• The Energy Content of Software – Part I

    I’m frequently asked what is being done to improve the efficiency of semiconductor devices.  Digital core companies such as Altera and Xilinx as well as processor companies like Intel, AMD, Freescale and many others have been working to reduce both static and dynamic power in their products especially as geometries move beyond 40 nanometers.  Most modern analog processes have much larger feature sizes and do not suffer…

  • Creating Efficient Architectures

    Back in April, I sat on a panel at the 2008 Globalpress Electronics Summit held in San Francisco along with several esteemed collogues.  We were asked a question at the end of the discussion - "What single thing could the electronics industry do to help save energy?" My original answer was to implement a set of metrics to allow engineers to quickly evaluate the energy consumed by a device or system in relation…

  • The Hidden Benefits of Electric Vehicles – Driving Tax Free

    Today the surge in fuel prices has started a trend in improving mileage and adopting alternative fuels as well as driving consumers to gas-electric hybrids and soon fully electric vehicles.  What’s more interesting about this trend is the current hidden benefits associated with the movement to electricity as an energy source for transportation.  Let’s take a look at an example of a hidden benefit that early adopters…

  • The True Cost of an Internet “Click”

    Did you ever stop and think about how much energy you consume? Yes, you personally... and your family.  I think about it all the time.  I turn off lights, adjust the thermostat, consolidate my trips to reduce fuel consumption and turn off the TV when not watching.  I’m sure you do the exact same thing.  The cost of all forms of energy is continuously increasing especially in the last few years.  But have you ever thought…

  • Achieving Zero Carbon – Self Powering Electronic Systems

    What if someone were to tell you that you could build a product that, following manufacturing, would use zero power and produce no carbon emissions? My first response would be, "yes, if you have abundant energy in the product’s environment that could be harvested efficiently".  So what "energy" is there to harvest?  Let’s take a look at the available sources and methods for creating a zero power…

  • Welcome to the Blog

    Welcome to the EnergyZarr blog… as you can see, my surname is Zarr which very often is confused with Czar or Tsar (Russian) or Zar (German) which translates to “autocratic ruler” – cough… I assure you, the only thing I rule is about 14 square feet of my garage.  However, I did think it was a catchy title, so here we are.

    I’m an engineer by education as well as by nature and love to discuss…