How much power does a computer use? It varies, naturally with the size, type and amount of time used.
Lets take a computer that uses 600 watts as an example. Imagine a water pipe with water coming out. The speed at which it is exiting would be its watts also know as joules per second. 600 watts is also 0.6Kw and to find the amount of energy used simply multiply by the hours used.
Example
Computer use of 3 hours per day at 0.6kw per hour.
0.6 Kw x 3 hours = 1.8 Kwh
If your electricity charge is 10 cents per hour
then 1.8kwh x 10 = 18 cents
At 18 cents per 3 hours every day for a year then
0.18 x 365 = $ 65.70
Energy
From the analogy above, Kwh would be equivalent to the volume of water that exits the pipe.
0.6 x 3 x 365 = 657Kwh ( this is the amount of use over a year)
To find out your carbon footprint for using a computer at this rate visit the site below and type in your Kwh.
http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html
The quantity of carbon emitted from a coal fired power stations at this rate of useage is 0.453 metric tons of carbon dioxide.
Summary.
There will soon be a tax on carbon emissions in Australia which will be payed by the largest carbon polluters. Compensation for households is expected to offset the inevitable increase in the price of electricity so generally real disposable income should stay the same or close to it.
Half a ton of carbon seems very large and if the scientists are correct about global warming then the action being taken is hopefully the right one.
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