News Updates for the Week of January 27

1.      LED Lumen Maintenance and Light Loss Factors - An article has been published in IES LEUKOS entitled "Lumen Maintenance and Light Loss Factors: Consequences of Current Design Practices for LEDs."  The article was written by Michael Royer of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and discusses complications related to the lamp lumen depreciation (LLD) light loss factor and LEDs. Because of the unique operating characteristics of LEDs and lack of a comprehensive lifetime rating—as well as the problematic relationship between SSL lifetime and lumen maintenance—determining an appropriate LLD factor for LED products is difficult.  The IES recommends using an LLD of no greater than 0.70 when the quantity of light is an important design consideration. The article discusses the issue in detail, compares the performance of some conventional and LED products, and examines alternatives to the currently recommended approach for determining LLD factors for LED products.  Access at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/tech_reports.html

2.      Cree's Q2'14 Earnings Preview: Rising LED Penetration to Drive Demand - The LED market dynamics improved considerably in 2013, primarily driven by the launch of new innovative products and the closing price gap with traditional lighting.  Led by strong lighting demand, Cree provided guidance for revenue to grow to $400-$420 million, with gross margins of around 38% in Q2 2014. Backed by strengthening demand across business segments – LEDs, Lighting & Power and RF – the company reported a 24% annual increase in its revenue base last quarter. Additionally, backed by higher lighting demand, benefits from LED bulb cost reductions, and higher fixture sales, Cree’s gross margins improved by 1.8 percentage points year to year. http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2014/01/16/crees-q214-earnings-preview-rising-led-penetration-to-drive-demand/

3.      Cree Shatters Efficiency Benchmark with First 200-Lumen-Per-Watt LED Luminaire - Twice the efficiency of the best linear fluorescent luminaires. The latest DOE projections had estimated that this level of luminaire efficiency would not occur until after 2020, but Cree’s latest innovation has made this possible six years sooner than projected. The prototype leverages Cree’s vertical integration with innovations in LED chips, optics, materials technology and novel system design to deliver unprecedented performance. The 3,200-lumen concept luminaire delivered 200 LPW + at 80 CRI at thermal equilibrium while remaining within the ANSI color specification for 3000 K. http://www.cree.com/News-and-Events/Cree-News/Press-Releases/2014/January/200-LPW-fixture

4.      TCP Secures Patent Licensing Agreement with Philips - As part of this agreement, the two companies have agreed to settle and dismiss the patent infringement lawsuit that was pending in the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The royalty-bearing license allows TCP and its affiliates full worldwide access to Philips’ LED-related patented technologies that Philips makes available to the lighting industry through its LED Luminaire and Retrofit Bulb licensing program. This license agreement with TCP follows earlier agreements between Philips and other companies. http://www.tedmag.com/

5.      LED Manufacturer Chosen for 2014 Forbes List of America's Most Promising Companies - Noribachi www.noribachi.com an LED lighting manufacturer, was chosen for the 2014 Forbes list of America's Most Promising Companies. Noribachi is an LED lighting company in Southern California specializing in creating retrofit lights for existing and brand new fixtures. The company has a large engineering staff with a substantial IP portfolio. Noribachi is committed to making commercial and industrial lighting an integral part of the connected world of tomorrow by including "Internet of Things" technologies in our products. http://www.tedmag.com/

6.      Philips Introduces 'Lighting as a Service' - While the model is commonly used to finance building retrofits, Philips will pay the upfront costs of installation and be compensated through a performance contract – the energy savings the retrofit produces. In Washington, DC, Philips will upgrade over 13,000 lighting fixtures in all its parking garages at no upfront cost to the city and provide a 10-year maintenance contract. Philips will get paid from the $2 million in savings the LEDs are expected to provide each year. The project starts this spring and will take about a year.  http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/25461

7.      VA Commercial Loan Program Aimed at Energy Efficiency - A new commercial loan program is available to help Charlottesville, VA area businesses implement energy efficiency improvements and technologies. UVa Community Credit Union has committed to lend up to $1 million under this initiative. Organizers anticipate the average loan will be between $25,000 and $100,000 with terms of three to 15 years. Lighting upgrades; energy audits; insulation; and heating, ventilation and air conditioning system improvements are among the eligible projects. http://leap-va.org/

8.      LG&E, KU Plan to File Expanded Energy Efficiency Programs - Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company will file Friday 1/24 with the Kentucky Public Service Commission plans to expand several of the utilities' most popular energy efficiency programs.  It will offer programs and financial incentives to help residential and commercial customers better manage their energy usage and to help offset customers' costs for various energy-efficient products and services. Visit www.lge-ku.com/savingenergy for a complete list of the programs and services.

9.      South Bend, IN Energy Office Racks Up Savings - The Energy Office has helped facilitate more than 30 energy projects in the community, resulting in about $17 million in executed and anticipated energy savings through 2021. Among other things, the office has helped upgrade the lighting system in the three city-owned parking garages.  In upgrading to LED lights in the three city-owned parking garages downtown, the Energy Office managed to secure about $95,000 in grant money from Energizing Indiana to help pay for the $225,000 project.  The new lights are expected to save about $92,000 per year in energy costs, for a full return on investment in about 19 months. 1/21 AP

10.  Lakewood, WA May Switch To LED Streetlights Lakewood, WA is considering replacement of its roughly 3,000 streetlights, exchanging the familiar orange glow for the blue hue cast by LED lights. The project is estimated to cost around $2 million. Preliminary estimates show the city could save roughly $250,000 a year from the switch, which includes energy savings and reduced maintenance costs. It also would improve visibility. 1/21 The News Tribune

11.  $5.8 Million Deal Will Save Hawaii Hospital Energy and Money - Kuakini Medical Center in Honolulu will save energy and money, thanks to a contract with efficiency services financer Metrus Energy.  Metrus will finance and implement $5.8 million in energy upgrades - including a new central cooling and heating plant, lighting upgrades and energy management and control systems. Kuakini will pay Metrus based on realized energy savings once the project becomes operational. Metrus is partnering with Energy Industries, which has a strong presence in Hawaii, to provide project installation and ongoing maintenance services. PRNewswire

12.  LED Street Lights in Europe: A Bright Tomorrow - Incandescent and halogen lamps have been banned in Europe.  The European Union (EU) has taken this strong step as a move toward meeting its 20-20-20 targets of increasing energy efficiency by 20%, increasing the share of renewable energy by 20% and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20%. The constantly declining price of LED lamps is boosting the LED lighting market in Europe. With the implementation of LEDs, around 70% of energy currently used in street lighting would be saved. Successful implementation of LED pilot projects in European countries including the UK, Germany, Spain, Poland, France, the Netherlands, Croatia, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, and the Czech Republic have proven its benefits and has accelerated the LED market. The PennEnergy Research is available at: http://ogjresearch.stores.yahoo.net/led-street-lights-europe-bright-tomorrow.html

13.  Lighting for Tomorrow 2014 Competition Launched - Lighting for Tomorrow announced its twelfth annual competition at the Dallas Market, Jan. 15-19. The 2014 competition seeks lighting control devices, solid-state lighting (SSL) fixtures, replacement lamps, and retrofit kits that meet market price points such as LED A-lamps under $10 and fixtures under $50, as well as high lumen A-lamps. Similar to last year, Lighting for Tomorrow awards bonus points for high CRI LEDs, OLEDs and products for senior populations. For more information: www.lightingfortomorrow.com

News Updates for the Week of December 23

Merry Christmas Everybody

1.   Traditional Incandescent Bulbs - 2013 Global Strategic Business Report - This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Traditional Incandescent Bulbs in US$ Million. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2010 through 2018. Regulations supporting phase out of lesser efficient incandescent bulbs are in place in all key countries with majority of them already carving out roadmaps for complete phase out over the next few years. For more information, click on http://www.researchandmarkets.com/publication/mvv2z4a/traditional_incandescent_bulbs_global_strat   

2.   LED A-line Replacement Lamps Begin Making Inroads into the Market - NEMA’s index for LED A-line replacement lamps increased for the second consecutive quarter in Q3 2013. Shipments during the quarter registered a gain of 71.9 percent compared to the previous quarter. Shipments rose 60.2 percent on a year-over-year basis. Halogen A-line lamp shipments improved as well, eclipsing the level during the same period last year by 140.7 percent. Sales of incandescent A-line lamps returned to positive territory during the quarter, following declines in the previous three quarters, advancing by 16.2 percent. However, the index declined 14.8 percent versus Q3 2012. The index for CFLs dipped on both a quarterly and annual basis, declining by 2.8 and 11.2 percent, respectively. Despite their recent rapid gains, LED A-line lamps constitute just a tiny fraction of the market: 0.7 percent during the quarter. Their share increased 20 basis points to Shares of halogen and incandescent A-line lamps also grew, reaching 9.6 percent and 55.1 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, CFLs gave back 4.5 percentage points, falling to a share of 34.6 percent. http://www.nema.org/News/Pages/LED-A-line-Replacement-Lamps-Begin-Making-Inroads-into-the-Market.aspx

3.   DOE Publishes Report on Accelerated Life Testing of SSL Luminaires - The U.S. DOE has published the findings of a new study utilizing a highly accelerated life-test method (called the “hammer test”) intended to produce failures in SSL luminaires in a reasonable test period, with the goal of providing insight into potential failure modes. Entitled Hammer Testing Findings for Solid-State Lighting Luminaires, the report was prepared by RTI International for DOE's LED Systems Reliability Consortium. The report is available at www.ssl.energy.gov/tech_reports.html

4.   DOE’s New CALiPER Snapshot Report on LED A Lamps - This report covers products listed as either A lamps or omnidirectional replacement lamps. The multitude of commercially available LED A lamps differ widely across a number of performance parameters - not just in their luminous intensity distribution, but in their energy efficiency, color quality, dimming and compatibility with controls. Among the Snapshot's key findings:

• The mean efficacy of all LED A lamps is now at 69 lm/W
• 95 percent of those lamps meet the current ENERGY STAR efficacy criterion
• There's still wide variation for individual products; e.g., those with lumen output equivalent to a 60W incandescent lamp range from less than 60 lm/W to nearly 90 lm/W.
• Several LED A lamps are now available with lumen output equivalent to traditional 75W and 100W incandescent A lamps.
• Approximately 91 percent have a CRI in the 80s, and a CCT of either 2700 K or 3000 K

http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/snapshot2013_a-lamp.pdf

To download a PDF of all Snapshot reports, visit www.ssl.energy.gov/ledlightingfacts.html

5.    LED Lighting Facts - DOE's LED Lighting Facts^® program showcases LED products for general illumination from manufacturers who commit to testing products and reporting performance results according to industry standards. For lighting buyers, designers, and energy efficiency programs, the program provides information essential to evaluating SSL products. Central to the program is the LED Lighting Facts label, which presents independently verified performance data in a simple summary that facilitates accurate comparison between products. The data is measured by the industry standard for testing photometric performance, IES LM-79. http://www.lightingfacts.com/ 

6.   DOE Awards Clean-Energy Manufacturing Tax Credits to Two SSL Manufacturers - Two SSL manufacturers are among the 12 businesses that collectively will receive a total of more than $150 million in clean-energy tax credits: The SSL awardees:

• OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc. has developed energy-efficient, cutting-edge single-point LED systems for automotive low/high beam projectors, reducing wattages by approximately 70 percent. The tax credit allows the expansion of production capacity.
• Cree, Inc. will expand its manufacturing footprint, including the purchase, installation, and proprietary modification of new machinery that will allow the company to produce 304 million next-generation LED lighting systems.

       More information on these awards is available on the DOE website

7.   What’s New for Lighting Control in the New California Title 24 by Charles Knuffke, WattStopper Lighting professionals in California are watching the approaching New Year with some apprehension, for 2014 brings with it a completely revamped and far more aggressive energy code. Front and center is the new multi-level general lighting requirement. Indeed, the code explicitly states that when LED fixtures are used for general lighting in these spaces, these luminaires must be dimmable from 10-100%. Lots of changes in the area of daylighting and demand response also. http://lightingcontrolsassociation.org/

8.   Cree's 60-Watt Replacement LED Is the Bulb to Beat - Bulb technology has taken some big strides in recent years, leading to higher quality lights at increasingly affordable prices. Our current favorite among this new generation is the Cree 60-watt Replacement LED Bulb. With a light output of 800 lumens coming from just 9.5 watts of energy usage, the Cree bulb is a legitimate replacement for 60-watt incandescent bulbs, and one of the most efficient household LEDs currently available. http://reviews.cnet.com/smart-home/cree-60-watt-replacement/4505-9788_7-35833107.html

 9.  Top 20 LEDs Magazine Stories of 2013 - http://ledsmagazine.com/news/10/12/14  

1)      Cree 60W LED replacement bulb review and tear down

2)      Cree and Philips take divergent approaches to sub-$15 LED lamps

3)      Packaged LED market resumes moderate growth while the SSL market will enjoy 12% CAGR through 2017 (MAGAZINE)

4)      What's inside the 3M/Walmart 60W LED replacement bulb?

5)      Understand RGB LED mixing ratios to realize optimal color in signs and displays (MAGAZINE)

6)      What's inside the Walmart 60W-replacement LED bulb?

7)      Varying approaches to LED retrofit lamps show no limit (MAGAZINE)

8)      Proper driver design optimizes LED lighting (MAGAZINE)

9)      Understand color science to maximize success with LEDs – part 4 (MAGAZINE)

10)  Philips Lumileds announces bare LED die and new multi-emitter components at SIL

11)  Manufacturing LEDs on large diameter substrates: What's the holdup? (MAGAZINE)

12)  Samsung hits 160-lm/W efficacy in new mid-power LEDs

13)  LED lighting suffers bad press in Van Gogh paint-degradation study

14)  Sharp announces 100W COB LED delivering 14,000 lm

15)  Samsung touts ZigBee-based smart lighting at LFI, launches new packaged LEDs and modules

16)  Myth busting as it relates to LED tubes (MAGAZINE)

17)  Cree announces brighter and bigger COB LED arrays

18)  Cree, Lumileds, and Nichia spar on LED future at The LED Show

19)  Executives chart future of LEDs and lighting at Lightfair (MAGAZINE)

20)  Lighting industry progresses on DC-power grids that pair well with LEDs (MAGAZINE)

10.  Call for Papers – 32nd West Coast Energy Management Congress -  The Association of Energy Engineers is inviting those interested to submit an abstract for consideration to speak at the 32nd West Coast Energy Management Congress (EMC), being held June 25-26, 2014, at the Washington State Trade & Convention Center in Seattle. http://www.energyevent.com. To submit an abstract: www.aeecenter.org/emcabstract

11.  2014 DOE Solid-State Lighting R&D Workshop - January 28–30, 2014, Hilton Tampa Downtown Tampa, FL. Tomorrow's solid-state lighting will deliver much more than just light. As SSL products move to the mainstream, scientists and thought leaders are digging deeper and thinking more broadly about new form factors and innovative ways to utilize lighting more effectively. The end result will be increased market adoption—and greater energy savings. Join DOE at the 11th annual SSL R&D workshop. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/rdworkshop14.html

News Updates for the Week of December 16

1.      Smart Lighting Markets and Opportunities 2013 - This report is NanoMarkets' latest analysis of the worldwide smart lighting market. It offers guidance on where new smart lighting business revenues will be generated over the next few years and beyond. The report shows how new value is being created in the lighting market by adding enhanced electronics and intelligent luminaires and how such product strategies will be able to build on the massive trend towards introducing LED lighting.   Also included in this new report is an analysis of the smart lighting strategies of the firms that NanoMarkets expects to see as major players in the smart lighting space. For more information: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/publication/mlo68qz/smart_lighting_markets_and_opportunities_2013  

2.      New Law Leads to Light Bulb Hoarders - As of Jan. 1, federal legislation will ban the manufacture of bulbs rated at 40, 60, 75, and 100 watts. Even though the manufacturing of 40-watt and higher bulbs will shut down, stores will be able to sell existing inventories that could last months, and specialized or lower wattage bulbs will still be permitted. 12/06 The Beaumont Enterprise

3.      Cree Ushers in the End of the Incandescent Light Bulb - Home Depot has been selling 60w and 40w Cree bulbs for about $10. Now Cree has reached another milestone with the introduction of a 75-watt replacement bulb. At $24 per bulb, it’s going to take a while to catch on, but the thing uses just 13.5 watts to produce 1100 lumens of light. And it is cheaper than a competing offering from Phillips at $30. Shares in Cree have been on a roller coaster ride in recent months, but are up nearly 350% in five years, and 79% in the past year. 12/09 Forbes

4.      BD+C Publishes Special LED Section - by Craig DiLouie - BUILDING DESIGN + CONSTRUCTION recently published a special LED section in its November issue. The special section talks about the relationship between LED technology and sustainability building practices, which was a general theme for the issue, and presents several projects that exemplify good design using LED lighting. http://editiondigital.net/publication/?i=182550&p=83

5.      DOE Excludes R20 Short Lamps from Coverage Under the EPCA Energy Conservation Standards - DOE is granting the NEMA's petition specifically, to exclude the lamp at issue, a 100-watt R20 short (having a maximum overall length of 3 and 5⁄8 or 3.625 inches) IRL (“R20 short lamp”). http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2010-BT-PET-0047

6.      Fluorescent Bulbs - 2013 Global Strategic Business Report - This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Fluorescent Bulbs in US$ Million. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2010 through 2018. The rapid penetration of LEDs due to its rising efficiency and declining price is forecast to dent prospects of other energy efficient replacements of incandescents over the coming years. For the present however, fluorescent lamps, including linear fluorescent and CFLs, dominate the global lighting market in value terms. The report profiles 77 companies…click on: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/publication/mb441ak/fluorescent_bulbs_global_strategic_business

7.      Schools Face a Potential PCBs Threat from Dated Lighting Fixtures -EPA released a management guide for PCB-containing fluorescent lighting fixtures. School administrators and maintenance personnel should take time to inspect fluorescent lighting fixtures as some may have ballasts that contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The EPA has released information that provides guidance on what to do if this is the case. http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/tsd/pcbs/pubs/ballasts.htm

8.      LED Street Lighting the Newest Challenge to Old Utility Business Models - In most cities around the country, the local electric distribution company provides overhead street lighting as a basic service at a flat monthly rate per light, which includes the light itself, maintenance, and electricity. Therein lies the rub—regulated utilities often have little incentive to invest in more efficient streetlights, which offer a reliable, consistent, and often lucrative revenue stream that comes at a time of day (or night) when demand is low. http://blog.rmi.org/blog_2013_11_26_Street_Fight

9.      EW's LED Product Picks of the Week - In this week's Electrical Wholesaling's Product Picks we highlight some of the more interesting LED products that hit the market recently. Making the EW Product Picks for this week are products from GE Lighting, McGraw-Edison/Cooper Lighting/Eaton, Cree, Lutron, Kichler Lighting and Modern Forms/WAC Lighting. http://ewweb.com/gallery/ews-led-product-picks-week-12112013

10.  Cree Supplies LEDs to Baytown, TX - Baytown, TX became the first city in the state of Texas to light freeways with LED fixtures mounted on double-arm 54-ft poles spaced at 270 ft. The company also announced the new LEDway High Output (HO) family that extends maximum output to 26,800 lm, enabling easy retrofit of 400W HID fixtures. Caltrans, meanwhile, is installing LED lighting on the new eastern span of the San Francisco, California Bay Bridge. http://ledsmagazine.com/news/10/12/8

11.  Build a Greener Adirondacks (BAGA) - The older housing stock and cold winters in the Adirondacks mean that even more energy is wasted in this region than in others. The Build a Greener Adirondacks (BAGA) conference and workshops provide information for local contractors, builders, code officers and others in the building trade to learn more about how new building technologies and ideas can erase energy waste for home owners and allow builders to offer real options for their clients. The BAGA conference on January 30th and GPRO training on January 29th are great places to join your fellow building professionals in learning what works in the Adirondacks. http://www.wildcenter.org/baga