Mobile phone supplier Nokia (News – Alert) will roll out power alerts on its devices, starting with the 1200, 1208 and 1650. These new mobile alerts are directed specifically by Nokia to encourage people to remove their charger once the battery is fullAlthough appearing extremely simple, the initiative could save enough electricity to power over 85,000 homes a year.
Around two-thirds of the energy used by a mobile phone is lost when it is unplugged after charging but the charger itself is left in a live socket. We want to reduce this waste and are working on reducing to an absolute minimum the amount of energy our chargers use. The new alerts also play an important role, encouraging people to help us in this goal by unplugging their chargers.??? said Kirsi Sormunen, vice president of Environmental Affairs of Nokia.
Nokia’s 1200, 1208, and 1650 are aimed at fast growing markets like India, China and Latin America. Nokia has decided to put the alerts into mass markets products first to help maximize the potential energy savings.
Nokia chargers, which have been in use since 2005, exceed the EPA standards by using 50 to 70% less energy than the Energy Star requirement, and also meet the highest European Union standards. These new alarm alerts are the latest in a series of energy saving initiatives from Nokia.
Last year Nokia’s newest range of chargers were awarded an Energy Star by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. for their energy efficiency.
By 2010, Nokia hopes to reduce the amount of electricity a charger draws by 50% when plugged into the main power line.