@Linus Power Consumption, and why it is not irrelevant.

[__NaZ]

Hello Linus

 

I've just finished watching the latest WAN show, and just like the earlier episodes intels breakthroughs in the field of powerconsumption just got waved aside, as if it was totally irrelevant.

 

If you haven't known yet: You have an international audience. There are people living outside of water-fall-canada and sunshine-arabia where energy, especially electricity, cost a fortune. Just to give you an idea, in Germany the prices for electricity have doubled since the year 2000, currently hanging around an average of 27 euro-cent / KWh which is around 40cents USD/KWh, which is like 500% of your cost of electricity (May be wrong, just did a quick googling).

 

Years ago most everyone let computers run for hours, because electricity was affordable. NOW i know noone anymore who lets their computers run. I myself turn my computer on and off severell times a day because my idle-power demand is quite high. When all i do is browsing the interwebs i mainly use my phone/tablet, because they need a 'metric butt ton' less power. I've been decreasing my used KWh the last 3 years significantly, but still my electricity bill is just stagnating/increasing slowly.

 

I can understand if you just what to ignore that, since it isn't effecting you, but there are also positive things being triggered because of that. Battery-life-time mainly raised by developing less power-consumptiv components, not that much by build better batteries. And who doesnt want a Laptop or a phone the last at least a (work)day?

 

So please Linus, If you haven't got anything good to say about, just dont comment about that at all. You have way too much influence your viewers opinions, to just blow that off.

 

Thanks for everyone who kept reading so far.

 

Happy Threadbashing...

 

kind regards

 

a non canadian

[Guest]

lol i kinda agree our electric bills are crazy 

[Anult]

In Ireland we pay 21 euro-cents/KWh (28 canadian-cents/KWh)

 

Electricity isn't cheap here in Europe. Hopefully the wind power plan here will bring costs down where I live.

[SpamBrie]

I agree 

[Kuzma]

>_> UK power is soo expensive

[Vitalius]

In Ireland we pay 21 euro-cents/KWh (28 canadian-cents/KWh)

 

Electricity isn't cheap here in Europe. Hopefully the wind power plan here will bring costs down where I live.

The average price in the US, IIRC, is $0.15 per KwH.

We are very lucky to have the Hoover dam, large prairies for wind, among many other sources.

[MrSuperb]

The average price in the US, IIRC, is $0.15 per KwH.

We are very lucky to have the Hoover dam, large prairies for wind, among many other sources.

 

LOL, almost sound like you want to talk the US electricity generation eco friendly.

In fact 70% is generated by burning fossil fules (coal,gas,oil) and 20% nuclear ...

[Vitalius]

LOL, almost sound like you want to talk the US electricity generation eco friendly.

In fact 70% is generated by burning fossil fules (coal,gas,oil) and 20% nuclear ...

Huh, for whatever reason I did not even think of those things. *facepalm*

[WoodenMarker]

My rent includes internet and power so power efficiency means next to zero to me for the next 3 years winner winner

[EChondo]

Just thought I'd chime in about my area in Southern California.

 

I am in an area where we are charged either, $0.08, $0.10, or $0.16 KwH, but literally down the street in a different area I could be charged the previous three KwH or around $0.20, $0.35 or $0.50 per KwH.

 

It all depends on the city, state and nearby energy supplying companies who deliver the power to your city.

 

My city I live in is about 40% eco friendly, so our energy comes from renewable energy sources(sun, etc.), but our neighboring cities are at the basic minimum required, or right below it(33% or so).

 

Supposedly California is going to be raising that minimum renewable energy source from 33% to 50%-60%.

 

Oh and I get charged the $0.16 per KwH and I need to build a Haswell system, need to lower my power usage...

[Ookami]

Prices everywhere are thru the roof these days. Not even eletricity...

 

I agree about most people not leaving PC running 24/7. I even use the switch on the PSU when i turn off the PC.

Basicly i live in a small bachelor flat 25m2 and got fridge, PC, steam cooker and light source running only.

[Guest]

What gets me is the cost of colocation - 1A = 120w for most data centres which can cost anywhere from $250 to $900 per year extra for a single RU. 

[ofr057]

I'm lead to believe in canada most power is hydro so its cheap and clean power

[Jozi]

Prices in my country are eye watering. Really makes folding / boincing hard

[JaeDee884]

I agree about how power consumption is a concern. but one paragraph really irks me.

So please Linus, If you haven't got anything good to say about, just dont comment about that at all. You have way too much influence your viewers opinions, to just blow that off.

can't say I agree with that. regardless of your influence someone should be allowed to say something negative or dismissive about a item/action etc.

to the average consumer low power consumption of the individual part in the system isn't usually why they buy a PC. they buy it cause it gets plastered with adverts saying brand new and next gen.

not saying low power is bad I think its great. but globally most are oblivious.

in fact I only turn my desktop for gaming now. my phone is my computer device unless I need more oompf which makes me grab my laptop. for the sole point of saving power.

[dalekphalm]

I'm lead to believe in canada most power is hydro so its cheap and clean power

Yes this is true to a large degree. The latest report I can find is from 2010, so the figures have likely changed a little since then (Mostly Nuclear going up, as they've been refurbishing and restarting some of the old CANDU reactors at the Bruce site):

Hydroelectric: 63.7%

Nuclear: 15%

Coal: 13.1%

Natural Gas: 6.2%

Wind: 0.6%

fuel oil: 0.5%

wood: 0.4%

other (such as petroleum coke): 0.5%

 

With that in mind, it can vary wildly per province. Quebec and BC for example are almost entirely Hydro driven, whereas Ontario having nearly 60% of their generation being done by Nuclear (82,000 Gigawatt-hours out of the total 141,000 GW-h produced by the province).

 

All things considered, even with the few heavy fossil fuel provinces, Canada is still predominantly "Eco-friendly". Say what you will about Nuclear, but it's very reliable and we've never had a nuclear disaster on a live power plant (just ignore the 50's where everyone was doing heavy R&D for the defence department and the US). Oh, and we don't really get earthquakes or tsunami's either

[MiracleMan]

I pay 0.22€/KWh in germany, 27 is nuts, where do you pay that? oo
Or do you mean 0.27$? (for all who think .05 is nothing, you probably don't pay your electricity bill just yet ) 

 

It is expensive, but not that expensive that i wouldn't run a balling gaming machiene. A fridge, washing machiene etc. consume way more power

[IronSoldier]

£0.13 here. That's $0.21 or 0.16 Euro.

[solomongrundy]

lower power also means longer battery life for mobile devices without sacrificing performance.

[Blade of Grass]

Yes this is true to a large degree. The latest report I can find is from 2010, so the figures have likely changed a little since then (Mostly Nuclear going up, as they've been refurbishing and restarting some of the old CANDU reactors at the Bruce site):

Hydroelectric: 63.7%

Nuclear: 15%

Coal: 13.1%

Natural Gas: 6.2%

Wind: 0.6%

fuel oil: 0.5%

wood: 0.4%

other (such as petroleum coke): 0.5%

 

With that in mind, it can vary wildly per province. Quebec and BC for example are almost entirely Hydro driven, whereas Ontario having nearly 60% of their generation being done by Nuclear (82,000 Gigawatt-hours out of the total 141,000 GW-h produced by the province).

 

All things considered, even with the few heavy fossil fuel provinces, Canada is still predominantly "Eco-friendly". Say what you will about Nuclear, but it's very reliable and we've never had a nuclear disaster on a live power plant (just ignore the 50's where everyone was doing heavy R&D for the defence department and the US). Oh, and we don't really get earthquakes or tsunami's either

Canada has also invented the worlds safest nuclear reaction

[rainbrodash666]

My rent includes internet and power so power efficiency means next to zero to me for the next 3 years winner winner

what is your up down speed?

[Jumper118]

I would rather have more performance than the samewith less power because if itsplugged into thewaltheni isn't goingtorun outand inamoblie device wewant more power to push battery tech fasterbecause its milesbehindeverything else

[Godlygamer23]

I would rather have more performance than the samewith less power because if itsplugged into thewaltheni isn't goingtorun outand inamoblie device wewant more power to push battery tech fasterbecause its milesbehindeverything else

May want to edit that.

[rashdanml]

All things considered, even with the few heavy fossil fuel provinces, Canada is still predominantly "Eco-friendly". Say what you will about Nuclear, but it's very reliable and we've never had a nuclear disaster on a live power plant (just ignore the 50's where everyone was doing heavy R&D for the defence department and the US). Oh, and we don't really get earthquakes or tsunami's either

The main problem with Nuclear energy is not really the potential for nuclear disaster. It's the amount of useless waste as a result of the power generation. Storing/eliminating that waste is a huge problem, and so far, the only "solution" isn't a sustainable one. 

[dalekphalm]

The main problem with Nuclear energy is not really the potential for nuclear disaster. It's the amount of useless waste as a result of the power generation. Storing/eliminating that waste is a huge problem, and so far, the only "solution" isn't a sustainable one. 

While this is true, the amount of waste actually produced (especially with the CANDU reactors that Canada uses) is quite small. Yes you need secure shielded facilities, but we're not talking tons and tons of material.

 

In addition to that, the next generation of CANDU reactors that are being developed right now can actually use nuclear waste material as fuel, which will help to further deplete the radiation they emit. Unfortunately Canada has yet to commit to buying/building any yet. There were plans for one additional reactor in a new site, if I recall correctly. But those plans were scrapped to cut budget.