News Updates for the Week of March 18

1.      Ledmotive: Brilliant Innovation Video with LED Technology - Summary of a research idea conceived at the Catalonia Institute for Energy Research, Lighting Group. This video explains the potential applications of a novel concept based on LEDs than uses a microprocessing unit to reproduce and read spectra in spaces. http://vimeo.com/33619331

2.      Utilities Offer Rebates for Lighting Controls - Prescriptive rebates continue their upward trend in spending in 2013, with LED and lighting controls coming on strong. The number of rebates supporting lighting controls, in fact, has nearly tripled since 2009. Common rebates cover remote-, wallbox- and fixture-mounted occupancy sensors; photosensors; and daylight harvesting dimming control systems, with rebate dollars available for both new and existing construction projects. http://lightingcontrolsassociation.org/utilities-offer-rebates-for-lighting-controls/

3.      The Energy Saving Benefits of LED Lighting Brighten its Prospects in the North American Market - Favorable legislation mandating energy conservation increase opportunities for LED manufacturers.  Lighting accounts for nearly 15 percent of the energy consumed in the U.S. building sector, compelling building owners to seek more energy efficient lighting systems. This places the spotlight on light emitting diode (LED) lighting due to its reasonable cost, technology improvements and long life. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan's “Analysis of the North American LED Lighting Market” research finds the market earned revenue of $1.15 billion in 2012 and estimates this to reach $3.63 billion in 2017. The market is primarily segmented into indoor and outdoor LED lighting. http://www.frost.com

4.      LED Lighting in Museums - It’s hard to find a lighting application with aesthetic standards higher than those of museums, where success depends upon showing the artifacts and works of art in the best possible light – literally speaking. The bottom line is that solid-state lighting per se poses no special danger to artwork and artifacts, and has progressed to the point where it can compete with incumbent lighting even in applications where aesthetics are at a premium. But that doesn’t mean it’s a slam-dunk, or that it’s a matter of buying any lighting product that contains LEDs and expecting good results. There’s a wide performance range among the LED lighting products on the market, which means you have to do your homework and test, test, test – and even then, some issues are likely to emerge. http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/2012_gateway_smithsonian.pdf

5.      Cree and Philips Take Divergent Approaches to Sub-$15 LED Lamps - Philips has been widely known for its remote-phosphor technology in retrofit lamps. Even in the warm-white lamp that's white in the off state, the company relied on an inner dome that was coated with remote phosphor. The new lamps use blue LEDs with the remote phosphor applied on the dome of the individual packaged LEDs. The new approach certainly can reduce cost and improve optical efficiency by eliminating an optic between the LEDs and the outer globe. Cree, in contrast, took a more conventional approach using its phosphor-converted XLamp XT-E high-voltage LEDs. The LEDs are mounted on what Cree calls a Filament Tower that is a vertical structure upon which the LEDs are mounted in pairs around what is essentially a circular structure (see photo) http://ledsmagazine.com/news/10/3/9

6.     'Smart' LED Bulbs Controlled by iPhones - The Philips Hue bulbs (hue light app) cost more because there are five unique and expensive lime-green LEDs in each bulb, balanced by four red-orange ones and two blue ones. Together, these LEDs produce a range of colors, including a nice span of "whites," from warm to cold. The company has produced the first kit of LED bulbs whose color and brightness can be wirelessly controlled from your iPhone. Few people will pony up $200 for the Philips kit with three smart bulbs. But these products are still interesting because they point the way to the future of lighting. In the future, the price difference between color-mixing LEDs and regular ones will shrink, and perhaps vanish. Adding color and wireless controls to bulbs will cost very little, so we might as well get used to it. 3/13 AP

7.   LED Lighting Market Forecasted to Experience Steady Growth in 2013 - In the U.S. LED bulbs account for less than 1 percent of the 5.6 billion bulbs used in residential homes.  LED companies have been trending upwards in recent weeks due to potential growth within the lighting market, which has been dominated by the standard incandescent bulb for decades. Five Star Equities releases regular market updates on the Semiconductors Industry so investors can stay ahead of the crowd and make the best investment decisions to maximize their returns. Register at www.FiveStarEquities.com and get exclusive access to numerous stock reports and industry newsletters at no charge.

8.      California to Base LED Lamp Rebate Programs on Quality Specification - The California Energy Commission (CEC) has published a voluntary quality specification for omnidirectional and directional LED replacement lamps intended to replace screwbase incandescent lamps in light fixtures other than colored lamps, light strips and rope lights, linear pin-based lamps and integrated light fixtures. This specification is being developed in response to the findings of compact CFL incentive program evaluations, which found that the poor performance of CFL lamps was a major impediment to increased market penetration of those products. This specification will set a high performance standard that is intended to create a positive public perception of LED lamps, especially in residential applications. http://www.energy.ca.gov/appliances/led_lamp_spec/index.html

9.     LEDucation 7 is This Week on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 - Hotel Pennsylvania , Penn Plaza Pavilion, 401 Seventh Avenue, New York City. (Located between 32nd & 33rd Streets - across from Madison Square Garden) Pre-register to avoid onsite registration lines. http://www.leducation.org/

 

10.  Lightfair Pre-Registration Savings End in 2 Weeks - Take advantage of the lower prices now through March 28.  Register now and save money on exhibit hall access, courses, workshops, seminars and networking and special events like the LFI Innovation Awards^® and LightFEST. Download the latest LFI mobile app update and customize the app to synch with your registration. Simply click ‘Sign In’ on the Home page and enter your badge number and last name. Once you sign in, you can take advantage of all of the personalized features of the LFI mobile app and access information about the daily giveaways at the show. Download at m.lightfair.com.