Linux Tip: Finding out how to save power in Linux

Whether running on a laptop battery or a home built robot's RC Car battery if you want to know what commands to run to shutdown unnecessary process, shorten timeout periods on errant power hungry daemons or stop uncessary disk writes, you need "powertop"

Under Ubuntu:

sudo apt-get install powertop

Then open a terminal and run 'sudo powertop' and let it run.  Every 15 seconds or so it will update with a tip, usually an example comand to run, to save power.