Businesses that re-use old desktop PCs as terminals for virtual desktops or server-based computing sessions may be sabotaging their own efforts to cut carbon emissions, according to consultancy and services firm Centralis.

Server-based computing and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) can cut the amount of energy companies use by moving user accounts to the datacentre. While servers consume more power than desktop PCs, each one can typically support dozens of users at a time, leading to an overall reduction in the amount of power needed to support a group of users.

However, any saving can be lost if companies re-purpose their old desktops to serve as the access device, as these were typically not designed with power efficiency in mind.

"They are sabotaging their green agenda by doing this," said Ewen Anderson, managing director of Centralis, which specialises in application delivery and desktop management and is a certified partner of remote-working software specialist Citrix.

Modern PCs and thin client terminals are much more power-efficient alternatives, but firms face the prospect of an up-front hardware purchase cost if they decide to deploy these instead.

"Companies do not want to rush into a wholesale desktop refresh, but power saving is very much on their agenda these days," said Anderson.