New energy efficiency standards went into effect Wednesday for personal computers and PC-related devices.
The Energy Star 5.0 specifications were approved by the Environmental Protection Agency last November. They tighten the requirements for computer makers who want the Energy Star label on their products.
Computers and devices earning the 5.0 label will use 30% to 60% less energy than those under the previous standard, according to Katharine Kaplan, a spokeswoman for the Energy Star program.
Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), Dell (Nasdaq: DELL), Lenovo (LNVGY.PK) and Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) are among the computer makers that have already started shipping some PCs that adhere to the new specifications.
The new power allowance for desktops is between 148 KwH and 234 KwH. The allowance for laptops is between 40 kilowatts per hour and 88.5 KwH based on three modes: standby, active and sleep modes.
The new standard is expected to be taken up quickly by computer makers, because the U.S. government and some corporations require purchases to be in compliance with Energy Star standards.
In May Energy Star launched the first specifications for enterprise servers.
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