How Much Is Standby Power Costing You?
Estimate the electricity consumed by devices while they are idle, sleeping or waiting in standby. Compare a single device with a group of standby loads and see the yearly cost at your own electricity price.
What standby electricity really means
Standby power is electricity consumed while equipment is not providing its primary service. Examples include chargers, televisions, networking equipment, entertainment devices and appliances with always-on controls.
Why small wattage can become expensive
A few watts may appear insignificant on a single device. The financial impact becomes more noticeable when many devices remain energized continuously for thousands of hours each year.
Use measured standby power when possible
Nameplate ratings are not necessarily the actual idle draw. A plug-in power meter or other suitable measurement can produce a much better estimate for devices whose standby consumption varies.
Where the biggest savings usually come from
The most useful targets are persistent loads with meaningful wattage, particularly when several identical devices remain powered unnecessarily. Eliminating zero-value standby operation can sometimes be more effective than focusing on a single very short-duration load.
Example calculation
Five devices drawing 4 W each for 20 hours a day consume 0.4 kWh/day. At $0.20/kWh, that is approximately $29/year. The exact cost changes with actual standby power, hours and electricity price.
FAQs
Does standby power run 24 hours a day?
Not necessarily. Use the actual number of hours equipment remains energized.
Should chargers be unplugged?
Only when practical and appropriate for the equipment. The financial impact should be evaluated against convenience and operating requirements.
Can standby power be negative?
No. A standby load is zero or positive energy consumption.
Does this include demand charges?
No. This calculator focuses on energy consumption and the associated per-kWh cost.