Comments on: New way to save energy: Disappearing ink

Xerox has paper you can use again and again, which could cut down on energy and the cost of recycling.

[gerntrash]

Will it really *SAVE* energy in the long run? How many joules are required to design, manufacture, market, ship, and dispose of the new special printers? Ditto the new paper and chemicals? How many people will end up printing more because they decide they want a lasting hard copy, after all?

It is a good idea, but with a mere 1,000-joule savings per printing, it seems like any net savings in energy may never happen over the long run, taking into account the entire process.

[Quemannn]

Long story short. The test might look fulfilling, only when reusable paper doesn't get crumped or damaged or blotted or get wet. Depending on a variety of work environements, the status of reusable paper may vary.

[martincollett]

Bad maths? "It takes about 204,000 joules to make a sheet of paper, Shrader said. That's about the same amount of power required to run a 60-watt light bulb for an hour, he added."

60 Watts is 60 Joules per second, so the bulb will use 60 x 60 Joules in an hour = 3,600 Joules. It's still a lot of energy, just much less than suggested above. I reckon I could hand make a sheet of paper in my kitchen using much less than 3,600 Joules...

[zoigglaven]

It bothers me that whenever a cool scientific discovery comes out, everyone reading about the article becomes a "scientist" too

martincollett:
Theres 3600 seconds in an hour, not 60. I think you're confusing seconds with minutes.
60W*3600s = 216000 J, pretty much bang on with what Sharder said.

gerntrash:
It would cost the same to market and ship these printers than any other printers. Arguing that it would cost energy to design an energy saving product is like arguing against ever eating again because it costs energy to pick up the food and put it in your mouth. And the energy savings per page is anywhere between 50% to 90%. That sounds pretty good to me. Not to mention that it requires no purchase of ink or new paper.