Separately last week, Intel Corp. and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) said they had developed an efficiency specification for power supplies used in desktop PCs. While the EPA specification focuses on external supplies, such as the bricks used to power portable PCs, NRDC's focuses on internal supplies.

Although the electronics industry has been moving to lower power consumption, the EPA and the NRDC believe power suppliers can do more. EPA hopes the proposed specifications will give suppliers a marketing tool in a cutthroat global market characterized by price erosion. Intel and the NRDC foresee a $5 to $6 adder to the cost of PC power supplies but one that consumers can immediately amortize with a $17 per year savings in electricity.

The specifications would expand the EPA's existing Energy Star program, in which makers of consumer, office and other electronic products voluntarily certify and label their products as meeting minimum energy conservation requirements. Under the expanded program, power supplies would be recognized as an energy-saving component. OEMs seeking compliance for their products would be required to use supplies meeting the proposed power specifications, which spell out minimum average power efficiencies under both active- and no-load conditions.

The efficiency spec released by Intel and NRDC sets targets for PC power supply efficiency under various loading conditions. The supplies must be 70 percent efficient under both a full load and a 50 percent load; 60 percent efficient at a 20 percent load. Previous specifications had established recommended efficiencies for heavily loaded PCs and those in "sleep mode," but nothing in between.

The EPA expects final specifications by summer's end, followed by an implementation date. Power supply makers then would be able to qualify and promote their products as being Energy Star-compliant.

Jeff Shepard, president of Darnell Group (Corona, Calif.), said suppliers could benefit from marketing products as Energy Star-compliant. But cost remains a key factor, he said: "People will not pay significantly more for energy efficiency."

The power supply industry remains a key electricity user. Over a billion external power supplies ship worldwide each year, said Andrew Fanara, Energy Star product specifications team leader. He estimated that more than 207 billion kilowatt-hours per year — about 6 percent of the national electric bill — flow through all power supplies, both internal and external.

— Additional reporting by Stephan Ohr.