Fujitsu Siemens is developing a computer monitor that consumes no power on standby.

"The innovation is based on a new switch in the monitor that shuts it down entirely when the computer signal is absent and turns it on again when the signal reappears," said the firm.

A Fujitsu Siemens spokeswoman told EW that several different ways of achieving zero power consumption had been prototyped, but no details of the chosen technology can be released until the intellectual property is protected.

The monitor is due to go on sale in the summer. "This zero-watt monitor will be sold for the price of a conventional monitor," said the firm.