Glossary · Power, energy and savings

What Is Standby Power? Electronics That Draw Power When Off

Standby power

The electricity many electronics and chargers keep drawing while switched off or not in use. The DOE says it could add 5–10% to a monthly bill.

A monthly bill at the upper end of the DOE estimate

  • Standby power: 10%
  • Everything else: 90%
The upper end of the DOE's estimate, not a measurement of any home: idle electronics could add up to about a tenth of a monthly bill.

At a glance

What it is
Power drawn by electronics that are switched off or idle
How much
Could add 5–10% to a monthly utility bill (DOE)
Cut it with
Advanced power strips with timers, activity monitors or remotes
Chargers
Unplug them when batteries are full or the charger isn't in use

Many consumer electronics continue to draw power even when they are switched off, and that could add an extra 5–10% to your monthly utility bill, according to the Department of Energy’s Energy Saver Guide.

How do you cut it?

The guide suggests advanced power strips, which stop electronics from drawing power when they aren’t being used, with timers, activity monitors or remotes to make it easy. It also says to unplug battery chargers once the batteries are full or the charger isn’t in use. Our guide to lowering your electric bill puts standby power next to the bigger loads, like heating, cooling and hot water.

Published by the Plugged Sun editorial team

Sources

  1. Energy Saver Guide: Tips on Saving Money and Energy at Home (Official document, US Department of Energy, 2022)

Where Standby power comes up