A company with 5,000 computers could save almost $47,000 and cut 106 tonnes of carbon emissions with a switch from Windows XP to Vista

ITBusiness.com:Brian Jackson

Canadian companies still using Microsoft Windows XP operating system may be sucking more power off the grid than if they were to upgrade to Windows Vista, says a new Microsoft-commissioned study.

Both operating systems use almost identical amounts of power when the PC is in use.

However Vista’s default power-saving features could make a big difference to a company’s utilities bill and carbon footprint, according to the study by London, Ont.-based analyst firm Info-Tech Research Group.

“Businesses running a fleet of Windows XP desktops and laptops can actually reduce their power consumption costs and carbon dioxide emissions by half,” says Jennifer Colasanti, Info-Tech research consultant and study lead.

The main power savings came from Vista’s power management features.

Vista computers are automatically put in low-power Sleep Mode when sitting idle, she said, and network administrators can use Group Policy to manage power saving settings across an entire company.

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