Marvell today announced energy efficient digital power factor correction technology for power supplies that is designed to cut PC energy use and help reduce the carbon footprint by reducing the need to add more power plants. Based on Marvell's digital signal processing (DSP) and power management expertise, these new chips are expected to boost energy efficiency by aligning the current and voltage coming from the electrical outlet for optimal energy use by the PC. Today, more than half the power from the outlet is wasted as heat.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are more than 10 billion AC-DC power supplies used in computing, telecommunications, and consumer electronics worldwide. According to the EPA, more efficient power supply designs could significantly reduce U.S energy use, saving nearly $3 billion and about 24 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

"At Marvell, we are committed to green technology that will reduce our collective carbon footprint and slow the rate of climate change," said Hubie Notohamiprodjo, general manager, Industrial Control and Power Management, Marvell Semiconductor. "As both a supplier and user of energy efficient technology and a sponsor of the Climate Savers Computing Initiative, we are actively engaged in developing products that will save energy in electronic devices as well as implementing energy savings in our facilities. In addition to the current focus on power supplies for PCs, Marvell's smart energy efficient technology could eventually be used in internal and external power supplies for a wide range of consumer electronics including flat-screen TVs, home entertainment products, and portable devices."

"With more functionality integrated onto a single chip, we can build our power supplies with fewer components thus saving cost and reducing design and manufacturing complexity," said Larry Qua, Chairman and CEO, Ionics EMS, Inc. "We are using Marvell's chips to build energy efficient notebook adapters as well as power supplies for applications such as flat-screen TVs and printers."

Marvell's cost-effective, DSP-based AC-DC controller chips allow power-supply manufacturers to eliminate up to 20 discrete components. Marvell believes its new products will help reduce design complexity, increase reliability, and drive down manufacturing costs, as well as slim down today's notebook adapter bricks in weight and size. The Marvell 88EM8041 controller chip for notebook adapters and the Marvell 88EM8011 controller chip for desktop power supplies are in production now with volume ramp anticipated for Q1'08.

Learn more at www.marvell.com/products/power/pfc_controllers/index.jsp