Not many years ago, most households had a television in the living room, a bulky desktop computer in the study, and perhaps a stereo on the kitchen counter or dresser in the bedroom. Offices, similarly, had a handful of electronic devices that were often shared. For the most part, these devices had to be turned on and off with the flick of a switch or the turn of a dial.
Today, instead, many American homes and businesses are powering various computers, televisions, tablets, and other electronic devices that are always on standby. While these technological advancements are certainly convenient, they also mean that we are dealing with a glut of devices that are constantly consuming power even when turned off. This wasted energy, called "vampiric charge", is an easy target for energy efficiency measures. According to the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), vampire charges add 0 to a home's average annual energy costs. Collectively, all this wasted electricity is enough to power 11 million homes.
Ter falls asleep before turning off the TV, a smart power strip could generate 20 percent energy savings. By finding the best smart power strip for their situation, power consumers can make a significant cut in their power consumption, without having to make any changes to the use of their electronic devices.