News Updates for the Week of April 1

1.  A Bright Future for LED - By 2020, you're not going to be able to buy a light source other than an LED. You're on a learning curve of cost reduction, quality improvement and efficacy improvement. Today, 2013, is the first year you're going to be able to buy an exact clone of a regular 60-watt incandescent bulb at a reasonable price point. This year it's a $10 product. We're looking at it being a $5 product within 24 months, $2.50 within 48 months. So, by the time you get to 2020, it would be the equivalent cost to today's regular light bulb, last 25 years and use 85% less energy. But probably the more interesting thing is, after you digitize the light socket and you switch to LEDs, there's a second and third wave coming. Changing the color temperature. Changing the ambience of the room. Being able to integrate other functionality—it's your Wi-Fi hot spot, it's your alarm system because it detects presence coming into the room. You've got a raft of functionality that just has to be integrated into the bulb itself.  3/26 WSJ

2.  DOE Releases Report on LED Environmental Testing - The U.S. DOE has released a new study addressing the potential environmental impacts from landfill disposal of three light-source technologies used in residential homes: incandescent, CFL, and LED. All three lamp types contained some hazardous elements which, while generally below Federal landfill limits, in some instances exceeded the more restrictive California limits. The report, LED Environmental Testing, covers the third part of a larger DOE study to assess the life-cycle environmental and resource impacts of LED lighting products in relation to the two other types of lighting. Altogether, the three-part study found that LEDs currently have the lowest environmental impact, and that the rapid pace of LED technology improvements will widen that gap considerably over the next five years. The full report is available online at www.ssl.energy.gov/tech_reports.html

3. New Reasons to Change Light Bulbs - You’ve probably seen LED flashlights, the LED “flash” on phone cameras and LED indicator lights on electronics. But LED bulbs, for use in the lamps and light sockets of your home, have been slow to arrive, mainly because of their high price. May these six capsule reviews shed some light on the latest in home illumination: 3/20 NY Times

• R  3M ADVANCED LED BULBS 
• CREE LED BULBS
• TORCHSTAR
• PHILIPS HUE 
• INSTEON 
• GREENWAVE SOLUTION

4.  Osram Opto Announces New Bright White LEDs for the Interior of Vehicles - Osram Opto Semiconductors has launched the next-generation of its Topled and Mini Topled LEDs for interior-vehicular applications. The components enable high-brightness, long-life solid-state lighting (SSL) for the interior of buses, autos, trains, and airplanes. Osram retailed the same packaging technology that it had previously used in the Topled families. But the new LEDs stretch lifetime to 50,000 hours and deliver more light output allowing for a better user experience in mass transit applications. http://ledsmagazine.com/news/10/3/22

5. PA’s PPL Launches New Conservation Program - PPL Electric Utilities will offer a portfolio of energy conservation programs over the next three years under a plan approved this month by the PA Public Utility Commission.  Some of the 13 programs will be similar to existing offers, such as rebates for energy-efficient appliances and energy audits for residential, small commercial and large industrial customers, as well as to government agencies, schools and home builders. They will cost about $61 million a year--an expense covered by a monthly charge on customers' bills. PPL will conduct energy audits at such places and then provide significant discounts to implement recommendations, such as lighting upgrades (over 7 million CFLs were distributed), occupancy sensors and high-efficiency refrigeration, heating and irrigation systems. The new programs will be available starting June 1. Details are available: http://www.pplelectric.com/save-energy-and-money

6. LEDucation 7 Breaks Both Exhibit & Attendance Records - The Designers Lighting Forum of New York announced that LEDucation 7 hosted its largest event to date with a record -breaking crowd of over 3,000 attendees and a sold out expo of 150+ exhibitors. Dedicated to advancing the education of the lighting community, LEDucation offered attendees key updates and glimpses into the future of the industry. Educational seminars were conducted by some of the industry’s most leading authorities and gave attendees a chance to catch up on the latest advancements in solid state technology and controls. http://www.leducation.org/

7.  LightFEST - It is the LFI evening reception of Light, Networking & Celebration. This signature event of 2013 will bring together lighting professionals to enjoy the festivities and networking. It takes place Tuesday, April 23, 6:15pm – 8:00pm in the PA Convention Center Ballroom http://www.lightfair.com/lightfair/V40/index.cvn?id=10189

8. AEE Upcoming Online Training Opportunities For Energy-Involved Professionals - top quality professional training while earning CEU credits online: http://www.aeeprograms.com/