Connected devices responsible for billions in wasted energy

Connected devices come in many flavors, some from big-name companies, others from lesser known entities looking to nab their piece of the industry pie. Regardless, the market is filled with energy-inefficient products, and they are having an unfortunate effect: billions of dollars in wasted electricity every year.

That's according to a new study by the International Energy Agency, which reports that 616 terawatt hours of electricity were consumed by Internet-connected devices last year. Of that 616 terawatts, it is said that 400 were the result of inefficient technologies that didn't conserve electricity well in standby mode.

As the proliferation of connected devices increases, it is anticipated the number of wasted electricity will continue to rise over the years, hitting $120 billion or so by 2020. Presently, it is estimated $80 billion in electricity is wasted annually.

The issue is narrowed down to network standby technologies, with the study revealing that many connected devices use nearly the same amount of electricity while idle as they do when in full operation mode. Using energy-efficient technologies will rectify the issue.

VIA: Digital Trends