Energy Star delays leave Fujitsu Siemens mulling own green label

Fujitsu Siemens is mulling an eco-label for computing equipment after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) missed a deadline for the creation of its own standard.

The computer manufacturer is unhappy with the EPA's Energy Star label, which specifies power requirements for some computing equipment.

"They say that the equipment reaches criteria – it tells you that minimum requirements are fulfilled," said Dr Joseph Reger, chief technology officer at Fujitsu Siemens, arguing that instead, qualification for carrying the label should depend on an energy consumption standard based on projected usage scenarios for equipment. "It is very important how many hours of the day a machine is on," he said. "So the web site should say 'according to this kind of measurement it uses this much energy in a year'."

The EPA was planning an assessment tool called Energy Efficiency Performance Assessment (EEPA), which would evaluate desktop and notebook-related product categories running a predetermined workload. However, Reger expressed frustration that the plans were now running behind schedule. "The EPA promised us something in July, but it missed the deadline," he said.

The EPA was relying on a tool called EEcoMark, developed by the Business Applications Performance Corporation (BAPco), to help gather data for the EEPA. However, delivery of the tool was delayed.

Planning for Fujitsu Siemens' own eco-label is now happening in earnest, but the company is not working with other vendors on the initiative, suggesting its reach could be limited. Reger added that the company would be happy to abandon the development of its own tool if a version of EEPA is forthcoming from the EPA.