Companies tempted to cut back on 'soft' IT projects like green computing to save money could end up with major bills further down the line.

A new Gartner analysis of green computing found that dropping environmental initiatives could prove very expensive.

Power saving in particular was listed as a key way of cutting costs and reducing a company's carbon footprint.

"Faced with an economic downturn, many organisations tend to cut back on soft programmes such as green efforts as a cost saving measure," said Steve Kleynhans, research vice president at Gartner.

"However, companies need to pursue these low-risk initiatives as they often provide quick returns that are especially attractive in a cost-cutting environment.

"Green PC initiatives typically do not add significantly to ongoing operational costs, and the small upfront costs are usually easily recovered 12 to 18 months after the programme begins."

Gartner recommends buying only eco-friendly PCs that have advanced power management, for example. These cost around £10 more than a standard PC but can save £100 per year.

Similarly, adjusting the power settings of the computer via the operating system can cut annual power consumption costs from £33 to £9.

Firms should also make more effort to recycle PC components, and use technology like videoconferencing to cut business travel.

• Gartner Report: Cutting Back on Green PC Initiatives Leads to False Economies