a $590.00 energy cost.  In 7 years, typical lifetime analysis period) a $4,200-dollar energy cost would result.  The initial cost of a $42, VOIP PSTN adapter or any USB powered consumer device with a difference of 420-Watts is exceeds the purchase price paid by the consumer in a seven-year use time span HUNDERED-FOLD.

Again if the analysis continues, considering multiple power difference as more and more consumer products and VOIP PSTN adapters are installed in each home or business.  Then given a region the population again multiplies the energy cost to an even larger total amount For example, in the USA (2007), there are more than 120 million residential spaces, another 40 million commercial spaces.

So in terms of cost, the difference in 420 Watts (for USB powered consumer devices) over a 7 year period ($42 energy waste and initial cost of subject device) results in 672 Billion dollar recoverable energy waste cost in the continental USA. About a 100 Billions of dollars per year for avoiding USB powered consumer devices. (160 million spaces, 420 Watts, $0.16 KWH energy cost, 7 year time frame)

What if energy rates go up, even double over the next seven years?

You can select lower powered VOIP PSTN adapters and all consumer devices.