Voluntary agreement between the Danish Electricity Saving Trust and Producers of IT equipment concerning electricity savings for standard computers and computer monitors 2006

Voluntary agreement between the Danish Electricity Saving Trust and Producers of IT equipment concerning electricity savings for standard computers and computer monitors

Introduction

Many computers and computer monitors consume electricity at a much higher rate than necessary in all three modes: off/standby power, sleep/low power and on/active power. The Danish Electricity Saving Trust (hereinafter the “Trust”) has estimated that the total potential for savings achievable through a revised procurement policy in the public sector, private industry and private households is approximately 15 GWh per year, increasing to approximately 40 GWh per year over a three-year period. This is equivalent to a total saving in the collective electricity bill of approximately DKK 150 million over three years.

The Trust and a number of suppliers of IT equipment have concluded that voluntary agreements can help to realise this potential saving for computers and monitors. The use of voluntary agreements is also supported by the Government’s January 2004 standby action plan and by its May 2003 energy-saving report, which set out the Government’s view that energy-saving efforts should be based on market-oriented initiatives in order to make it easy for consumers and businesses to choose energy-efficient products.

The September 2005 “Energy Action Plan for a Renewed Energy Saving Effort” published by the Ministry of Transport and Energy also includes the promotion of energy efficient devices and products through the use of voluntary agreements. In addition, the Ministry has issued a circular on “Improving Energy Efficiency in Danish Public Sector Institutions”. Amongst other areas covered, this stipulates that the public sector must only purchase energy-efficient products which conform to the procurement requirements laid down by the Trust.

Against this background, the Trust and a number of producers and suppliers have entered into a voluntary agreement that will contribute to energy savings by computers and monitors. ITB (the Danish IT Industry Association) and SKI (National Procurement Ltd – Denmark) have endorsed the intentions behind the agreement.

The “particularly energy-efficient standard computers and monitors” referred to in the agreement are the products that meet the requirements specified by the Trust (as listed in Appendix 1).

Objectives

The overall objective of the agreement is to reduce the electricity consumption of computers and computer monitors in both active and passive modes through a joint initiative by the parties.

The specific objectives of the agreement are:

• to ensure a well-defined market for energy-efficient IT equipment by introducing to the Danish market energy-efficient computers and monitors with low electricity consumption in standby, sleep and active modes which meet the requirements for public sector IT procurement,
• to increase the level of knowledge of consumers and buyers concerning energy-efficient IT products through suppliers’ product information and marketing combined with information and campaigns by the Trust, and
• to ensure good offers for energy-efficient IT products by working with suppliers to focus special offers on energy-efficient IT products.

Common obligations and rights

• All parties to the agreement shall work positively to implement the agreement.
• All parties to the agreement may announce their participation in the agreement publicly.

The Trust’s obligations

• The Trust shall finance and implement a number of information initiatives to publicise the voluntary agreements and the importance of buying and using the particularly energy-efficient computers and monitors.
• The Trust shall establish and publish product listings of computers and monitors from producers covered by this agreement. Products that meet the requirements specified in the agreement for particularly energy-efficient equipment are identified by an “Energy-efficient” declaration.
• The Trust shall provide secretarial assistance in coordinating the agreements, etc.

The Producer’s obligations

• The Producer undertakes to specify electricity consumption in on mode/active power, sleep mode/low power and off mode/standby power for standard marketed computers and monitors in publicity material aimed at potential buyers and points of sale, such as advertisements, brochures, retailer circulars and newsletters as described in Appendix 1. Wherever possible, this also applies to web sites, electronic media, other technical information and other similar media where product data is given. The values specified for electricity consumption must follow the definitions in Appendix 1.
• The Producer undertakes to use most of its marketing budget for computers and monitors to market particularly energy-efficient computers and monitors.
• The Producer undertakes to focus the majority of its special offers relating to computers and monitors on particularly energy-efficient computers and monitors.
• For the particularly energy-efficient products, the Producer shall provide the above electricity consumption data, including a declaration of the accuracy of the data and, if necessary, other product data from the Trust’s product listings.