News Updates for the Week of August 29

1.    OUCH! More Bad Economic News - Gross domestic product growth rose at annual rate of 1.0 percent the Commerce Department said, a downward revision of its prior estimate of 1.3 percent.  In the first quarter, the economy advanced just 0.4 percent. The government’s second GDP estimate for the quarter confirmed growth almost stalled in the first six months of this year. Economists estimate that the natural rate of unemployment is 5.2 percent. If the economy began growing immediately at the same rate the payroll survey reported during the tech bubble (+265,000 jobs per month), unemployment would not return to this level until mid-2014. More realistically, if employers began hiring at the same average rate they did during the 2003–2007 expansion (+176,000 jobs per month), unemployment would not return to its natural rate until 2018. http://heritageaction.com/2011/08/ouch-more-bad-economic-news/

2.     Standard 90.1-2007 Established as National Reference Standard for Federal, Commercial Buildings by DOE - ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, has been established by the DOE as the commercial building reference standard for state building energy codes under the federal Energy Conservation and Production Act. As a result, states are required to certify by July 20, 2013, that they have reviewed and updated the provisions of their commercial building code regarding energy efficiency, including a demonstration that the provisions of their commercial building codes regarding energy efficiency meet or exceed 90.1-2007.The DOE also has issued a rule that requires new federal buildings, for which the design for construction begins on or after Oct. 11, 2012, to meet the requirements of 90.1-2007.  http://www.ashrae.org/pressroom/detail/standard-established-as-national-reference-by-doe

3.     DOE Announces Round 8 Funding Opportunities for Solid-State Lighting -The US DOE has announced two solid-state lighting (SSL) funding opportunities seeking applications for projects to advance research, development, and market adoption of SSL technology. The funding is directed toward two existing DOE SSL R program areas for Core Technology Research and Product Development: (1) Core technology projects; (2) Product development projects. Potential applicants should note that the response time for both opportunities has been lengthened and applications are due 3 November.  http://www.semiconductor-today.com/news_items/2011/AUG/DOE_240811.html

4.     NAESCO Northeast Regional Meeting - September 19, 2011 - Con Edison Building, 4 Irving Place, New York, NY.  The NAESCO Northeast Regional meeting will focus on the project implementation and program challenges remaining in one of the most robust markets for energy efficiency in the United States. http://www.naesco.org/events/meetings/northeast/2011/registration.htm

5.     Electric Vehicle Market Forecasts - Production of electrified vehicles is gearing up all over the world, and automakers are planning to launch an increasing variety of new models over the next few years.  Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will all share the market stage as electrified vehicles continue to capture a larger portion of the total vehicle market. Pike Research anticipates that the annual market for hybrid electric and plug-in electric vehicles will grow to 2.9 million vehicles by 2017.  This report analyzes the key market forces playing a role in the electric vehicle market and provides comprehensive lists of expected vehicle launches. http://www.pikeresearch.com/research/electric-vehicle-market-forecasts

  

6.     Demand Side Management Solution, Free Industry White Paper - Utilities are increasingly focused on conservation and managing energy demand. Many markets and jurisdictions want to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, increase use of renewable energy, and decrease energy consumption and demand. To achieve these goals, utilities need greater influence over customers’ energy efficiency – a function of how much energy they use and when they use it – through energy efficiency and demand response programs. SAP® software for demand side management will help manage your portfolio of programs – from design and marketing to enrollment and payment of incentives – while providing visibility across your organization. http://www.pennenergy.com/index/research-and_data/white-papers/whitepaper-display/8776960220/whitepapers/pennenergy/general/demand-side_management.html

7.     Keeping Manufacturing in the United States - The U.S. solid-state lighting (SSL) industry sits on the cusp of major technology advances that will revolutionize the industry and greatly accelerate energy efficiency here and around the world. In 2007, lighting manufacturers employed almost 60,000 people nationwide and shipped products valued at $13.5 billion.  Large and small manufacturers, as well as technology start-ups, are well aware of the worldwide regulatory trend toward more energy-efficient lighting. In 2009 alone, U.S. companies, many of them start-ups, raised about $300 million in venture capital for advanced lighting products. However, as in the semi-conductor and information technology sectors before, U.S. solid-state lighting companies are faced with economic factors that have led to the globalization of those industries, including lost jobs, a dispersal of the technology infrastructure largely built in this country, and ultimately a U.S. trade deficit.  DOE aims to help improve U.S. manufacturing efficiency and avoid the loss of technological expertise, intellectual property and manufacturing jobs to other countries. http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/ssl_whitepaper_july2010.pdf

8.     LED Market Continues to Grow Rapidly, Transitioning to Lighting Applications - Backlight Demand Predicted to Peak in 2013, to be Overtaken by an Increased Demand for LED Lighting.  As shown in the latest DisplaySearch Quarterly LED Supply/Demand Market Forecast Report, market indicators continue to predict a rise in LED usage across applications, with lighting leading the way in LED applications with a predicted increase of 20% over 2010. The total package revenue for backlight and lighting applications was $7.2 billion in 2010 and is forecast to reach $12.7 billion in 2014. A heightened demand for LED lighting applications is the main driver of this dramatic increase.  Fortunately, suppliers have taken note of these trends and have planned for increased capacity in the future. In 2011, DisplaySearch predicts global LED capacity will reach 180 billion units, and by 2013 will reach 227 billion. Figure 1: Changes in LED Applications Over Time

9.     Osram IPO Threatened by Economic Woes and LED Slowdown - Siemens has planned to take its lighting subsidiary Osram public in a fall IPO, but bad news in financial markets and slower than expected LED sales could change those plans. Siemens AG announced in March a plan to publicly list its Osram GmbH LED and lighting subsidiary in an initial public offering (IPO) planned for this fall, but recent stories in the press have suggested that Siemens may change its plans. The combination of a tough solid-state-lighting (SSL) market and weakness in the equity markets may have significantly lessened the potential IPO value. A Reuters story published earlier this month was among the first to suggest that Siemens might delay the IPO or pursue a different strategy for spinning out the Osram unit. Analysts that had valued Osram as high as 6 to 8 billion euros ($8.6 to $11.4 billion) now expect a drop in valuation of as much as 35%. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/8/8/28

10.  Industrial Market: Opportunity for Energy Efficiency Growth by Dan Carazo - The single largest mega-market in the U.S. economy for future energy efficiency gains is the Industrial Sector. Since 1980, the U.S. Industrial Sector has cut the amount of energy it uses to produce each dollar’s worth of goods in half. Yet despite this, the total energy consumption for industrial use has increased dramatically over the past three decades. The share of electricity utilized by the industrial sector increased between 1990 and 1994 from 25% to 35% of all U.S. energy consumption. By 2007, the U.S. Industrial Sector was responsible for nearly 32% of the country’s entire energy consumption with electricity representing the single largest percentage of the consumed fuel that powers industry. As companies have become more concerned with their operational costs, energy efficiency solutions are increasingly being adopted by industrial customers. Since 2000, according to Trends in Global Energy Efficiency, 2011, a report published by ABB, the industrial sector’s energy consumption has steadily declined by 2.9% per year, falling by 12% in 2009 alone with electricity accounting for 26% of all industrial energy sources.  Energy-efficient upgrades—including lighting, motors, drives and solar energy production—will remain top choices. http://tedgreenroom.com/

11.  Report Outlines Breakthroughs in Energy Efficiency for Buildings - The DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) authored the report, which investigates 190 research and development projects sponsored by the department from fiscal year 2005 to 2009.  Technologies detailed in the report are organized in four critical areas: building envelope, HVAC and water heating, lighting and windows. The report highlights:

·         11 commercially available products

·         41 emerging technologies projected to enter the market within the next three years

·         68 technologies being researched for potential market introduction

http://www.edcmag.com/articles/report-outlines-breakthroughs-in-energy-efficiency-for-buildings

12.  NYSERDA Announces $3 Million Rebate Program - The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority announced a $3 million rebate program for the purchase of high-efficiency ENERGY STAR refrigerators and clothes washers. The program, which was announced Wednesday, will begin Sept. 2. Rebates of $350 will be available for high-efficiency refrigerators and $250 for high-efficiency clothes washers that meet Consortium for Energy Efficiency super-efficiency levels. More information about eligible appliances is available at www.cee1.org

News Updates for the Week of August 22

1. Cree Acquires Ruud Lighting, Inc. to Accelerate the LED Lighting Revolution - Cree, Inc. today announced the acquisition of Ruud Lighting, Inc., a leader in LED outdoor lighting, at an estimated net cost of approximately $525 million. Combining two highly complementary LED innovators, the acquisition allows Cree to extend its leadership position and increase the adoption of energy-efficient LED lighting. 8/17 BUSINESS WIRE

2. Income Up at Nexxus Lighting; Attributed to Lowes - Sales of Array products in the second quarter of 2011 grew more than six-fold or approximately $2,786,000 to approximately $4,066,000 as compared to approximately $1,327,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2010. . This growth represents the launch of our Array products for sale through the consumer market channel. We completed the initial shipments of our Array products to approximately 1,100 Lowe's stores across the United States in the second quarter of 2011. Lowe's offers seventeen different Array products, including our PAR 38, R30, R16, MR16 and GU10 lamps that have qualified for the Energy Star rating. The ramp of sales to the consumer market may have adversely affected our ability to service other commercial market customers. Sales to commercial market customers declined as a result. Sales of Lumificient products decreased 5% from approximately $897,000 in the second quarter of 2010 to approximately $850,000 in the second quarter of 2011 as market conditions softened as compared to the first quarter of 2011. 8/12 PRNewswire

3. Lutron Services Company Expands National Authorized Service Network through Agreement with SYLVANIA Lighting Services Company - Lutron Services Co., Inc. (LSC) recently announced that SYLVANIA Lighting Services Corp. (SLS) has become an Authorized Service Center Subcontractor. Under the agreement, SLS will perform services related to Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. commercial lighting controls products, including system start-up services, system programming, warranty and post-warranty support services. In addition, SLS service maintenance customers now have the opportunity to explore a broader set of services within one convenient SLS support plan that can include Lutron Field Service Engineers performing technical support and inspection of Lutron interior lighting controls systems.

4. Chelan County, WA PUD to Distribute Energy-Saving Light Bulbs to Customers - Chelan County PUD has announced that the company will distribute free energy-saving light bulbs to customers. Customers can visit any PUD office in Wenatchee, Leavenworth or Chelan to receive a bag of 20 CFLs. In the average home, lighting accounts for about 20 percent of the electric bill. The easiest way to start saving energy is to switch to compact fluorescent bulbs, the company said. 8/17 Datamonitor

5. ASHRAE is now writing a guideline, SGPC 10, Interactions Affecting the Achievement of Acceptable Indoor Environments. Larry Spielvogel, PE See the attached notice.

6. Existing-Home Sales Decline in July - The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that existing-home sales declined in July compared with June, but have improved compared with a year ago. Total existing-home sales, which are based on transaction closings of single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, fell from a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.84 million in June to 4.67 million in July, a decrease of 3.5%. However, existing-home sales for July 2011 were 21.0% above the 3.86 million-unit pace in July 2010. 8/18 HCN

7. City Making Streetlights More Energy-Efficient - The city of Merced, CA said it will begin retrofitting its streetlights today to install energy-efficient lights. The city contracted with Siemens Industry for a $7.2 million energy-efficiency project to lower its utility bills, boost efficiency and become greener, according to a news release. The city owns more than 5,600 streetlights. 8/17 http://www.mercedsunstar.com/

8. Energy Efficiency: A Rare Bipartisan Issue - At this time of partisan wrangling in Congress, energy efficiency stands as a rare issue that crosses party lines to garner bipartisan consensus. That comes as no surprise to efficiency advocates, who know that energy-efficiency programs are one of our best national investments. By lowering energy costs, they return more money to the economy than they cost taxpayers. The ENERGY STAR program that labels the most energy-efficient products on the market is a prime example. At a cost to the federal government of well under $100 million annually, ENERGY STAR products cut energy costs for consumers and businesses by a whopping $17 billion in 2009 alone! 8/16 AOL Energy

9. New LED Lasts 25,000 Hours - Omni-directional LED A-Line lamp from OSRAM SYLVANIA, available in two wattages equivalent to 40w and 60w incandescents. Energy efficient, dimmable and available this summer. http://www.sylvania.com/BusinessProducts/Innovations/LEDLampsandRetrofits/

10. MEA Announces Its Clean Energy Programs for Fiscal Year 2012 - The Maryland Energy Administration’s has announced its fiscal year 2012 clean energy programs. The programs include Save Energy Now and the Lawton Loan program (targeting the industrial sector), grants to homeowners installing solar, wind and geothermal (the Residential Clean Energy Grants program). http://www.energy.state.md.us/News/documents/AugustNewsletter.pdf

11. Encelium Technologies to Exhibit at Iidex/Neocon Canada Sept. 22-23 - A web-based application, Polaris 3D provides an industry first 360-degree, three-dimensional view of lighting energy use in a building or complex. The software is used to commission, configure and manage Encelium’s ECS, which has been proven to cut lighting energy expenditures by 50 to 75 percent and significantly reduce CO2 emissions. With Polaris 3D, users will no longer need to navigate through single floors, or a ‘tree architecture,’ to reach a specific control zone. Instead, they will get a 3D, colorized thermo-graphic view of system parameters to identify areas and trends of lighting inefficiencies throughout a building. http://iidexneocon.com/

12. Philips recalls Reflector Flood Lamps - On August 11, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a voluntary recall from Philips Lighting Company of Somerset, N.J. Philips has recalled about 1.86 million EnergySaver (aka Marathon or Marathon Classic) compact fluorescent dimmable reflector flood lamps due to a laceration hazard. According to the CPSC news release, “The glue that attaches the glass outer envelope or globe to the body of the lamp can fail allowing the glass outer envelope to fall and strike persons and objects below, posing laceration hazard to consumers.” The products involved in the voluntary recall were manufactured from March 2007 through May 2010. http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11302.html

13. Mitsubishi Electric Lighting - will spend $6.5 million to expand its factory for LED products in Shizuoka Prefecture, according to a July 26 article from Asia Pulse. The item claimed that 20% of the company’s total sales are LEDs.

14. Siemens - A Bloomberg report quoted an ING Groep NV analyst saying that Siemens, with a $19 billion “acquisitions war chest,” would soon take advantage of the recent plunge in valuations and begin buying.

15. Philips Introduces Fortimo LED HBM High-Brightness Module - Philips today announced a new addition to its Fortimo LED family - the Fortimo LED High Brightness Module (HBM). Fortimo LED HBM is an easy to design-in, compact, high lumen LED module for white light applications. The product delivers all the benefits of LEDs without the complexity and recurring R&D costs of lens optics-based LED solutions. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/products/32205

16. How Commercial Lighting Is Evaluated - Graphic from OSRAM Sylvania, as posted to http://www.environmentalleader.com/

News Updates for the Week of August 15

1.    Getting the LEDs Out by Doug Chandler - Solid-state lighting may save the free world. Someday. Probably not this month.  The reality is that the whole lighting industry, and the broader electrical and construction and design and energy-efficiency markets of the world as well, are all waiting and watching for the light-emitting diode (LED) of their dreams—the one that will finally make incandescent, fluorescent, HID and all the other incumbent lighting technologies obsolete—to emerge onto the market in a blaze of light. http://ewweb.com/mag/electric_getting_leds/ 

2.      LED Market to Expand in U.S., Europe - Analysis from Frost + Sullivan revealed that the light emitting diode (LED) market is primed to grow explosively in the next several years. The study estimated that the market, which earned revenues of almost half a billion in 2010, could reach as high as $2 billion in 2017. The study from Frost + Sullivan concludes that the best way to help narrow that cost gap and continue market expansion is to increase awareness about the benefits of LED technology. Not just for now, but for the future, as well. www.csemag.com

3.      Energy Upgrade California for Commercial Properties - Only single-family detached houses are eligible for Energy Upgrade California rebates and incentives at this time. The Energy Upgrade program for existing commercial buildings is being developed. The energy reduction targets and specific types of upgrades will be tailored to the commercial building envelope and business uses. The launch date will be announced on this website: https://energyupgradeca.org/county/orange/commercial 

4.      Halogen A19 lamps - Bulbrite’s Eco-Friendly Halogen A19 lamp complies with the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), which takes effect Jan. 1, 2012 and requires general-service light bulbs to operate up to 30 percent more efficiently than current standards require.  Consumers will gain the benefits of higher efficiency and superior lighting quality, giving them an alternative to CFLs and LEDs. The Halogen A19 is fully dimmable and can last up to 1,000 hours. http://www.bulbrite.com/

5.      USB Receptacles - Developed in response to the surge of consumer portable electronic devices that must be charged using a USB connection, Cooper Wiring Devices’ combination USB charger with a tamper-resistant receptacle is ideal for residential, commercial, educational, municipal and hospitality applications. http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/public/en/wiring_devices.html

6.      Loan Programs Wind Down - The two biggest clean energy programs to come out of the Recovery Act have been the cash grants in lieu of tax credits, and the federal loan guarantees for projects and innovative technologies. The loan programs’ time is winding down. The U.S. DOE’s Loan Programs Office provides a $70 billion dollar investment program in alternative energy, financing a wide range of solar, wind, geothermal, biofuels, fossil and nuclear energy projects. Since March of 2009, the office has issued 42 conditional commitments for loans and loan guarantees totaling over $40 billion with total project costs of $63 billion. Most of the program winds down at the end of the current fiscal year on September 30. There are some project closings and some funds for additional elements to continue through the winter. A $200 million proposal to continue some project financing in fiscal year 2012 is in the next budget. http://loanprograms.energy.gov/

7.      Moat Prospects Dim for Lighting Equipment Manufacturers - A Field of Three Shrinks to One -Philips appears to have won the war of attrition among the giants, with Siemens pushing Osram to be independent and GE's laissez faire approach making it less of a player than before. While the conglomerates typically have strong manufacturing expertise and lower manufacturing costs, they prefer to compete in the market on technology and value added to the consumer, not simply on price. In order to continue pursuing that path in LED lighting, we think the incumbents will need to materially step up research and development, acquisitions, and capital spending in this area to have capable products in an increasingly competitive field. Given that General Electric and Siemens both have more compelling investment opportunities within their broader portfolios, we think their decision to step back from lighting makes sense and is prudent for shareholders. We expect firms like Hubbell, Cooper Industries, and Honeywell to benefit in the coming years from growing demand for lighting controls and quick and easy energy-efficient retrofits for buildings. http://news.morningstar.com/articlenet/article.aspx?id=390212  

8.      DOE Announces Funding Opportunities for Solid-State Lighting: Core Technology Research and Product Development (Round 8) - The U.S. DOE announced two Solid-State Lighting (SSL) funding opportunities on August 12, 2011. Under these funding opportunities, DOE seeks applications for projects to advance research, development, and market adoption of SSL technology. The funding is directed toward two existing DOE SSL R&D program areas for Core Technology Research and Product Development.  DOE is soliciting SSL projects in the following categories:

• Core technology projects focus on applied research for technology development, with particular emphasis on meeting efficiency, performance, and cost targets. Selected projects will fill technology gaps or provide enabling knowledge or data.
• Product development projects focus on using the knowledge gained from basic or applied research to develop or improve commercially viable materials, devices, or systems. Selected projects will develop targeted market applications with fully defined price, efficacy, and other performance parameters necessary for success of the proposed product.

Applications are due November 3, 2011. For more information on the new funding opportunities, visit the DOE website at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/

9.      2011 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting - With planning for the 2011 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting underway, EPA anticipates that the online meeting registration system will be available to partners in late August.

10.  DOE Relaunches its Energy.gov Website  - DOE announced on August 4 that it has relaunched the Energy.gov website as an interactive information platform offering localized data and resources to save energy and money. The new website makes it easier for visitors to get information specific to their cities, counties, and states, including information about energy tax credits, rebates, energy saving tips, and grant opportunities. http://energy.gov/ Also available on the EERE Web site: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/enn.cfm

11.   Consumer Sentiment Index Falls to Lowest Since 1980 - The preliminary August reading on the consumer sentiment index fell to 54.9 in early August, down from 63.7 in July, and has fallen for three straight months. The August reading was well below the median forecast of 63.0 among economists polled by Reuters. 8/12 Reuters

12.  NAESCO Northeast Regional Meeting, September 19, 2011 - Con Edison Building, 4 Irving Place, New York, NY - http://www.naesco.org/events/meetings/northeast/2011/registration.htm

News Updates for the Week of August 8

1. Landmark US Building Codes Finalized - The changes represent the largest single-step efficiency increase in the history of the national energy code. It requires homes and buildings to achieve energy savings 30% higher than the 2006 code. Since homes and buildings produce fully half of US greenhouse gases and use over 75% of the electricity generated from power plants, the new code is a very significant energy policy decision. The upgraded International Energy Conservation Code is expected to save American homes and businesses $40 billion annually in energy costs by 2030, says the Alliance to Save Energy. The code will also eliminate the need for about 47 coal plants. The International Codes Council is comprised of about 500 state and local building code officials from around the country, who meet every three years to consider updates to the International Energy Conservation Code. Last October, they voted overwhelmingly to approve the stronger codes, which were finalized by the IECC last week. http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/

2. McKinsey Releases Lighting Market Report - McKinsey & Company was commissioned by Osram to draw up a market report with an independent perspective on the global lighting market and its likely evolution. Based on a worldwide survey of lighting professionals and consumers, as well as other input factors, McKinsey has developed a lighting market model that estimates the size of the global lighting market through to 2020, differentiated by application, geography, and light-source technology. Projections show that the global lighting market is expected to have revenues of approximately EUR 110 billion in 2020 – comparable to the global TV market. The advent of LED technology – only the fourth lighting technology in the history of human mankind – is set to transform this industry. Figures suggest that estimated global revenues from the LED lighting market will grow at 30% per annum, amounting to almost EUR 65 billion by 2020 – close to 60 percent of the overall lighting market. The three most relevant sectors in lighting are general lighting, automotive lighting, and backlighting. This market report covers these 3 major sectors with a deep dive in general lighting: this is the largest sector, accounting for approximately 75 percent of the total lighting market. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/8/8/5 Download McKinsey’s lighting market report (PDF, 1.2 MB)

3. Retail Shoppers Respond to Lighting with Superior Color Rendering - A recent study by an independent researcher evaluating the attention-grabbing potential of retail displays determined a correlation between color-rendering ability and lure-ability. San Jose, CA-based Xicato, a manufacturer of LED modules, commissioned a study from independent researcher Colette Knight in order to evaluate the effect of lighting quality on the attraction towards, appreciation of, and sales of, merchandise. The experiment found that shoppers and lighting designers were more attracted to retail shoe displays that used spot lighting with better color-rendering ability, in particular enhanced rendering of deep reds. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/8/8/4

4. Five Things You Didn't Know About LED Light Bulbs -

1) LEDs are cooler

2) You get instant full light

3) LEDs don't attract bugs

4) LEDs come in funny shapes

5) You will need to learn some lighting lingo

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20084337-54/five-things-you-didnt-know-about-led-lightbulbs/?tag=mncol;mlt_related

5. Department of Energy Announce Philips as Winner of $10 million L Prize Competition - The U.S. Department of Energy today announced that Philips has won the 60-watt replacement bulb category of the Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize (L Prize) competition. The DOE’s L Prize challenged the lighting industry to develop high performance, energy-saving replacements for conventional light bulbs that will save American consumers and businesses money. If every 60-watt incandescent bulb in the U.S. was replaced with the 10-watt L Prize winner, the nation would save about 35 terawatt-hours of electricity or $3.9 billion in one year and avoid 20 million metric tons of carbon emissions. Submitted in 2009, the Philips LED bulb successfully completed 18 months of demanding field, lab, and product testing to meet the rigorous requirements of the L Prize competition – ensuring that performance, quality, lifetime, cost, and availability meet expectations for widespread adoption and mass manufacturing. http://www.forummedia.us/philipslprize

6. Cree Prototype Exceeds DOE’s 21st Century Lamp L PrizeSM Requirements - Demonstrating the future of lighting, Cree, Inc. unveiled a concept LED light bulb from its lighting research and development team. Redefining what is possible with high-performance LED lighting, the lamp delivers more than 1,300 lumens at 152 lumens per watt (LPW) using Cree TrueWhite® Technology. Cree’s prototype LED light bulb exceeds the performance goals set by the DOE for the 21st Century Lamp, the third category in its L PrizeSM competition. For more information about this concept LED light bulb, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWx_2fqhzOQ

7. Cree Demo LED Bulb Turns Up Dial on Efficiency - The company yesterday 8/2 unveiled a demonstration LED bulb that meets the stringent efficiency requirements of the L Prize, a DOE-sponsored contest. Cree doesn't plan to release the prototype as a product. The bulb, which Cree is calling the 21st Century Lamp, gives off more than 1,300 lumens, or more than a 75-watt incandescent light, and consumes 8.7 watts. It's shaped to give off even light, making it suitable for all sorts of applications, rather than just spot lights or ceiling lights placed in recessed cans. The color rendering index is over 90. http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20086780-54/cree-demo-led-bulb-turns-up-dial-on-efficiency/#ixzz1TtCHJabn

8. Energy audit advice delivered at Sam's Clubs in PA -A partnership between Pittsburgh-based remodeling company Legacy Remodeling and the Home Performance Network will arrange energy-audit consultations at Sam's Club stores in Western Pennsylvania. Consumers at area Sam’s Club stores will be able to talk to representatives from Legacy Remodeling about ways they can save on their energy bills and live a “greener” lifestyle by making energy-efficient improvements to their homes, according to the company. They can also register for complimentary home energy audits in which an expert will visit their home and present recommendations for saving energy. 8/2 HCN

9. Avista Mailing Out Energy-Saving Bulbs - Avista Utilities has begun mailing 350,000 kits with eight compact fluorescent bulbs to residential customers in Washington and Idaho. The kits should reach all customers by the end of November. It's costing Avista roughly $7.5 million to buy, package and mail the kits. The money for that project comes from a monthly energy-efficiency surcharge Avista collects from its customers. Washington customers pay $3.79 per month for an average of 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity; Idaho customers pay $2.58 per month. 7/30 The Spokesman-Review

10. Las Vegas Installing Energy-Efficient Streetlights - Las Vegas is lighting up the night with thousands of energy-efficient streetlamps. Crews are starting this week to replace 6,600 conventional streetlight bulbs with LED fixtures. City officials say the change will cut the Las Vegas energy bill by $400,000 each year and reduce the city's annual electricity use by 8 million kilowatt hours. The city plans to replace 50,000 bulbs in all six wards over the next four months. Funding comes from $2.9 million in federal energy conservation bonds and $400,000 from a state of Nevada federal stimulus grant. 8/1 AP

11. N.E. Buildings Compete in EPA's Energy Contest -Ten New England buildings have joined a program to encourage energy efficiency in buildings around the country. Teams from 245 buildings across the country are participating in the U.S. EPA’s "Battle of the Buildings" challenge to see who can save the most energy with help from EPA's Energy Star program. At the halfway point of this year's competition, EPA has recognized the teams who have reduced energy use the most in the 12 building categories. Of the top national contenders, the Colonnade Hotel in Boston is the highest-ranking hotel in the competition. Winners will be announced November 2, 2011. 7/31 AP http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=buildingcontest.index

12. NIPSCO to Offer New Electric Savings Programs - Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) received approval from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) to expand its offering of energy efficiency programs designed to help electric customers save energy and manage their energy usage. Instant Savings on CFLs: Through a partnership with several local retailers, NIPSCO offers instant discounts when customers purchase select CFL lighting. No coupons or forms are needed. Simply visit a participating retailer and receive instant savings up to 90 percent off normal retail prices. 7/28 PRNewswire

13. Allentown's 'Green' Loans Get Few Takers -There's still plenty of money left in a loan program that aims to cut costs for energy-saving home and business improvements in Allentown. Since 2010, about 25 home owners and three businesses have taken advantage of the federal stimulus money available for low-interest loans for green building upgrades. The funding awarded amounts to a little less than a third of the $100,000 set aside for residential customers and about one-quarter of the $80,000 set aside for businesses, he said. The rest of the $750,000 U.S. Department of Energy grant has already gone toward lighting controls in City Hall, fuel catalysts that reduce the consumption of fuel in city vehicles and studies to make Allentown a more bike-friendly town. 7/26 The Morning Call

14. GE LED Replacement Lamps - GE Lighting’s full line of LED GE Energy Smart incandescent replacement bulbs are anticipated to be on store shelves within the next 16 months. This November marks the arrival of the 13W GE Energy Smart LED, a dimmable 60W incandescent replacement bulb. GE’s dimmable 75W and 100W replacement LED bulbs–likely 18W and 27W products, respectively–are expected to arrive on store shelves in late 2012. http://www.gelighting.com/na/

15. EPA Directive 2011-06: ENERGY STAR Verification Testing Supplement - Attached EPA Directive 2011-06, "ENERGY STAR Verification Testing Supplement: Selecting Products, Obtaining Products, and Reporting Results." This document provides additional guidance to EPA-recognized certification bodies on conducting verification testing. It is intended to serve as a supplement to EPA's general requirements for certification bodies. For general information on EPA's third party certification procedures for ENERGY STAR products, as well as a list of recognized laboratories and certification bodies, please visit: www.energystar.gov/3rdpartycert

16. Municipal Street Lighting Consortium to Hold Final 2011 Workshop in San Jose - The U.S. Department of Energy's Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium will hold its Southwest Region Workshop on August 25–26 in San Jose, California. Hosted by the City of San Jose, the workshop will be the Consortium's final regional workshop in 2011 and welcomes designers, consultants, utility and city representatives, government agencies, and energy efficiency organizations who evaluate LED street lighting solutions. For more information or to register, visit www.ssl.energy.gov/consortium_sw2011.html

17. LG, Philips, GE, Sharp and Toshiba LED Bulb Receive 5 Star Rating -
http://www.ledinside.com/led_bulb_lm_201107

Something to Think About...

Colin Powell's speech...

If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.

The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity. An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people. As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will not want you to go on. They will want you to stay where they are. Friends that don't help you climb will want you to crawl. Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream. Those that don't increase you will eventually decrease you. Consider this: Never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how. Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person. Don't follow anyone who's not going anywhere. With some people you spend an evening: with, others you invest it. Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life. Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right friendships. If you run with wolves, you will learn how to howl. But, if you associate with eagles, you will learn how to soar to great heights. "A mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses." The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate - for the good and the bad.

Note: Be not mistaken. This is applicable to family as well as friends. Yes...do love, appreciate and be thankful for your family, for they will always be your family no matter what. Just know that they are human first and though they are family to you, they may be a friend to someone else and will fit somewhere in the criteria above.

"In Prosperity Our Friends Know Us. In Adversity We Know Our friends."

"Never make someone a priority when you are only an option for them."

News Updates for the Week of August 1:

1. LG Innotek Walks-The-Walk with Huge LED Production Plant - Korean-based LG Innotek, a vertically-integrated manufacturer of LEDs for displays and lighting, claims it has built the single-largest LED production complex in the world in Paju, Korea. The manufacturing facility performs all aspects of LED production, from epitaxial wafer growth to LED module production. In related news, LED lighting has also been installed throughout LG Twin Towers, LG Electronics’ headquarters in Seoul. The lighting in the two towers is designed to save 1717 MWh of electricity annually. The LED production facility has a targeted production level of 1.8 billion LED units per month. The three-story production building features a combined floor space of 58,000 square meters. It features production lines for 6-inch epitaxial wafers, LED chips, and LED modules for LED backlighting units for LCD TVs as well as LEDs for lighting. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/8/7/23

2. Most-Commonly Used T12 Fluorescent Lamps to Start Disappearing in Less Than One Year. "Don't Wait," National Lighting Bureau Advises - The most-commonly used four-foot, eight-foot, and two-foot (U-shaped) T12 fluorescent lamps will begin disappearing from distributors' and retailers' shelves in less than one year. The targeted lamps - long-time commercial-lighting staples - fail to meet efficiency standards that will go into effect on July 1, 2012, the National Lighting Bureau (NLB) reports. http://www.nlb.org/index.cfm?cdid=10823&pid=10213

3. City of Boston Gets Brighter and Greener with New Philips LED Street Lights - Residents of Boston will be seeing the city in a whole new, brighter light thanks to new LED street lighting from Philips. Improving the city's energy use and environmental footprint, more than 14,000 mercury-vapor street and roadway luminaires are being replaced in Boston neighborhoods by Philips Hadco's New RX1 and RX2. The LED's - which maximize energy savings and provide uniform, comfortable and aesthetically-pleasing white light - are expected to save the city approximately 8.9 million kilowatt hours of energy each year, yielding a savings of about $1.1 million annually in the cost of electricity. Philips Hadco worked with Hurry Associates on this project. http://www.hadco.com/

4. Tempe Vetoes LEDs, Chooses Induction Street Lights - US Lighting Tech announced that it will supply the city of Tempe, Arizona with 1000 induction street lights to replace high-pressure-sodium (HPS) and metal-halide (MH) sources after the city decided LEDs weren’t a good match for the temperature extremes of the desert southwest climate. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/8/7/19

5. Finding the End of the Tunnel for OLED Lighting - Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) lighting has received much attention due to the potential of the technology for unique designs and cheap devices. However, the current state of OLED lighting – with high cost, modest efficacy, and poor lifetimes – is far from realizing that potential. OLED will continue to lag other lighting technologies on price, and therefore will only command a $58 million 2020 market share. New applications that take advantage of OLED’s unique properties – such as flexibility and transparency – while absorbing a high price are required for initial OLED growth, and OLED will remain a minor player in lighting until such applications are uncovered. https://portal.luxresearchinc.com/research/report_excerpt/8250

6. Economy Grew Only 1.3% in Spring After Nearly Stalling in Winter - The U.S. economy grew less than forecast in the second quarter, after almost coming to a halt at the start of the year, as consumers retrenched. Gross domestic product rose at a 1.3 percent annual rate following a 0.4 percent gain in the prior quarter that was less than previously estimated, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. The median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News called for a 1.8 percent increase. Household purchases, about 70 percent of the economy, climbed 0.1 percent. Slower job and income gains raise the risk that a pickup in purchases during the remainder of 2011 will fail to materialize. 7/27 MoneyNews.com

Monthly Special Feature

The July 2011 edition Electrical Wholesaling ranked the Top Electrical Distributors in 2010.