External power adapters, also known as power supplies, are crucial to the operation of virtually all small electronic devices. As many as 1.5 billion are in use in the U.S. — that's about five for every person. The total electricity flowing through all types of power supplies is about:
300 billion kWh/year, and 11% of the national electric bill
They convert high voltage ac electricity from the wall outlet to the low voltage dc power used to power electronic products, like MP3 players, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), camcorders, digital cameras, laptops, and cordless and mobile phones.
An adapter that has earned the ENERGY STAR meets strict energy-efficiency guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE).
On average, 30% more efficient than conventional models. Are often lighter and smaller in size, which makes it easier for consumers to transport products like laptops. Consumers are now able to purchase a growing variety of products that are packaged with ENERGY STAR qualified power adapters. Products with qualified adapters are identified with a special version of the ENERGY STAR label. |
