Standby Power

Standby power, sometimes called vampire energy or phantom power, is the energy used by some electronics that are turned off but still plugged into an outlet. This energy use is significant: it accounts for more than 100 billion kilowatt hours of annual U.S. electricity consumption and more than $10 billion in annual energy costs. Here are some ways to combat standby power in your office.

Unplug! 
Simply unplug items that you don’t use very often.

Use a Power Strip 
Plug in items like chargers and lamps, make the strip easily accessible, and turn it off when those items aren’t being used.

Check Out a Kill-a-Watt 
If you want to know how much energy an electronic item is wasting when not in use, borrow a Kill-a-Watt monitor from the Office of Sustainability. EmailmyPower@berkeley.edu to reserve one today.

Watch a Video About How the Kill-a-Watt Works