Edison General FAQ

What is Edison?

Inspired by Verdiem's patented PC power-management technology, which is used by major corporations the world over, Edison is an innovative application that brings dramatic PC energy savings into homes like yours. Easy to download and install, Edison enables you to manage your PC's power usage, save on energy costs, and help preserve the environment.

Who developed Edison?

Edison was created by Verdiem Corporation, the leading developer of power management software for IT devices. In addition to offering Edison software for individual PC users, Verdiem is the developer of Surveyor software, which provides major corporate and institutional customers with measurable energy and cost savings. Easy to implement and maintain, Surveyor enables users to manage their PC power options automatically while providing rapid payback. Surveyor's development was funded in part by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, and the software is approved as a conservation measure by utilities and power producers throughout North America. Verdiem is a recognized partner in the Environmental Protection Agency's EnergyStar® program and was recently awarded Premier Partner status in the U.S. Department of Energy's Rebuild America program.

At Verdiem, we're passionate about saving energy on a global basis. Contact us today to find out how we can help you save energy and money.

Why is Edison Free?

Verdiem is offering Edison for free to people who care about power efficiency. Whether it's saving money or reducing carbon that interests you, Edison offers a simple way to fight energy waste.

We hope that as people use Edison, they'll become more aware of the global energy waste problem and possible solutions they can implement at home and on the job. Verdiem offers a suite of software products and services to help businesses achieve the same energy waste reduction Edison provides. Verdiem does charge for the business products.

How does Edison help me save energy?

An expert in the PC power management field, Verdiem identified years ago that the easiest way to eliminate energy waste was to optimize a PC’s power settings by having them correspond to its schedule of use. Edison allows you to set a schedule that takes into account how you typically use and do not use your computer. Once your schedule is set, Edison can optimize your power settings to take maximum advantage of that schedule.

How much energy can I really save by using Edison?

The actual amount of energy you could potentially save using Edison varies widely depending on the type of computer you have, its components, and age. According to a report from the Environmental Protection Agency, the difference between the energy use of a computer using power management and one not using power management is about 410 kWh per year. Assuming the average cost of energy is $0.089 per kWh, that is a difference of about $36.50 (USD) annually.

What is Carbon Dioxide (CO2)?

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the most common greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. It is regulated through the natural carbon cycle, where carbon dioxide is emitted into the air and reabsorbed by plants and water. This cycle is upset by the emission of additional carbon dioxide from human activities. Because natural cycles cannot absorb these additional emissions, a large portion of carbon dioxide remains trapped in the atmosphere and increases climate change. The primary human source of carbon dioxide is the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation.

What is a kWh?

The kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the most commonly used unit of measure telling the amount of electricity consumed over time. It means one kilowatt of electricity supplied for one hour. As a reference, an Energy Star®compliant computer running without power management settings uses about 506 kWh per year while a computer using power management uses about 96 kWh per year.

ENERGY STAR and the ENERGY STAR mark are registered U.S. marks. ENERGY STAR is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.