1998-06-25 , E/IC-1020/54
Product News From Philips Semiconductors

Research by the UK and German governments shows that at least 11% of total power consumption is wasted by equipment, such as monitors, TVs and VCRs, in standby mode waiting for someone to activate them - usually by remote control. VCRs are the worst with nearly 90% of their power consumption being used for standby. The Department of Energy in the US estimates that Americans spend nearly $1 billion each year just powering their TVs and VCRs while on standby. And these figures are likely to increase as more items become fitted with remote control units.

Philips Semiconductors, the largest European semiconductor company, has devised a solution to this problem with the invention of a new device called, appropriately, the  GreenChip™. This can reduce the typical power consumption in standby mode from between 5 to 10 watts to just 1 to 2 watts and yet is able to supply full power in less than one second. This can be reduced even further to between 0.1 and 0.5 watts by the addition of a second GreenChip - giving an overall power saving of up to 99% when going from 10 watts to 0.1 watts.

"If every TV and VCR in Germany, for example, had one of our GreenChips, enough energy would be saved in a year to nearly satisfy the entire power needs of the city of Berlin one and a half times over," explained Leo Warmerdam, Philips Semiconductors' GreenChip marketing manager. "If our GreenChips were used world-wide, dozens of power stations, which are burning fossil fuel and damaging the environment and the ozone layer, would not be needed. Plus, products with GreenChips are cheaper than normal energy-wasting products as fewer parts are needed to make them. "

The secret behind the power saving capability of the GreenChip is a special process that enables Philips Semiconductors to build chips that combine the ability to be programmed to control the energy usage efficiently with tolerance to mains voltages. Normally, chips can only operate at a few volts and would be destroyed if mains voltages were applied to them. These new chips have a special structure that reduces the high voltages down to a level that the chips can handle.

GreenChips are starting to be designed into TVs and VCRs already and these new energy saving products will be available in the shops soon.

Philips Semiconductors, a division of Philips Electronics NV, headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, is the ninth largest semiconductor supplier in the world and the third largest supplier of discretes in the world. Philips Semiconductors' innovations in digital audio, video, and mobile technology position the company as a leader in the consumer, multimedia and wireless communications markets. Sales offices are located in all major markets around the world and are supported by systems labs. Philips' commitment to the environment was recently recognised when the company was presented with the Gold Medal for International Corporate Environmental Achievement.

See also Background Information BG9801: "Philips Semiconductors' GreenChip Switched-Mode Power Supply (SMPS) family product range" and BG9802: "Philips Semiconductors' BCD PowerLogic process provides highly integrated, intelligent control of mains power".

Further information
The US Department of Energy is publishing standby power ratings for appliances at  http://www.epa.gov/energystar.html
UK Government Statistical Service document "Energy Paper 66 - Energy Consumption in the United Kingdom".
 Electronic Design Online article: "Multichip Power Module Targets "Green" Designs
GreenChip is a trademark of Philips Electronics NV.