PowerTOP is a software utility designed to measure, explain and minimise a computer's electrical power consumption.
PowerTOP analyzes the programs, device drivers, and kernel options running on a computer based on the Linux and Solaris operating systems, and estimates the power consumption resulting from their use.
This is particularly useful for laptop computer users who wish to prolong battery life, and data center operators, for whom electrical and cooling costs are a major expenditure.
A database of known problems automatically provides more user friendly "tips" for specific sources of wakeups.
Over time the database has been expanded to include tips on a wide range of power consumption issues.