About Us

Ecos Plug Load Solutions and the 80plus.org website is a portal for the latest energy-efficient technology products and links to our program and its participants. We provide an easily accessible gateway to the research, products, programs and places of purchase of energy-efficient technologies that institutions, corporations and individuals use every day.

For Commercial and Residential Consumers: Empower yourself with information that will help you cut energy costs and reduce your environmental impact.  Visit our product pages to become more educated on products that you use everyday and visit our program manufacturers, and retailers for buying qualified energy-efficient products.

For Manufacturers: Discover new ways to add value to and differentiate your product through improved efficiency and energy efficiency promotional programs.

For Utilities: Explore the program sponsorship opportunities for reducing plug loads on overburdened grids, making for cutting-edge demand-side management investments with proven results.

Plug Load Solutions and the 80plus.org site is owned and maintained by Ecos — a Portland, OR-based company that specializes in energy efficiency, climate and sustainability solutions.

For more information about Plug Load Solutions and its programs, please send us an e-mail with your questions, comments, and suggestions.

Program Timeline and Milestones:

• Addition of Bronze, Silver, and Gold 80PLUS labels to distinguish among various levels of efficiency (2008)
• ENERGY STAR® Computer Specification (Version 4.0) goes into effect.  The specification includes 80 PLUS power supply efficiency levels for desktop computers (July 20, 2007)
• Dell certifies 4 power supplies (Feb 2007)
• HP joins by certifying 80 PLUS power supplies (Nov 2006)
• ENERGY STAR include 80 PLUS requirements in new computer draft specification (2006)
• First market-ready power supply by Seasonic certified 80 PLUS (Feb 2005)
• Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance becomes first sponsor (Fall 2004)
• Program concept announced at ACEEE Market Transformation Symposium (Mar 2004)
• Ecos & EPRI developed the Generalized Internal Power Supply Efficiency Test Protocol for desktop derived multi-output power supplies (2003 - 2005)

What are Power Supplies? Power supplies are the devices that power computers and servers. They convert AC power from electric utilities into DC power used in most electronics.

Program Materials 80 PLUS Heat & Reliability Fact Sheet [84KB .PDF] 80 PLUS Power Quality Fact Sheet [967KB .PDF] 80 PLUS Brochure [1.2MB .PDF] 80 PLUS Benefits Fact Sheet [1.1MB .PDF]

What is the 80 PLUS specification?

The 80 PLUS performance specification requires multi-output power supplies in computers and servers to be 80% or greater energy efficient at 20%, 50% and 100% of rated load with a true power factor of 0.9 or greater. This makes an 80 PLUS certified power supply substantially more efficient than typical power supplies and creates a unique market differentiation opportunity for power supply and computer manufacturers.