It looks as if we hear announcements of new chip developments practically every day. Which ones are merely incremental improvements, and which ones will actually make a difference? It’s always hard to tell, of course, but here are several that should be memorable.

Let’s start with a new presenting from VIA Technologies. The Taiwan-based developer of low-budget microprocessors shows with a new standard for competing with Intel and AMD. Instead of attempting to make fastest or most powerful chip, VIA is attempting to make greenest one.

The company just frees C7-D processor, what it refers to as “the world’s first carbon free computing solution.” These aren’t what you would call macho chips. They come in two speeds, 1.5 GHZ and 1.8 GHz, at a time when top CPU clock speeds are approaching 4 GHz. Even VIA’s web site makes it clear that these chips are intended to be used in business PCs.

For openers, they are power sippers. Even the faster chip uses just 20W. Less power use means you can use lesser power supplies and cooling fans, which makes for a quieter PC. But that’s not most interesting selling point.

VIA has determined to throw its weight behind environmental ideas in direct proportion to chips it sells. Particularly, VIA and environmental experts compute how much electricity the chip will use over its lifetime. From that amount of electricity, VIA computes how much carbon dioxide will be released into environment as a result of the chip’s use? Then it works with regional organizations to offset that amount of carbon dioxide release through programs like reforestation, promoting substitute energy use, and energy conservation.

VIA has also initiated a new benchmark, called “TreeMark.” The calculations for TreeMark were validated by independent consulting firm Best Foot Forward, and are supposed to show many trees necessary to offset carbon dioxide produced as a by-product from electricity required for operating the chip during its lifetime. VIA maintains that its C7-D chip requires only four broad-leaf trees, while its competitors require 26.