Dell Enables Customers to Save $3 Billion in Energy Costs

Dell has enabled customers using OptiPlex desktop systems since 2005 to save an estimated $3 billion in energy costs and avoid nearly 29 million tons of CO2 through power management and energy-efficiency1, part of the company’s commitment to deliver the industry’s most environmentally-responsible information technology.

• Three-Year Desktop CO2 Avoidance Estimated at 29 Million Tons
• Desktops, Laptops Among First to Meet ENERGY STAR 5.0 Specifications
• Customers of All Sizes Benefiting from Dell’s Green Efforts

Dell also announced today that select configurations of the OptiPlex 760 and 960 desktops, Latitude E6400 and E4300 laptops and Dell Precision M2400 mobile workstation meet ENERGY STAR 5.0 specifications recently issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The company expects that additional systems will meet the requirements in the near future.

“We’re executing on our pledge to drive cost savings for customers while also reducing technology’s impact on the planet,” said Jeff Clarke, senior vice president, Dell Product Group. “Every industry has a role to play in leading the transition to a low-carbon economy and we are helping our customers achieve higher levels of efficiency through power management and Energy Smart technology and services.”

Power management alone can help reduce a PC’s energy consumption by up to 80 percent according to a recent study by 1E and the Alliance to Save Energy, allowing companies to save an estimated $25 - $75 per desktop PC. Dell recognizes that adoption rates are influenced in part by user behavior and currently ships OptiPlex desktop, Latitude laptop and Dell Precision Workstation systems with factory-enabled power-management features.

The company is saving approximately $3 million annually and avoiding nearly 20,000 tons of CO2 through facilities improvements and a global power-management initiative.

Robertson Homes, a Dell small business customer and green home builder in St. Cloud, Fla., recently added eight new Energy Smart OptiPlex 960 desktops and a Dell PowerEdge T300 server to help reduce operating costs. Dell’s new Energy Smart OptiPlex 960 enables up to 43 percent less power consumption to reduce energy costs over the previous generation2, comes in packaging that is up to 89 percent recyclable and contains at least 10 percent post-consumer recycled plastic on the small form factor model (mini-tower and desktop will be available in December).

“We are continuously looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint and save on our bottom line,” said Clint Robertson, IT manager for Robertson Homes. “By adding Dell’s energy-efficient systems with power-management enabled, we expect that our IT related energy costs will be reduced by as much as 84 percent.”

Leading The Way In Energy-Efficient, Low-Carbon Technology

In September, Dell announced plans to transition all of its new laptop displays to energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) within 12 months. In addition to being mercury-free and highly recyclable, LED displays deliver significant energy savings compared to cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) technology.

Dell’s new OptiPlex and Latitude systems are the first step in the company’s commitment to design desktops and laptops that consume up to 25 percent less energy by 2010. The energy efficiency of Dell OptiPlex desktops has improved nearly 50 percent since 2005, while Latitude laptops have improved 16 percent since 2006.

In August, Dell announced that it had met its carbon-neutral goal more than five months ahead of schedule through a combination of operational efficiencies, greater investment in green power and responsible offsets to cover remaining impacts. The company is ranked No. 3 in the latest EPA Fortune 500 Green Power Challenge rankings, ahead of HP, IBM and Apple, and is working alongside utility and government partners to encourage greater supply of green energy.

In June, Dell became the first company to introduce an “80 PLUS Gold-certified” power supply for servers, exceeding 2009 targets outlined by the Climate Savers Computing Initiative.

Dell also introduced its first “hybrid” PC that is about 80 percent smaller than a standard Dell desktop and consumes up to 70 percent less energy.

The company’s new enterprise laser printers and single-function color laser printers announced today are ENERGY STAR-certified, using on average 25 percent less energy than conventional printer models3, with duplexing standard to help reduce paper usage. Additionally, each new printer is RoHS compliant.