News Updates for the Week of June 18

1.      DTE Energy Offers Cash Incentives for Businesses to Adopt New Federal Lighting Standards - DTE Energy is offering special cash incentives to business owners who invest in new energy efficient lighting technologies under a new federal program. The incentives will be available through July 31, 2012, as part of the company's Energy Efficiency Program for Business. The cash incentives are available to businesses that convert older model, T12 fluorescent lights to high performance or low wattage-high performance T8 lamps and electronic ballasts. For more information, visit the program website at www.dteenergy.com/saveenergy

2.      Experts Underscore Financial Benefits of Building Efficiency - Public and private sector leaders at the 23rd annual Energy Efficiency Forum outlined legislation, policies and business strategies aimed at reducing energy use and operating costs in buildings. Buildings account for 40 percent of global energy use, according to the Department of Energy. The event was co-sponsored by Johnson Controls. For more information, visit http://www.usea.org/

3.      Banks Look to Burnish Their Images by Backing Green Technology Firms - In the wake of a $30 billion commitment to new environmental investments by Wells Fargo in April and a $40 billion promise from Goldman Sachs this month, Bank of America will announce a 10-year, $50 billion initiative of its own on Monday. Facing bad publicity on practically every front, the big banks are highlighting what has quietly become a hot growth area in recent years—backing projects and companies in sectors like renewable energy, emissions reduction and reduced-carbon transportation. 6/10 NY Times

4.      Honeywell: 2015 Date for LED Lighting 'Too Late' - The US manufacturer Honeywell is calling for an immediate global switch to LED lighting, saying that the predicted date of 2015 for market domination by LEDs is too late. Lighting accounts for roughly 19% of global energy production, and a switch to LEDs would be cost effective for companies, says John Storey, global business director of LED Lighting for Honeywell. Honeywell has set up a free global consultancy service to try to convince companies that the up-front costs will be paid for by power savings, citing the fact that LEDs have a significantly longer life span of 60,000 hours, compared to a traditional fluorescent tube lasting 10-15,000 hours. LED lights also have a wider optimum temperature range. http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-17229-honeywell-2015-date-for-led-lighting-too-late/

5.      Optimized Lighting Conditions Help Students Improve Performance - A recent study has demonstrated that artificial lighting simulating daylight was able to increase concentration and cognitive performance in students. The so-called “biologically-optimized” lighting used in the study was produced by combining blue and white LEDs. The study investigated the effects of light on the performance of students at two schools in Ulm, Germany. It was carried out by the ZNL TransferZentrum für Neurowissenschaften und Lernen (Transfer Centre for Neuroscience and Learning) in conjunction with lighting manufacturer Osram between November 2011 and February 2012. The results showed that students working under biologically-optimized classroom lighting achieved better results than the comparison group in standardized tests for concentration ability, and their performance speed also increased. http://ledsmagazine.com/news/9/6/8

 

6.      2012 DOE Solid-State Lighting Market Introduction Workshop - The 2012 DOE Solid-State Lighting Market Introduction Workshop will take place from July 17-19 in Pittsburgh, Pa. Topics for workshops to be presented at the event include product pricing, cost effectiveness, and financing; outdoor lighting installations; ambient lighting; LED replacement lamps; lighting efficiency; lifecycle analysis; and lessons learned from facility managers. For more information and to register, visit http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/pittsburgh2012.html

7.      The Global Smart Energy Market Reached $222 Billion in 2011 - The smart energy paradigm is gaining traction worldwide, opening a window of opportunity for transformation.  A number of convergent market drivers are leading to expanded availability and increasing revenue opportunities across the smart energy continuum.  These drivers include the rising costs of maintaining the current energy system as well as regulatory and policy initiatives in many countries around the world.  According to a new report from Pike Research, total revenue from smart energy and smart energy storage reached $222 billion in 2011.  By 2015, the cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts, total market value will be $420 billion—an increase of 90% in just four years. http://www.pikeresearch.com/research/smart-energy-annual-report-2012

8.      California Stores Unite to Recycle Bulbs - A “Bring ‘Em Back” campaign in Alameda County invites consumers to return their used-up CFL bulbs and tubes to 18 participating hardware stores. Among the participants are seven Orchard Supply Hardware locations, Dale Hardware, Pete’s Ace Hardware and a handful of others. The Bring ‘Em Back program is supported by www.StopWaste.org 6/11 HCN