The popularity of networking kit that minimises its environmental impact is set to soar, experts predict.

Power consumption and other 'green' issues are fast becoming the IT industry's biggest challenge, reports In-Stat.

This focus will broaden to all types of IT equipment, and settle on one of the most power-hungry devices: the local area network switch.

As a result of this growing environmental awareness, switch vendors that address energy efficiency sooner rather than later will have significant opportunities to develop a competitive advantage in their respective markets.

"As many businesses develop green initiatives using best practices published by organisations like The Green Grid, IT managers will be forced to absorb some degree of responsibility for their power usage," said In-Stat analyst Victoria Fodale.

"The role of energy efficiency will grow considerably in importance for future equipment purchases."

Recent research by In-Stat noted that shipments of power-over-Ethernet ports, which can consume more than 10 times the energy of standard ports, have tripled since 2005.

• In-Stat report: Green Networking Equipment: Who Leads and Who Lags