News Updates for the Week of March 4, 2013

1.     Next Generation Luminaires Design Competition Announces 2012 Outdoor Winners - The competition began evaluating indoor and outdoor products separately in 2012, and the winners announced today are the 2012 outdoor winners — the first outdoor winners to be announced as part of a separate NGL competition.  Compared to previous years, the 2012 NGL outdoor results show a marked improvement in overall performance. The recognized products performed best in terms of color, illuminance, and light distribution and not quite as well in terms of glare, which was somewhat of a concern to the judges. The idea behind NGL is to make it easier for lighting designers and specifiers to find LED lighting products that are worthy of specification. For the complete list of winners in the outdoor category:  http://www.ngldc.org/12/outdoor/winners.stm

2.     Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2012 Product of the Year Winners - Consulting-Specifying Engineer Magazine recently announced the 2012 Product of the Year winners. These 32 individual products—selected by the readers of Consulting-Specifying Engineer—were culled from a field of 98 entries. Product categories include electrical distribution; emergency, on-site, and standby power; equipment level sensors and controls; fire, life safety, and mass notification; lighting; plumbing and water management; software design, modeling, and analysis; and test instruments, meters and data loggers. http://www.csemag.com/home/single-article/2012-product-of-the-year-winners/476ccdbf642fcd1fe53a81f2cef4b33c.html

3.     tED’s Lighting Line-Up Preview - The cover story for the March issue of tED explores how LED technology is steadily growing, with manufacturers offering advice on how distributors can best approach the lighting market.  The March issue of tED features the annual Lighting Line-Up. http://www.tedmag.com/galleries/Lighting-Line-Up-preview.aspx#8517957833

4.     Zhaga Publishes Interface Specs for LED Downlighting Modules - The Zhaga Consortium, an international group of lighting industry companies, develops interface specifications (Books) that enable the interchangeability of LED light engines made by different manufacturers. Zhaga has published its second interface specification for LED light engines: Zhaga Interface Specification Book 2 defining a SSL module primarily for downlight applications. Zhaga has also created a database of certified products, which are all commercially available. In October 2012, Zhaga published Book 1 and Book 3, which respectively include common definitions and generic information applicable to all the different interface specifications. http://ledsmagazine.com/news/10/2/20

5.     There's Gold in Them Thar Tax Code - http://www.dsireusa.org/ Hundreds of tax incentives exist for clean energy. The trick is tracking them down, making sense of them, and putting them to good use. Here's some guidance on how to do this: Federal Tax Incentives. The so-called "fiscal cliff" bill (HR 8) enacted last month included a suite of sweeteners for clean-energy projects. Specifically, several tax incentives were extended through the end of 2013, including the Production Tax Credit, Bonus Depreciation, the Energy-Efficient New Homes Tax Credit for Home Builders, the Energy-Efficient Appliance Manufacturing Tax Credit and the Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit. Other federal incentives are currently in effect as well; here's a fuller list

6.     Silicon Nanocrystal LEDs - Scientists of KIT and the University of Toronto/Canada have now succeeded in manufacturing silicon-based light-emitting diodes (SiLEDs). Silicon dominates in the microelectronics and photovoltaics industries, but has been considered unsuitable for light-emitting diodes for some time. However, this is not true for nanoscopic dimensions: Minute silicon nanocrystals can produce light. These nanocrystals consist of a few hundred to thousand atoms and have a considerable potential as highly efficient light emitters. The SiLEDs have the advantage that they do not contain any heavy metals. In contrast to cadmium selenide, cadmium sulfide or lead sulfide used by other groups of researchers, the silicon used by this group for the light-emitting nanoparticles is not toxic. Moreover, it is available at low costs and highly abundant on earth. http://www.buildings.com/article-details/articleid/15356/title/silicon-nanocrystal-leds.aspx

7.     California Plans More Exacting LED Retrofit Lamp Guidelines - California has a new guideline for LED retrofit lamps that is more stringent than Energy Star guidelines in some areas. The California Energy Commission (CEC) has published the voluntary guideline (Voluntary California Quality LED Lamp Specification) and lamp manufacturers will have to comply to have their solid-state lighting (SSL) retrofits be eligible for utility rebates. The CEC does not intend to supplant Energy Star but to simply add some requirements in certain areas. There are no concrete plans for the CPUC to begin enforcing the news specification. But the CEC document says that utilities will start requiring compliance one year after the specification has been adopted and that could mean early 2014.  http://www.energy.ca.gov/2012publications/CEC-400-2012-016/CEC-400-2012-016-SD.pdf

8.     DOE to Host Webcast on Successful Selection of LED Streetlight Luminaires on March 6, 2013 - On Wednesday, March 6, DOE’s Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium will host a 90-minute live webcast on the factors involved in successful selection of LED streetlight luminaires. Presented by Eric Haugaard of Cree Lighting and Chad Stalker of Philips Lumileds, the webcast will guide participants through the modeling of a typical roadway layout — emphasizing key design elements for consideration. The webcast will begin at 1:00 PM Eastern Time and will include a 60-minute presentation, followed by a 30-minute question-and-answer session with attendees. To register.  http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/events_detail.html?event_id=7669

9.     Webcast: Highlighting Indoor SSL Applications - On Thursday, April 4, the U.S. DOE Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) will host a webcast entitled “Solid-State Lighting: Highlighting Indoor Applications.” The webcast is part of FEMP's First Thursday Seminars series, which provides training for Federal energy and environmental professionals. The webcast will highlight new LED lighting developments with an emphasis on troffer applications, best practices to upgrade existing and install new lighting, as well as Federal priorities and tools and resources for success. The webcast is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET. To register or to learn more, visit:    http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/femp/training/course_detail_live.cfm/CourseDateId=537

10.     LIGHTFAIR 2013 REGISTRATION IS OPEN - Registration for LIGHTFAIR International 2013, which will occur April 21-25, 2013 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, is now open: http://www.lightfair.com/lightfair/V40/

 

11.  Energy Efficiency Program Aims to Make All Kentuckians More Aware  - Kentucky is one of three states to receive a U.S. DOE grant to use Cooperative Extension offices to funnel energy efficiency information to residents, dubbed “Energy Efficiency Awareness and Action Program.” If the program is successful in Kentucky, it could become a nationwide program.  The program uses online tools so that residents and commercial business owners can perform energy assessments in their homes and businesses. http://www.bae.uky.edu/energy/commercial/

News Updates for the Week of April 2

1.     PAR Deadline Extended to April 15 - NAED members now have two extra weeks to return their surveys 2012 NAED Performance Analysis Report. Last year, the NAED PAR revealed the typical electrical distributor generated $50.6 million in 2010 sales. http://www.naed.org/PAR/

2.      Webcast: Commercial Building Energy Alliances High-Efficiency Troffer Lighting Specification - On April 19 at 1:00 p.m. ET, the U.S. DOE will host a 90-minute live webcast on a new lighting specification that sets performance requirements for high-efficiency LED and fluorescent troffer products in 2'x4', 2'x2', and 1'x4' configurations. Developed by DOE's Commercial Building Energy Alliances (CBEAs), High-Efficiency Troffer Lighting Specification v3.0 was released in February and expands on an earlier version that only addressed 2'x2' troffers. For more information, or to register, visit: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/alliances/cbea_events.html

3.      IES Publishes LM-82 for LED Light Engines and Lamps at Temperature - IES has published LM-82-12, the approved method for “Characterization of LED Light Engines and LED Lamps for Electrical and Photometric Properties as a Function of Temperature.” The new standard is designed to establish consistent methods of testing and data presentation to assist luminaire manufacturers in selecting LED light engines and integrated lamps for their luminaire products. The LM-82-12 publication is available at the IES website

4.   Share Your ESCO Insights - As the popularity of energy efficiency upgrades continues to rise, NAED members are crossing paths with ESCOs more often. NAED seeks your insights for a new study, probing the opportunities and weaknesses of the distributor-ESCO relationship. Your feedback in this short survey will help them identify best practices and new opportunities for working with these players in the energy-management arena. Sponsored by the NAED Education & Research Foundation’s Channel Advantage Partnership https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NAED12

5.      LEDucation Achieves Record Breaking Year with a 20% Increase in Attendees – Hey Retailers, do you want your products to “wink” at your customers? With LED accent lighting that what it does.  That’s what I learned at LEDucation. The Designers Lighting Forum of New York announced that LEDucation 6 accomplished its most successful event to date with a record breaking crowd of over 2,000 attendees.  With extended exhibitor hours and an expanded exhibit hall, LEDucation 6 provided attendees the opportunity to view the latest innovations, technology and products from a sold out exhibit hall of 92+ leading manufacturers from across the world. Attendees enjoyed seminars from industry leading professionals as well. For more information: www.leducation.org

6.      DesignLights™ Consortium Qualified Products List - The DLC www.designlights.org/ qualified products list is a resource for program administrators, to help them decide which solid state lighting products to include in their energy efficiency promotions. Their primary reference tool for SSLs is ENERGY STAR, however the regional list fills in gaps in categories which ENERGY STAR does not include. DOE’s ENERGY STAR team is working in cooperation with DLC to develop the Qualified Products List (QPL) and procedures. The Members expect the products from their QPL will eventually be incorporated into the ENERGY STAR list once corresponding categories are added.  Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) www.neep.org manages their website. http://www.designlights.org/documents/DLCQPLApplicationInstructions10_04_30.pdf

 

      7.      NLB Offers Residential Lighting Design Guide - The comprehensive Residential Lighting Design Guide is now available free from the National Lighting Bureau. Developed by the UC Davis California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC), the guide is a resource of best practices and lighting designs applicable nationwide. It provides a technology overview of high-efficacy luminaires, switching controls, sensors, and dimmers and also includes diagrams of several spaces found in typical U.S. homes. http://www.nlb.org/index.cfm?cdid=10863&pid=10225

8.      Global Energy-Efficient Lighting Technology Market by Correlated Color Temperature (CCT), Application and Geography (2011- 2016) - The field of lighting has witnessed remarkable technology improvements in the past few years, especially in the area of CFL and solid state lighting. A Research and Markets report covers the key energy-efficient lighting technologies and the in-depth energy-efficiency lighting market on the basis of correlated color temperature (CCT). The report also covers all the major products, applications, ingredients, and submarkets under each of these technologies. They have conducted an exhaustively geographic analysis for the major regional markets, viz. the U.S, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW). For more information:  http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/6c74a7/global_energy_efficient_lighting_technology_m

9.     Johnson Controls Helps Miller Park Earn LEED Certification - Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers since 2001, has been recognized as the first stadium with a retractable roof and the third Major League Baseball stadium overall to become LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified in the category of Existing Building Operations and Maintenance. Johnson Controls is the facility manager for the stadium and coordinated the LEED process. 3/29 PRNewswire via COMTEX

10. $30 Million in Incentives Available for Energy Efficiency Projects - Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) www.socalgas.com/energyefficiency announced today that more than $30 million in rebates and incentives are available this year to business customers for qualifying energy-efficiency projects. The announcement was made at SoCalGas' annual Business Expo in Pomona, Calif., where over 300 business representatives learned how they could save energy and money through the utility's programs and latest green technologies. 3/29 /PRNewswire

11. Bulb Maker TCP Plans Initial Public Offering - An initial public offering is in the works for Shanghai, China-based TCP International Holdings. The company hopes to raise $100 million through an offering of its common stock, according to a TCP filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. TCP sales were $281 million in 2011, a decline of 2%. 3/27 HCN

News Updates for the Week of October 3

1.      Webcast: CBEA High-Efficiency Troffer Specification - On October 25, 2011 at 1:00 ET, the U.S. DOE will host a 90-minute live webcast on the high-efficiency troffer specification developed by a cross-cutting project team from DOE's Commercial Building Energy Alliances (CBEA). Fifty percent of all commercial fluorescent lighting are recessed fixtures (troffers) in 2x4, 2x2 and 1x4 configurations which are in operation for more than 10 hours a day on average and collectively consume more than 63 terawatt-hours of electricity annually. In this webcast, Jeff McCullough and Michael Myer of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) will review the energy-saving benefits of high-efficiency troffers, highlight their design and implementation considerations, and identify different troffer types. For more information, visit the Registration page.

2.      Fluorescent Lamp Prices Hit Stratosphere - While stock markets were plunging and commodity prices were taking stunning drops, key lighting industry manufacturers were busy pushing up prices for fluorescent lamps. Blame for the price hikes went to China and its rare earth policies. The increases go into effect in November.

3.      Rare-Earths Prices Appear to Soften - Prices for the vital industrial minerals known as rare earths appear to have moderated in recent weeks following two years of relentless gains, as the supply outlook brightens and dominant producer China faces possible legal challenges to export restrictions. 9/22 Wall Street Journal

4.      IES Publishes TM21-11, Useful Lifetime of LEDs - The Illuminating Engineering Society(IES) announces a new document, Projecting Long Term Lumen Maintenance of LED Light Sources (TM-21-11). The document recommends a method for projecting the lumen maintenance of LED light sources from the data obtained by the procedures found in IES document Approved Method for Measuring Lumen Maintenance of LED Light Sources (LM-80-08). Available at www.ies.org/store

5.      DOE Offers up to $10 Million to Improve Energy-Saving Lighting - DOE announced on Sept. 26 the availability of up to $10 million in funding for energy-saving lighting technologies. DOE will invest in projects to accelerate manufacturing research and development related to solid-state lighting (SSL) technologies. The focus will be on applications that use semiconductors to provide light in such devices as LEDs and OLEDs. The goal is to strengthen the United States' position as a global manufacturing leader and help create jobs. Between two and four projects will be selected to receive up to $10 million. Projects should address the technical challenges that must be overcome before prices fall to a level where SSL will become competitive with existing lighting on a first-cost basis. Potential applicants should note that applications are due by December 15, 2011. For more information, visit the DOE website at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/

6.      "Revolutionary 'LED Lamp Locator' Tool Offers New Industry Portal for LED Lamp Market" - Lighting Internet Technology Enterprises, LLC (LITE) announced the company's introduction of a new web-based tool, the "LED Lamp Locator," that will enhance the ease with which professional lighting users can search, evaluate, compare, and specify the market's broad range of LED replacement lamps. Providing lighting users with a comprehensive database of current LED lamp products offered by the market's range of global manufacturers at www.LEDLampLocator.com

7.      A Green Guide for Public Housing - Siemens Industry, in collaboration with the Green Seal organization, has published a guide for public housing owners and operators to help them reduce the use of energy, water and toxic chemicals. The manual covers a broad range of facility maintenance and management best practices, including HVAC systems, plumbing fixtures, lighting, landscaping and recycling. Called "Green Building Operations and Maintenance Manual: A Guide for Public Housing Authorities," the publication is now available free online http://www.greeningpublichousing.com/

8.      Cree Launches Industry-Leading TEMPO Evaluation Services - Cree, Inc. announces the commercial availability of TEMPO™ Services, a comprehensive set of quantitative and qualitative tests and analyses for LED-based lighting fixtures and lamps. TEMPO (Thermal, Electrical, Mechanical, Photometric and Optical) Services represent the accumulated advantage of Cree's extensive experience with customer LED systems combined with the use of calibrated test equipment to give LED lighting manufacturers and end users confidence in LED product designs. www.creeledrevolution.com

9.      LG to Invest $6.7B in Solar, EV batteries, LEDs and Water Treatment - The company said Sunday that it plans to invest more than $6.7 billion in green businesses by 2015. The investment is expected to yield about $8.4 billion in revenues and create 10,000 new jobs by the end of 2015, according to reports. It's all a part of a strategy the company calls "Green New Business."  LG says it will invest almost $1.7 billion in electric car batteries by 2013; $846 million in solar, LED lighting, and water treatment sectors; and almost $415 million in the silicon business by the end of 2014. Another $338 million will go into solar cell production by 2015. 9/26 www.greenbiz.com

10.  LG Electronics Opens First U.S. Home Appliance R&D Center for Innovative Appliance Testing - LG Electronics USA www.lg.com officially opened its first Home Appliance Research & Development Center in the United States. Located in Buffalo Grove, Ill., the $6.5 million R&D Center will provide low-volume, high-precision product testing and consumer research using state-of-the-art methodologies and technologies. The LG R&D Center tests products against industry guidelines set by Underwriters Laboratory (UL), UL Environment (ULE), the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) and U.S. DOE. 9/28 PRNewswire

11.  Lawmakers Push Bill to Allow Incandescent Light Bulb Manufacturing, Sales in Michigan - There may not be any companies in Michigan building incandescent light bulbs, but the state legislature wants to make sure that a company can if they want to. State Rep. Tom McMillin, R-Rochester Hills, introduced a bill that would allow a Michigan company to make the older bulbs and sell them only in Michigan. The bill now goes to the full House for consideration. Detroit Free Press

12.  Best Buy Sees a Future in Home Energy - Best Buy Co. Inc. plans to start selling home energy management products and services next month in what could be a significant new market for the Richfield-based consumer electronics giant. Stores in three test markets -- Chicago, Houston and San Francisco -- will roll out smart thermostats and outlets, energy usage monitors, and possibly a home security/alarm system. Though Best Buy declined to disclose specifics, the retailer suggested it will devote prominent and sizable space to its new "Home Energy" section. The Geek Squad already performs home energy audits and is a natural fit to market and install energy management products and services. 9/29  www.startribune.com

13.   Energy Efficient Lighting Explained - "Energy Efficient Lighting Explained: A Guide for Business People Who Aren't Lighting Techies," is now available from RealEnergyWriters.com and The Daily Energy Report. The guide helps businesses learn how to best use the new efficient lighting technologies, which are the most cost-effective investments in energy efficiency available today. Order ($189) at: http://www.realenergywriters.com/products/  9/29 PRNewswire