News Updates for the Week of June 3

1.     T5 And T8 Linear Fluorescent Lamp Shipments Surge During First Quarter - NEMA’s T5 and T8 linear fluorescent lamp indexes surged upward 6.3 and 15.7 percent on a year-over-year basis (y/y), respectively, during 2013Q1. Moreover, the T8 index value of 120.2 was the second highest in the history of the series. Meanwhile, the index reading of 173.9 for T5 lamps was the highest since 2011. Not surprisingly, the index for T12 lamp shipments continued to diminish, posting a decrease of 38.9 percent (y/y), settling at a value of 36.5 for the quarter.  T8 lamps increased in market share by 2.2 percentage points reaching 75 percent; T5 lamps garnered a share of 10.1 percent; T12 lamps dipping to a share of 14.9 percent. http://www.nema.org/News/Pages/T5-and-T8-Linear-Fluorescent-Lamp-Shipments-Surge-During-First-Quarter.aspx

2.     HID Lamp Shipment Indexes Remain Dim - NEMA’s shipment indexes for high intensity discharge (HID) lamps declined on a year-over-year basis (y/y) for the fourth consecutive quarter in 2013Q1. Shipments of sodium vapor lamps decreased 14.1 percent (y/y) to an index reading of 71.2 during the quarter. Mercury vapor lamp shipments were down a similar magnitude at 13 percent (y/y) to 44.2, the third lowest level in the index series. Metal halide lamp shipments fell too, posting an index value of 77.5, a decrease of 9.5 percent (y/y).  www.nema.org

3.     Global LED Light Bulb Shipments to Reach 842 Million Units in 2013 - The global market is expected to grow and Digitimes Research forecasts 2013 global LED light bulb shipments to reach 842 million units, representing a sequential increase of 151%, accounting for 52.3% of products.

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20130529PD206.html

4.     United States Smart Infrastructure: LED and Smart Street Lighting - LED streetlights are quickly transforming the landscape of cities and municipalities across the United States, but still only make up about 1% of the country's more than 50 million streetlights. The next step of advanced smart lighting systems will improve upon the existing benefits of LED streetlights and contribute to cities' growing "smart infrastructure." This study identified nearly 400 US cities and towns that range from those having considered LED streetlights to those having completed changeovers and experimented with advanced smart lighting systems. For more information click on: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/publication/uemyga/united_states_smart_infrastructure_led_and_s

5.     DOE Webcast on LED Troffers, Retrofit Kits, and Replacement Tubes - On Thursday, June 20, DOE will host a 60-minute live webcast on its recently completed CALiPER Exploratory Study, Recessed Troffer Lighting, in which a group of lighting designers, engineers, and facility managers compared the performance of conventional fluorescent troffers with T8 LED tube retrofits, LED retrofit kits, and dedicated LED troffers. Troffers (1'×4', 2'×2', and 2'×4') comprise more than half of all luminaires installed in commercial applications, so switching to LED technology has the potential to yield significant energy and environmental benefits. The webcast will begin at 1:00 p.m. Eastern and will include a 40-minute presentation, followed by a 20-minute Q&A. To register, visit the DOE SSL website. The CALiPER study is available online at www.ssl.energy.gov/exploratory.html

6.     LEUKOS Volume 9 Print Compilation – IES members are entitled to free online access to LEUKOS, the Journal of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America. If you prefer to read LEUKOS in print, you can purchase a year-end print compilation for only $25. Volume 9, Numbers 1 - 4 will be available in June.
http://www.ies.org/leukos/introduction.cfm

7.     U.S. Energy Secretary Moniz to Keynote the 2013 U.S. Energy Information Administration EIA Energy Conference June 17 and 18 at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC - The EIA Energy Conference has become a premier forum for addressing energy issues in the United States and around the world. This event will bring together thought leaders from industry, government, and academia to discuss current and future challenges facing domestic and international energy markets and policymakers. http://www.fbcinc.com/e/EIA/

8.     Cheap Leases Offered to Spur Electric Car Sales - Honda announced Thursday that it's slashing the monthly lease cost of its tiny Fit EV by one third, following similar moves by other automakers. Honda also is throwing in other goodies, such as a free home charging station and unlimited mileage. With the Fit EV, Honda is offering a $259 per month lease, down $130 from the initial $389 per month offer when the car went on sale in July of last year. The reduced lease price starts June 1. The three-year lease requires no money down and comes with unlimited mileage, free routine maintenance, collision insurance coverage and a free 240-volt home charging station,  Earlier this month, General Motors Co. said that it would lease the subcompact Spark EV for $199 per month with $999 due at signing as it goes on sale in California and Oregon. Nissan is offering a $199-per-month lease on its Leaf electric car with $1,999 down. 5/30 AP

9.     Big Data and Microseismic Imaging Will Accelerate the Smart Drilling Oil and Gas Revolution -Over the past five years, technology has improved the productivity of the typical oil or gas rig on America’s shale fields between 200 and 300 percent.  Globally, the average cost to find and yield a new barrel has increased from $6 in 1998 to $27 a barrel today.  But in America’s oil shale fields it’s now dropped to the $7 to $15 range.  American oil production will soon surpass Saudi Arabia's output, according to the International Energy Agency. The end result: U.S. drilling success rates have risen from an average of barely 50 percent in 1972 to over 85 percent today.  5/08 Forbes