As a current participant in the Folding@Home project via my PLAYSTATION 3, I, too, have wondered about the financial impact of keeping my console on 24/7 to contribute to the cause. IGN has gone ahead and determined roughly how much an always-on PS3 would hit its owners in the wallet by using the Nebraska state Electricity Rate Comparison chart against the wattage required to run Folding@Home number crunching.

Idaho residents have it the best at only $6.88 per month and Hawaii folders get hit the hardest to the tune of $27.76. Me? I'm looking at $17.52 going by California's higher than national average.

I'm going to ask Crecente if I should expense this. You, you should scrounge for loose change and start up your Folding program. Oh, and join Team Kotaku while you're at it. Michael McWhertor

The Cost of Folding [IGN]

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