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Computing companies ally for low power

AMD, IBM, HP and Sun band together to try to encourage energy thriftiness among computing customers.

Stephen Shankland Former Principal Writer
Stephen Shankland worked at CNET from 1998 to 2024 and wrote about processors, digital photography, AI, quantum computing, computer science, materials science, supercomputers, drones, browsers, 3D printing, USB, and new computing technology in general. He has a soft spot in his heart for standards groups and I/O interfaces. His first big scoop was about radioactive cat poop.
Expertise Processors, semiconductors, web browsers, quantum computing, supercomputers, AI, 3D printing, drones, computer science, physics, programming, materials science, USB, UWB, Android, digital photography, science. Credentials
  • Shankland covered the tech industry for more than 25 years and was a science writer for five years before that. He has deep expertise in microprocessors, digital photography, computer hardware and software, internet standards, web technology, and more.
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Stephen Shankland
Advanced Micro Devices, Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems and IBM announced the Green Grid project Wednesday to help computing customers reduce energy consumption--and to gain a competitive advantage by letting customers know which companies can assist.

The "="" data-asset-type="article" data-uuid="97ffdae9-fee0-11e4-bddd-d4ae52e62bcc" data-slug="electric-slide-for-tech-industry" data-link-text="computing customers struggle with burgeoning electricity consumption"> and attendant heating problems. While computing companies are in part to blame through ever-hotter chips and servers, they're also trying to address the problem and to get an edge over competitors.

One major rivalry is between AMD and Intel. AMD's Opteron mainstream server processors consume 95 watts, compared to a range of 110 to 165 watts for Intel's accompanying Xeon. When it comes to servers, Sun Microsystems has built an ad campaign around the idea of using less energy.

The Green Grid effort is open to computing professionals, hardware and software companies, systems integrators and others, but Intel isn't involved.

"We were not asked to join," spokesman Scott McLaughlin said. "We've been involved in a lot of alliances and have a history of developing industry ecosystems. Regardless of who's organizing it, we're always ready to participate as long as it's focused on the customer not just issuing press releases."

Au contraire, countered AMD spokesman Phil Hughes. Although Intel didn't receive a written invitation, AMD representatives verbally invited Intel on March 27, he said.