While looking at several of the grid computing sites, I started thinking about the power consumed by the computers in the grid. Typically, the clients are screen savers that scavenge computer time when the user is away (or not using the machine). When you walk away from your computer and the screen saver kicks in, instead of moving images around to prevent CRT burn-in (old school), it starts up the compute tasks assigned to the machine.
The Energy Impact of Grid Computing
November 4, 2008