HP to double renewable power use by 2012

HP has pledged to double its global purchases of renewable power - from under four per cent this year to eight per cent in 2012.

In 2007, it successfully met another goal to increase renewable purchases by more than 350 per cent, HP said.

The new goal complements HP's previous declaration to reduce energy consumption and its resulting greenhouse gases to 16 per cent below 2005 levels by 2012. It was also looking to reduce the energy consumption of its volume desktop and notebooks by 25 per cent, relative to 2005 levels.

The company said that it was investing in technologies which were designed to bring it closer to a sustainable IT ecosystem. It gave an example of research by HP Labs that used nanowire photonics that could potentially increase the efficiency of solar cells and optimise the use of renewable energy.

It said in a statement: "This development allows solar cells to operate on a level of those used in expensive deep-space applications, while being manufactured at much lower costs, like those used in pocket calculators or to recharge portable devices."

The announcement also marked the start of Energy Saving Week, designed to promote energy saving action from UK households.

A survey released to mark the beginning of the week revealed that 44 per cent of British employees would be motivated if their employers offered green benefits.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Milliband said: "Employers have a vital role to play in ensuring workplaces are as energy-efficient as possible, as well as helping their employees in their desire to lead a greener lifestyle away from the office."