News Updates for the Week of November 28

 

1.     Switching to Efficient Lighting - Shopping for energy-efficient lighting can now be as quick as screwing in a light bulb. These apps not only help you find a light bulb that fits your lighting needs, but also calculate savings from replacing your current bulb and estimate the payback period:  CFL Light Bulb Savings Calculator for CFL options, EnerSave for LED options, Light Bulb Finder is an award winning app that places an order for your light bulbs. http://ase.org/topics/lighting

2.      Energy Efficient Lighting for Commercial Markets - For more than 130 years, the world has relied on variations of incandescent and gas-discharge lamps to illuminate commercial buildings. With the rise of the general-illumination white LED lighting only a few years ago, the lighting industry is experiencing its first revolutionary change since the commercialization of the fluorescent lamp in the 1930s. As the semiconductor and software industries converge on the traditional lighting world, Pike Research expects that the lighting industry will see more change in the next five years than in the previous 50. By the end of our 10-year outlook, LED solid state lighting will not only capture over 50% of the global market, but the extraordinary lifetimes of these lamps will drive a steady decline in the commercial lamp market despite a steadily growing base of new buildings and access to electricity in emerging countries. This Pike Research report describes the key factors that are influencing the market for energy efficient lighting around the world. http://www.pikeresearch.com/research/energy-efficient-lighting-for-commercial-markets

3.      DOE Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium - The DOE Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium shares technical information and experiences related to LED street and area lighting demonstrations. The Consortium also serves as an objective resource for evaluating new products on the market intended for street and area lighting applications. Cities, power providers, and others who invest in street and area lighting are invited to join the Consortium and share their experiences. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/consortium.html

4.      Ceres, California, to Use CEC Loan to Purchase 2,200 Betaled Streetlights - The city council of Ceres, California, approved the use of a low interest loan from the California Energy Commission (CEC) for the purchase of LED streetlight fixtures earlier this week. The loan will allow the city of Ceres to convert all city-owned streetlights to LED streetlight fixtures, starting in January 2012.   Funds totaling $1.193 million will be used to purchase and install over two thousand LED streetlight fixtures manufactured by BetaLED, a division of Ruud Lighting/Cree of Sturtevant, Wisconsin. http://www.newstreetlights.com/index.htm

5.      Sacramento Parking Garage LED Installation - In the area of outdoor SSL deployments, the city of Sacramento, California has completed the installation of LED lighting in five of eight city-owned parking garages according to the Sacramento Press. The remaining three garages will be retrofitted by February. The total cost of the project is $1.3 million. But the city received utility incentives and federal and state grants to cover the cost of the SSL installation.

6.      Existing Home Sales Improved in October - According to data released Monday by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), existing-home sales in October rose 1.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.97 million.  Compared to a year ago, the current figure is up 13.5%. An ongoing positive trend is a steady decline in the number of homes on the market.  11/22 HCN

7.      Special Offers and Rebates from ENERGY STAR Partners - To encourage customers to buy energy efficient products, ENERGY STAR partners occasionally sponsor special offers, such as sales tax exemptions or credits, or rebates on qualified products. Partners also occasionally sponsor recycling incentives for the proper disposal of old products. The search is provided as a service to consumers to find such special offers or rebates where they exist, based on information that partners submit to ENERGY STAR. http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=rebate.rebate_locator  

8.      Google Pulls the Plug on Its Green Energy Program - Google has decided to power down its 4-year-old REhttp://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2011/11/23/google-pulls-plug-its-rec-green-energy-program 

9. Shipments of LED Lamps and Luminaires to Exceed 500 Million Units in Asia Pacific by 2021 - While energy-efficient products are an expensive form of lighting for many customers in the Asia Pacific region, the higher costs are increasingly justified by the higher efficacy and performance compared to traditional lighting products. As a result, demand for LED products is growing among customers in developed countries such as Japan and Korea. Moreover, a number of regional and national government programs are in place to promote LED lighting, and these initiatives will serve as a key driver of the market in the coming decade. LED is now viewed as an affordable and efficient technology with long-term benefits. According to a new report from Pike Research, sales of LED lighting systems will increase rapidly over the next 10 years, accelerating sharply after 2015. Unit shipments, including lamps and luminaires, will rise from 66 million in 2011 to 542 million in 2021 – an increase of more than 700%. http://www.pikeresearch.com/research/energy-efficient-lighting-in-asia-pacific

10. Fuel Economy Leaders: 2012 Model Year - Rankings are based on combined city and highway fuel economy estimates (weighted by 55% city and 45% highway). http://www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/overall-high.htm

News Updates for the Week of November 21

1.      ENERGY STAR Lighting Round Table: Review and Discussion of Lamps V1.0 Specification Draft 1 - The U.S. EPA invites you to participate in a meeting/webinar about Draft 1 of the ENERGY STAR Lamps V1.0 specification on Wednesday November 30, 2011 from 10:00 am – 4:30 pm Eastern.  The meeting will be held at EPA, 1310 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20005. The purpose of the meeting/webinar is to provide an overview of Draft 1 of the ENERGY STAR Lamps V1.0 specification, including further information referenced in the development of the proposed requirements, and to gather partner and stakeholder input to be considered in the development of subsequent drafts.  The Lamps V1.0 specification will replace the existing Compact Fluorescent Lamps and Integral LED Lamps specifications, as well as the qualification requirements for GU24-based fluorescent lamps previously detailed in the Residential Light Fixture specification.  Questions about the meeting may be forwarded to lamps@energystar.gov

2.      LED Lighting: Fact And Fiction – Webinar to be Held November 30, 2011 -  LED Lighting: Fact And Fiction,” webinar produced by the Energy Center of Wisconsin, will be held Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 1–2:30 PM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME. Learn about LED lighting, from how it works to where it works best, including where to find unbiased info and how to compare products. http://www.ecw.org/university/eventdetails.php?ecuid=445

3.      A Phone App for Switching Out Your Light Bulbs  - According to Eco Hatchery, a software company based in Wisconsin, the Light Bulb Finder application for iPhones and Android handsets won the “best overall” prize in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Apps for the Environment Challenge. The Light Bulb Finder uses E.P.A. data on energy-saving light bulbs to help consumers make the switch to more efficient incandescent bulbs. Enter your ZIP code, and the app will calculate your savings based on local electric rates. You choose the bulb style and the quality of light you prefer, add the items to your shopping cart, and then order bulbs directly from your smartphone. The app is free for downloading,  http://www.lightbulbfinder.net/

4.      Department of Energy Recognizes ASHRAE 90.1-2010 as New National Energy Standard - In a bold move, on October 19, 2011.. By October 18, 2013, all states in the United States must put in place a commercial building energy code at least as stringent as the ASHRAE/IES 90.1-2010 energy standard, according to an October 19, 2011 Department of Energy (DOE) ruling. This means the 2007 standard is effectively being leapfrogged as the national energy standard. http://www.energycodes.gov/states/maps/commercialStatus.stm

5.      Funding Opportunity Announcements - https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/

• Solid-State Lighting Manufacturing Research and Development - Round 3  The objective of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is achieve cost reduction of solid-state lighting for general illumination through improvements in manufacturing equipment, processes, or techniques.
• Solid-State Lighting Core Technologies - Round 8  The goal of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to focus on applied research for technology development, with particular emphasis on meeting efficiency, performance, and cost targets.  Specific emphasis shall be on achieving the performance and cost goals stated in the 2011 Multi-Year Program Plan http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/ssl_mypp2011_web.pdf for Solid-State Lighting Research and Development.  

6.      Establishing LED Equivalency - DOE recently published a Fact Sheet, "Establishing LED Equivalency." It summarizes a number of key performance characteristics to consider when comparing LED products and evaluating their equivalency to conventional lighting technologies. It summarizes key performance characteristics that should be considered when comparing LED products and evaluating their equivalency to conventional lighting technologies. No two products are identical in every respect, and tradeoffs are often necessary due to inherent differences in technologies. In fact, it may be possible to improve performance in one category, such as color rendition, while achieving equivalency in others. For any given application, a number of additional characteristics should be considered during product selection. Notable examples include sensitivity to heat in enclosed spaces, dimming capability and behavior, flicker, and power factor. http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/establishing-led-equivalency.pdf

7.      EPA Launches CFL Website - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has published a webpage devoted to compact fluorescent lamps, including benefits, disposal and cleanup procedures, legislation impacting availability of incandescent lamps, and details about the new Federal Trade Commission Lighting Facts label that is taking effect June-December 2011. http://www.epa.gov/cfl/

8.      Bank of America Announces Recipients of $55 Million Energy Efficiency Finance Program - Bank of America today announced the selection of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that will receive $55 million in low-interest loans and grants through the company's innovative Energy Efficiency Finance Program. B of A, the nation's largest investor in CDFIs and a leading source of energy efficiency sector financing, created the program earlier this year to deliver low-cost capital to local community lenders with expertise in energy retrofit financing as a way to help create jobs, improve affordability, and reduce carbon emissions. www.bankofamerica.com/reports

9.      15 Percent by 2020? - A new survey of energy industry experts reveals a surprising consensus on the size of the energy efficiency resource. Overall, energy efficiency is expected to lower electricity consumption by 5 to 15 percent and natural gas consumption by 5 to 10 percent. These results debunk the notion that conservation is a fad. On the contrary, they herald a new beginning for energy efficiency. Optimists say energy efficiency is an inexhaustible well. Pessimists argue that the low-hanging fruit has been harvested. Realists believe the truth is somewhere in the middle. http://www.brattle.com/_documents/UploadLibrary/Upload990.pdf

10.  Transitioning to LED Lighting Technology: MaxLite Helps Facilities Reduce Lighting Energy - While in the past LEDs were mainly used for exit signs, traffic lights, and spotlights, today many LED lamps are omnidirectional and are the ideal energy-efficient and environmentally friendly lighting solution for decorative, ambient and general lighting applications. MaxLite white paper about LED on Todays Facility Manager website.

11.   LEDucation 6 Announced for March 21, 2012 in New York City - The Designers Lighting Forum of New York (DLFNY) has announced the date for its sixth annual program on led technology. Over 2,000 members of the lighting design, architectural and engineering community are expected to attend LEDucation for its sixth annual educational event and expo on LED technology. Due to the growing popularity of the annual expo and seminars, event officials have extended the exhibit hours for 2012 with expo doors opening at 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. http://www.leducation.org/

12.  SYLVANIA Socket Survey - The SYLVANIA Socket Survey is the only nationwide measure of public attitudes about efficient lighting and awareness regarding the U.S. phase-out of inefficient incandescent light bulbs. The majority of Americans are now aware of the federal phase out of incandescent light bulbs, according to the fourth annual SYLVANIA Socket Survey. Beginning January 1, 2012 with the manufacture of 100-watt bulbs, 55 percent of Americans reported that they are aware of the phase out--up 19 percent from 2010. While a large majority still uses incandescent bulbs, 53 percent plan to switch to LED, CFL or halogen varieties when the phase out begins in 2012. Download the complete survey free at http://www.sylvania.com/Energy/SocketSurvey/

13.  Samsung, LG Introduce Low-Price LED Light Bulbs to Gain Market Share - Prices of LED light bulbs introduced by Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have been lower than Philips and Osram. Samsung is said to introduce LED light bulbs with retail price of US$10-12 for the replacements of traditional 60W light bulbs in third-quarter 2012. The aggressive price-down initiative taken by South Korea-based brands has been apparent.  International lighting firms anticipate revenues from lighting to show significant growth in 2012 with the LED lighting penetration rate likely to increase to 20% in 2013 from 3.3% in 2008.  http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20111117PD202.html

14.  50% Advanced Energy Design Guides Free Download from ASHRAE - The Advanced Energy Design Guide series provides a sensible approach to easily achieve advanced levels of energy savings without having to resort to detailed calculations or analysis.  The four-color guides offer contractors and designers the tools, including recommendations for practical products and off-the-shelf technology, needed for achieving a 50% energy savings compared to buildings that meet the minimum requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004. The energy savings target of 50% is the first step in the process toward achieving a net-zero energy building, which is defined as a building that, on an annual basis, draws from outside resources equal or less energy than it provides using on-site renewable energy sources. Free downloads at:  http://www.ashrae.org/publications/page/aedg50pct

15.  October Housing Starts Slip to a 628,000 Rate - There were several mixed signals jumping out of the data. First of all, last month's housing starts weren't as strong as originally reported. The September rate was revised downward from 658,000 to 630,000. The October figure was down 0.3% from the downwardly revised rate. Here's the good news. This month's starts are up double digits--16.5%--from the same month last year. Also strong is this month's building permits figure of 653,000, up 10.9% from the September rate and up 17.7% above the Oct. 2010 estimate. 11/17 HCN

16.  Pournaras Succeeds Mix as President of WattStopper - Lighting control manufacturer WattStopper, a Santa Clara, Calif.-based part of the Legrand group, announced today the resignation of its president, Jerry Mix, and the immediate appointment of Dean Pournaras to that position. Mix, who co-founded WattStopper 28 years ago, will be joining Finelite as chief executive officer on January 1, 2012.  Terry Clark, founder of Finelite, will assume the role of Executive Chairman, as well as, Chief Technology Officer. http://livewire.electricalmarketing.com/

17.  Meet the Associate: Philips Lighting - The Alliance to Save Energy's President Kateri Callahan interviews Philips Lighting North America's CEO Ed Crawford.  They discuss how light-emitting diodes shine in one of the most popular holiday displays in the world.  http://ase.org/resources/meet-associate-philips-lighting

18.  Energy Management Learning Portal - A new energy management learning portal is now available on the RETScreen website. This online resource provides free access to the RETScreen energy management software tool, user manual, presentation slides and case studies. Released just this past month, the RETScreen energy performance analysis module already has more than 9,000 users worldwide. This free energy management software tool is available in 36 languages covering greater than 2/3rds of the world's population. http://www.retscreen.net/ang/performance_analysis_with_retscreen.php

19.  Walmart Sees the Light for Parking Lots - Walmart in Leavenworth, Kansas, was the first to include LED parking lot lighting based on a specification developed through the Energy Department's Building Technologies Program, the Retail Energy Alliance and the retailer. Since January, Walmart has planned to install similar lighting system at more than 225 new sites. http://energy.gov/articles/walmart-sees-light-parking-lots

News Updates for the Week of November 14

1. LIGHTFAIR International Already 99 Percent Sold Out For May 2012 Show in Las Vegas - LIGHTFAIR INTERNATIONAL (LFI) will connect tens of thousands of lighting professionals with more than 475 world-renowned exhibitors at the lighting industry’s premier event taking place May 7-11, 2012 in Las Vegas. Already the show is 99 percent sold out, a strong testament to its strength and importance in the architectural and commercial lighting industries. And it looks like it will be returning to the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia in 2013. www.lightfair.com

2. Lasers Could Offer Alternative to LED Light Sources - Two recent announcements, from Sandia Labs and car maker BMW, have suggested that lasers could ultimately provide a more-efficient alternative to LEDs in certain lighting applications. Sandia conducted experiments to evaluate whether a four-color laser system could provide a viable white-light illumination source. Meanwhile, BMW has demonstrated a prototype laser-based headlight system on its i8 Concept car that uses blue lasers and phosphors. The Sandia experiment combined the output of four laser colors – blue, red, green and yellow – to create a white light source that was compared with other light sources, including incandescent and LED-based sources. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/8/11/2

3. OSRAM SYLVANIA Introduces ELOGIC Wireless Dimming Technology - OSI’s ELOGIC™ Lighting Controls solution includes dimmable fluorescent ballast controls as well as dimmable LED power supply controls using wireless dimmer technology based on the company’s work with the EnOcean Alliance, a consortium of companies working to standardize and internationalize energy harvesting wireless technology for green intelligent buildings. The dimmable fluorescent ballast and LED power supply controls can both be addressed using OSRAM SYLVANIA’s wireless and battery-free single and dual rocker switches that have both manual ON/OFF switches as well as automatic OFF functionality. http://www.sylvania.com/

4. North American Business Conditions Improve in October with Further Gains Seen Over Next Six Months - NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) indicated that conditions facing the North American electroindustry improved on balance in October, climbing to 57.4 from 50 in September. The latest month was the first since May in which the index exceeded the 50-point “growth threshold.” Meanwhile, October’s EBCI for future North American conditions moved higher for a second straight month, increasing to 63 from 58.3 a month ago. http://www.lightnowblog.com/

5. Incandescent Lamp Index Increases During Second Quarter - NEMA’s shipment index for incandescent lamps increased for the second consecutive quarter in Q2 2011, showing an improvement of 5.6% over the same period last year. Conversely, the index for CFLs declined for the fifth consecutive quarter. Moreover, the rate of decline in the shipments index accelerated to 18.5% on a year-over-year basis versus 16.8% y/y and 8.7% y/y during Q1 2011 and Q4 2010, respectively. http://www.lightnowblog.com/

6. NEMA Calls on Congress to Take Action to Extend Expiring Tax Provisions - NEMA joined other businesses, non-profit organizations, and associations in calling on Congress to act quickly to pass legislation that would extend tax provisions that are slated to expire at the end of 2011. Expiring tax provisions that of importance to the electroindustry include those affecting plug-in electric vehicles, research and development, energy-efficient home construction, additional first-year 100 percent depreciation for certain improvements, and 15-year straight line cost recovery for qualified leasehold improvements. http://www.nema.org/media/pr/upload/2011%20Broad%20Tax%20Extenders%20Letter.pdf

News Updates for the Week of November 7

1.      Unemployment Rate Falls to 9 Percent - The Labor Department says the economy added 80,000 jobs last month, the fewest in four months and below September’s revised total of 158,000. Hiring slowed in October as employers faced more uncertainty over future economic growth. The United States has experienced 11 recessions since the end of the postwar period in 1948. The federal government has tried various methods over the years to turn around recessions and push back unemployment, including stimulus spending and tax cuts. Here is the unemployment rate since the federal government began tracking unemployment more than 60 years ago and what the government did, to ease it.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/business/us-unemployment-rate-history/

                                        

2.      U.S. 'Green' Standards Change, New Energy-Efficient Lighting - With the movement towards a greener world, the U.S. is developing stricter requirements focusing on energy-efficient lighting. Over the next five years, several changes will occur in the lighting industry, the most prominent of which will be the phasing out and replacing of standard light bulbs by more energy-efficient alternatives. For more information visit http://www.goldenlighting.com/ 11/01 PRNewswire

3.      Ameren Missouri to Slash Efficiency Programs - Ameren Missouri is making more deep cuts to energy efficiency programs, arguing that they hurt electricity sales and cost shareholders millions of dollars. Ameren, based in St. Louis, indicated earlier this year that it planned to cut the programs to $20 million in 2012 from $33 million this year. On Wednesday, the utility said it would reduce spending by another 50 percent next year, to $10 million. Energy efficiency program for residential customers-which ended Sept. 30-included discounts on compact fluorescent light bulbs and rebates for Energy Star-qualified appliances. 10/28 St. Louis Post-Dispatch

4.      Transformations in Lighting - 2012 DOE Solid-State Lighting R&D Workshop - Atlanta, GA
January 31–February 2, 2012 - This gathering of solid-state lighting R&D professionals is where the nation's top researchers and industry, government, and academic leaders meet to address the science challenges and explore the full promise of this fast-moving technology. The workshop offers a unique forum to learn, share, interact, and build partnerships. And with its focus on the cutting edge, it's a way to stay current with an industry moving at warp speed.

5.      Title 24 Guide Included in the 2011 IES Progress Report - CLTC's Title 24 Residential Lighting Design Guide has been selected for inclusion in the Illuminating Engineering Society's 2011 IES Progress Report. Each year the report presents significant developments and improvements in the lighting industry. This year’s Progress Report is available on the IES website www.ies.org and will appear in the January 2012 issue of LD+A.

6.      Home Depot Offers Coupons for Eco-Friendly Lights When Customers Trade in Old Light Strings - Customers can bring in their old, incandescent Christmas light strings-working or not-to their local Home Depot store and receive coupons for money off the purchase of new, energy-efficient LED strings of Christmas lights. Customers can trade in up to five strings of the traditional incandescent lights for coupons ranging in value from $3 to $5. Customers must purchase their new LED lights between Nov. 3 and Nov. 13. 11/1 The News & Observer

7.      New “LED Lamp Locator” Industry Portal Is Expanded to Include Addition of Linear Product -Lighting Internet Technology Enterprises, LLC (LITE) announced that the company's new web-based tool, the "LED Lamp Locator," has just been enhanced to include the identification of LED replacement lamps for linear fluorescent technology. The newly-added “Linear” category now joins the tool’s three other main categories–Decorative, Directional, and Omnidirectional–in comprehending the broad array of LED lamps offered by the market’s range of global manufacturers and in helping to simplify the identification and selection of LED lamps in today’s fast-paced and rapidly-expanding marketplace. www.LEDLampLocator.com

8.      Promote Your Manufacturing Company to Lighting Practitioners at No Cost - You can list your company for free in the LD+A 2012 Lighting Equipment & Accessories Directory in print (March issue) and online, but you must enter your company's profile or reactivate an existing profile no later than January 6, 2012. To update or activate an existing listing, access the "manufacturer's login" area of the IES website at www.ies.org/manufacturers/login.cfm. To enter your company for the first time, simply go to www.ies.org/manufacturers/manuf_add_form.cfm

9.      Super Committee Nears Deadline, Considers Recommendations on Energy - The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, commonly known as the Super Committee, is approaching its Nov. 23 deadline to issue a recommendation for at least $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction over 10 years.

10.  China Will Phase Out Energy-Draining Light Bulbs - China will phase out power-draining light bulbs within five years in a move to make the world's biggest polluting nation more efficient but also certain to impact the global market. China will ban imports and sales of 100-watt-and-higher incandescent bulbs from Oct. 1, 2012. Bans will also be imposed on 60-watt-and-higher bulbs from Oct. 1, 2014 and 15-watt-and-higher old-style bulbs from Oct. 1, 2016. Last year, 3.85 billion incandescent light bulbs were produced in China and 1.07 billion of them were sold domestically. Power consumption for lighting is estimated to be about 12 percent of China's total electricity use. 11/4 AP

11.  LG And Other Korean Giants Face Ban on LED Luminaire Sales - Korean chaebols–giant industrial conglomerates–such as LG and Samsung, have been told that they cannot sell LED luminaires in Korea, in order to protect the interests of smaller manufacturers. LED luminaires were included in a list of 25 business items that are now restricted to production by small companies only. The list was announced by Korea’s Commission for Shared Growth for Large and Small Companies. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/8/11/5