First "Carbon-Free" CPU Fights Global Warming

An anonymous reader writes "VIA is doing its bit to fight Global Warming by introducing the 'world's first carbon-free' desktop PC processor. The RoHS-compliant C7-D consumes 20W at 1.8GHz, and is accompanied by a 'Clean Computing Initiative' that aims to offset the chip's environmental cost. According to a LinuxDevices report, VIA has pledged that atmospheric carbon released during generation of the power needed to run the chip throughout its expected life-cycle will be offset by regional conservation, reforestation, and energy programs initiated or contributed to by VIA."

Very interesting

[mendaliv]

I was wondering how long it would take for another CPU company to make the argument that their CPU is better for reasons other than speed.

I know that AMD has been making the power saving argument for awhile (I saw ads in downtown Chicago at busstops in early July).

Here's info from the article about AMD's CPUs in comparison...
"AMD, meanwhile, is currently shipping "energy efficient" desktop chip models that typically draw 65 Watts, instead of 85 Watts. Additionally, the company offers "energy efficient, small form factor" models rated at 35 Watts, although only the single-core Sempron model in this category appears to be shipping -- the long-awaited, 35 Watt, dual-core Athlon64 X2 3800+ model is expected to ship to PC-makers in time to go into holiday-season PCs"

Re:20W != Carbon Free

[eln]

By "carbon free," they mean they're going to be making donations to various environmental initiatives to offset the carbon it uses. The article also shows a little chart showing that their chip uses less carbon over its lifetime than Intel or AMD chips. I'm not sure if that means it's far more efficient, or that they expect it to burn out quicker ;).

Re:20W != Carbon Free

[grommit]

So I guess you didn't bother to read the summary even? Specifically:

Via has pledged that atmospheric carbon released during generation of the power needed to run the chip throughout its expected lifecycle will be offset by regional conservation, reforestation, and energy programs initiated or contributed to by Via.

Re:20W != Carbon Free

[Profane MuthaFucka]

Talk about missing the point. The chip will have it's carbon usage compensated for by carbon offset purchases. Whatever the chip uses, VIA will pay for the same amount to be generated by wind power, offsetting the carbon that the chip uses.

Woo, I feel so smug!

[default luser]

It's sad how few people realize their "efficient" Via CPU is not so efficient?

Clock-for-clock, the optimized WinChip core (yes, even the C7 uses the very same core) can only process one integer and one floating-point instruction in parallel. This makes it 2-3x slower per-clock than modern CPUs. So, while you're still waiting on your Via C7 to crunch those numbers (at 20w), a Core2 Duo or A64 X2 system can do it in 1/4-1/6 the time (at 35w), and clock down to low-power state (3-5w).

So, I hope you feel good about how much carbon Via saves building the chip, because not only does it uses more power than competing processors to do the same amount of work, it takes longer too :D

Via's day in the sun is over. They were faced with the poor performance of the Winchip core, and instead of redesigning it, they touted the low power (which is true) and efficiency (which is not true). Intel and AMD responded with innovations like real-time voltage and frequency adjustment, and all of a sudden Via is scrambling just to try and keep up.

Re:20W != Carbon Free

[mlk]

Unless I've miss read (or /. has miss reported) "VIA has pledged that atmospheric carbon released during generation of the power needed to run the chip throughout its expected life-cycle will be offset by regional conservation, reforestation, and energy programs initiated or contributed to by VIA." they mean "Carbon Neutral"

Re:man-made Global Warming is unproven

[cthrall]

Regulating restrictions on emissions can create new jobs as well. Somebody has to design those cleaners/scrubbers/etc.

The amount of pollution that we emit is small compared to China

Not that small. [wikipedia.org]

Its probably too late for this to get modded, but.

[tetrahedrassface]

Well this is timely for me. Too bad I didn't get to this article when it first posted. But, I recently investigated the Chicago Carbon Exchange for a number of reasons. First of all as a landowner with close to 500 acres of planted pines in plantation form, I wanted to find out what criteria some of these Carbon Offset schemes are founded on.

A quick check of several carbon neutral sites, where they propose to offset your carbon output for a fee dependent on how much driving you do etc..., left me feeling as if it were a scam of some sort. They offer no real assurance that your money is being placed into long term land/biomass projects. IE, the data is not publicaly verifiable. Its just their word. "pay us 88 dollars and you are Carbon Neutral!!" The sites/entities proclaming carbon offsets should be required to have verifable data to those that join.

I saw no evidence of that, and it is needed.

So some digging was in order. A quick call to the Chicago Carbon Exchange, and subsequent dialog with a nice enough bloke in charge of the offsets regarding the siging up of our ranch up in carbon offsets struck me as odd. The exchange currently favors pine plantations with poplars, vs native hardwoods. Native hardwoods live longer and are a a climax species for my area (East Tennessee).

The fellow said that our pine planataion could qualify for listing with the carbon exchange, but they really want actively managed plantations vs. unmanaged tracts of woodlands (even if they are recoverving from clear cutting).. I tend to disagree on the track of these offset schemes, because even the Carbon Exchange wants the timber to be harvested.

The whole process is just getting started I will admit, but it needs some serious thinking through on their part. The trees when mature are harvested. Which emits C02, and then proccessed, and then that carbon slowly degrades back into the atmosphere.

It really doesn't make sense. They should really be trying harder for longer term preservation with native species into climax ecosystems, with selective logging.

Now, about the late comment, I would have posted earlier but I have been running a business all day, and came home to plant yet another acre of white pines for a seperate christmas tree thing we are trying at the homestead...(yep /me = hippie, geek, rancher, musciaion type)

So please folks treat it as more than just feel good, pass the buck public image/advertising.

And demand verification from the offset folks, don't just take thier word on it.

Peace out, D