AUPS aims to fix the AC/DC power supply model 
(18/07/2008)
In the past decade alone, the consumer electronics industry has developed and sold billions of devices that require AC to DC power supplies. Because every new CE device comes with a charger, some 3.2 billion power supplies will be designed and shipped in 2008 alone. And because every electronic product has a unique voltage and current requirement, many incompatible power supplies must be designed, produced, packaged, shipped and discarded unnecessarily.
By making power supplies universal and reusable through digital collaboration, manufacturers can eliminate costs, consumers enjoy the convenience of powering any product with any power supply, and significant reductions in solid waste can be achieved.
The open systems model for powering electronic products took one leap from concept to reality when the Alliance for Universal Power Supplies (AUPS) held its second conference recently.
Providing much of the energy behind this new momentum was Darwin Chang, CTO of Westinghouse Digital Electronics LLC, who took the lead in announcing his company’s plans to be the first adopter of the smart power interface, pioneered by Green Plug. AUPS is chartered to help remove obstacles that exist in getting electronic products to incorporate universal power solutions - challenges that touch on various technical, legal and financial considerations. On hand at the second AUPS conference were interested individuals, product vendors, retailers, government agencies, academics and NGOs, who came together in this latest drive toward establishing an open systems model for power.
At the event, the organization formally elected its board of directors, naming Westinghouse’s Chang; Dave Canny, Senior Program Manager in Customer Energy Efficiency at PG&E; and Seth Socolow, VP of Business Development for Green Plug, to the three-member panel.
The conference showcased presentations from the China Academy of Telecommunication Research, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Westinghouse and Steelcase shared their respective visions of the importance of distributing DC power for electronic devices. And, moderated by PG&E’s Canny, an AUPS panel – featuring Morgan-Lewis, Motorola Ventures, Fujitsu Laboratories of America, iWatt, and the Santa Fe Institute -- addressed “the challenges of getting to an open systems power model.” For the program agenda, visit www.allianceforuniversalpower.org/agenda.php. Conference presentation materials will be archived and available soon.
“The AUPS meeting was an inspiring gathering of industry representatives and other partners interested in fixing the broken AC/DC power supply model,” said Canny. “AUPS was particularly excited to hear Darwin Chang of Westinghouse and new AUPS board member, announce that Westinghouse will soon begin to produce GreenPlug-enabled CE products. The meeting was truly a manifestation of Robert Socolow's statement made at the first AUPS meeting in October 2007 that ‘What once seemed too hard has become what simply must be done.’"
"Everybody I talk to about this says it's a great idea whose time has come (or is long overdue),” said Kevin Krejci, Business Development & Alliance Manager for Fujitsu Laboratories of America. “It's time we as industry listen to the consumers and give them what they want. I'm sure most people are willing to pay more for the convenience, and that will translate into green for us as well as green for the environment."
The momentum building within the industry reflects popular sentiment, as conveyed on many of the leading consumer electronics blogs. In a recent post on Engadget, Sasha S. best summed up that sentiment: “Why don't we tell the companies we buy products from that we really, really want this technology? So come on Apple, Dell, HP, Sony, Canon, Philips - get off your lazy butts and adopt this! You remember those two guys who started the movement and brought us original Coke taste back? We can do the same. Power to the people!
AUPS is comprised of a diverse group of organizations, including consumer electronics manufacturers; ASIC and power supply power firms; energy and waste management companies; various government agencies; equipment and tools manufacturers serving the automotive and aircraft industries; residential and commercial builders; cable and telephone companies; and the hospitality sector. Through development of industry standards, AUPS members seek to enable their products and services to be universally compatible and eco-friendly. AUPS focuses on multiport, reusable and efficient developments that ensure interoperability and unprecedented safety, and encourage innovation and market growth.
Related categories: Company changes UPS and batteries
