IBC e-Daily - It's not easy being green

"Once the pocket is affected, then people take notice," Jaume Rey, director of professional broadcast systems for Panasonic told the audience at the panel 'What is the Cost of Not Being Green?'. Rey said that Panasonic is taking steps to promote eco ideas in its products and its acquisitions. "We are buying Sanyo not because they have wonderful screens and good audio equipment," said Rey. "We are buying them because they have a leading position in rechargeable batteries and solar panel technology."

The BBC has instituted an automatic shut-off of computers which has taken some €340,000 off its annual electricity bill. "One problem is how to get the facilities department and the IT departments to work together, " observed Chris Haughton-Brown, principal consultant for Siemens IT Solutions and Services.

Siemens has developed a low-power desktop that is on show at IBC that, using photovoltaics, uses 80% less power. "Desktop computers costs about €33 in electricity and another €11 in cooling costs, but with this prototype we are down to €4.50," said Haughton-Brown.