  Random Boolean networks are models of disordered causal systems that can
occur in cells and the biosphere. These are open thermodynamic systems
exhibiting a flow of energy that is dissipated at a finite rate. Life does work
to acquire more energy, then uses the available energy it has gained to perform
more work. It is plausible that natural selection has optimized many biological
systems for power efficiency: useful power generated per unit fuel. In this
letter we begin to investigate these questions for random Boolean networks
using Landauer's erasure principle, which defines a minimum entropy cost for
bit erasure. We show that critical Boolean networks maximize available power
efficiency, which requires that the system have a finite displacement from
equilibrium. Our initial results may extend to more realistic models for cells
and ecosystems.
