News Updates for the Week of November 11

1.      LEDucation 8 Expands SSL Educational Expo to a 2-day Format and New Location - The Designers Lighting Forum of New York announced that due to outstanding response of exhibitors and attendees alike, LEDucation 8 has expanded to a 2-day event and will be held at a new location to accommodate more exhibitors.  LEDucation 8, historically known as the largest single day exhibition and educational event dedicated solely to the ever-evolving LED market and technology, will return to New York City on March 18-19, 2014 in a new 2-day format and in a new venue–the Sheraton NY Times Square hotel. http://www.leducation.org/

2.      LEED Remains Preferred Rating System for Federal Buildings - The GSA concluded that the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED green building rating system can and should be used in government buildings to advance energy efficiency and to save taxpayers’ money. GSA issued its recommendation based on the findings of the EISA §436(h) Ad-Hoc Review Group on Green Building Certification Systems. More than 1.5 million square feet of space is certified using LEED every day, making LEED the most widely used high-performance building program for the design, construction, maintenance and operations of green buildings. More than 55,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising 10.4 billion square feet of construction space in more than 140 countries and territories. http://www.edcmag.com/articles/95298-leed-remains-preferred-rating-system-for-federal-buildings

3.      Traditional Light Bulbs Are Dead, Long Live LEDs - The humble Edison light bulb has enjoyed a long lifespan, seeing only modest changes while technologies like television and radio have been drastically revised over time. But the familiar bulb's long, uninterrupted reign could finally be under threat as LEDs appear poised to become the new standard. 11/07 USA TODAY

4.      Little Fanfare for the Texas $7 Billion Clean-Energy Project - The last legs of a 3,600-mile system of transmission lines bringing wind-generated electricity from West Texas to the state's urban areas will be finished by the end of the year with little or no fanfare.  The project -- perhaps the state's largest clean-energy investment -- is getting little public notice from state authorities because of past controversies that helped add $2 billion to the cost, or that the final verdict on the overall benefit is still out because the 18,450 megawatt system comes on-line at half capacity.  Or perhaps officials don't want to draw attention to the $5 to $10 monthly increase that is coming to the electricity bills for the millions of customers of the state's primary electricity grid.  11/02 American-Statesman

5.      The Most Energy-Efficient U.S. States - The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) issued its annual scorecard for each state based on multiple factors, including reductions in greenhouse gas, energy codes for buildings and switching to cleaner fuels. The top five include: Oregon, New York, California, Massachusetts and Connecticut http://aceee.org/state-policy/scorecard

6.      DOE Publishes New Pricing and Efficacy Trend Analysis for Utility Program Planning - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published a new report, SSL Pricing and Efficacy Trend Analysis for Utility Program Planning. The report was created in response to requests from utilities and energy efficiency organizations for information to help them forecast the order in which important SSL applications will become cost-effective and estimate when each “tipping point” will be reached. It includes performance trend analysis from DOE's LED Lighting Facts^® and CALiPER programs, plus cost analysis from various sources. www.ssl.energy.gov/techreports.html

7.      DOE Publishes New CALiPER Report on Subjective Evaluation of LED PAR38 Lamps - The U.S. DOE has published the first in a series of four special investigations intended to extend the findings of CALiPER Application Summary Report 20: LED PAR38 Lamps, which was published late last year. The new report, CALiPER Report 20.1: Subjective Evaluation of Beam Quality, Shadow Quality, and Color Quality for LED PAR38 Lamps, focuses on a subset of the lamps from Report 20, which were separately assessed by members of the IES.  The results suggest that many of the LED products compared favorably to halogen benchmarks in all attributes considered. The report is available online at www.ssl.energy.gov/reports

8.      DOE Publishes New Report on Dimming LEDs with Phase-Cut Dimmers - The U.S. DOE has published a new report, Dimming LEDs with Phase-Cut Dimmers: The Specifier's Process for Maximizing Success. The report was created in response to issues raised about dimming by energy efficiency organizations and specifiers, and is based on experience from CALiPER testing and GATEWAY demonstrations.  The new report reviews how phase-cut dimmers work, how LEDs differ from the incandescent lamps these dimmers were originally designed to control, and how those differences can lead to complications when attempting to dim LEDs. Such complications are often due to incompatibility between the LED source and the dimmer, rather than to any shortcomings in the LED source itself.  The report: www.ssl.energy.gov/gatewaydemos_results.html

9.      DTE Energy, MI Adds Two Energy-Savings Tools to Web Site - The new Lighting Guide, meanwhile, takes a comprehensive look at modern lighting, showing which bulbs are the most energy efficient and cost effective. The Lighting Guide also shows where bulbs can be purchased at special DTE Energy discounted prices. The Guide is continually updated with new information. www.dteenergy.com/LightingGuide

10.  Lutron and Hubbell Announce Collaboration to Address New Building Codes - Hubbell will embed Lutron's Clear Connect radio frequency (RF) communication technology directly into Hubbell's Load:Logic plug load control products. This expands the interoperability of Clear Connect-enabled devices, provides the industry with a much-needed, code-compliant solution and allows installers to easily control electrical outlets in new and existing facilities without learning new systems or performing extensive commissioning. 11/08 HCN

News Updates for the Week of August 6

1.      U.S. Added 163K Jobs in July; Jobless Rate Rises - Promising rise in job gains after three months of disappointing results is offset by slight increase in the unemployment rate, from 8.2 percent to 8.3 percent.  The broadest measures of the U.S. employment situation show continuing difficulties in the job market.  More people, for example, left the labor force, either retiring or giving up the search for work. Of those people remaining in the civilian labor force, a slightly larger portion are unable to find work - hence the uptick in the unemployment rate.  About 12.8 million people in the U.S. are unemployed.  8/3 Washington Post

2.      Recycling of LEDs - LEDs are environmentally friendly during their lifespan, but can be even more beneficial to the environment if recycled. Over 95% of an LED bulb is recyclable and there are waste management companies that will collect and recycle LEDs for a small fee.  As LEDs do not contain significant amounts of any harmful components, they are classed as RoHS compliant. RoHS stands for the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment, which came into effect in the UK on 1^st July 2006. These restrictions prevent the sale of equipment containing harmful levels of mercury, lead, cadmium, PBB, PBDE and hexavalent chromium. Due to this compliance, LEDs can be disposed of and recycled in the same way as an ordinary light bulb. http://www.azocleantech.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=249

3.      Design and Fashion Will Drive LED Market - Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) will soon dominate the lighting market. Few (if any) market watchers would disagree with that statement. In fact, analysts at A.T. Kearney predict that LEDs could capture as much as 90% of the lighting market by 2020. If energy efficiency does not drive the LED market, what will? “It will be the flexibility for lighting designers to light objects and space in a unique way,” Dorsheimer and Baribeau write. The paper, A Light Read, was published by Canaccord Genuity http://www.canaccordgenuity.com/  an institutional investment banking firm based in Boston. http://www.forbes.com

4.      DOE Considering Changes to LED Lighting Facts Program - The U.S. Department of Energy’s solid-state lighting group has been working on the further development of its LED Lighting Facts program, which created a standardized graphic that specifies certain performance characteristics of LED lighting products as a way to help consumers and designers understand how a particular product compares with more traditional lighting products. In an e-mail message sent today, the group said it is making some changes to the data available on the LED Lighting Facts label and has considered additional steps to require retesting of the products, but has decided to delay some of those new rules to find a way to avoid piling yet another costly testing requirement on solid-state lighting (SSL) manufacturers. The DOE also said the LED Lighting Facts program will be combined with its CALiPER program for testing SSL performance. http://livewire.electricalmarketing.com/

5.      CFLs: A Buck a Bulb in South Dakota - A partnership between Xcel Energy, a South Dakota utility company and home improvement retailers will offer CFLs for as little as a dollar each. The program, announced on July 23, is designed to help residents save energy and money. Participating retailers include Nyberg’s Ace Hardware, Robson True Value, Home Depot, Menards and Tea Ace Hardware. Xcel Energy, which operates in eight states, also offers $10 off certain LED bulbs as part of the program. 7/26 HCN

6.      Cree Raises Industry Standard with New 170 Lumen-Per-Watt Prototype LED Light Bulb - Less than one year after showcasing the 152 lumens-per-watt concept LED bulb, Cree, Inc. delivers a new performance benchmark with the 170 lumens-per-watt (LPW) prototype LED light bulb. LED lighting at this level of performance is only made possible by advancements across all elements of the LED lighting system – lighting-class LEDs, optics, drivers and thermal management. LEDs based on Cree’s SC³ Technology Platform enable this industry-leading R&D lighting result. The SC³ Technology Platform is built upon Cree’s advanced silicon carbide technology and features advancements in the LED chip architecture and phosphor. http://www.cree.com/news-and-events/cree-news/press-releases/2012/july/170-lpw

7.      GE Lighting Introduces Fully Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Bulb - General Electric Lighting introduced a dimmable compact fluorescent bulb on Thursday that mimics the performance of old incandescent bulbs. The bulb, with a re-engineered ballast, can be dimmed smoothly to 5 percent of its full power and light, just as the old incandescent bulbs do. The CFL spiral is available in 14-watt and 26-watt versions, producing the light of 60-watt and 100-watt incandescent bulbs, respectively, and rated to last 10,000 hours. The bulb is also available as a dimmable reflector flood light in 15-watt and 26-watt versions, rated to last 8,000 hours. http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/08/ge_lighting_introduces_fully_d.html

8.      DTE Energy to Expand Lighting Retrofit Special Incentive Program -  Due to strong demand for its limited-time incentive offer on fluorescent lighting retrofits, DTE Energy  has announced that it is expanding its program and extending the deadline to apply.In an effort to meet the demand of business owners investing in newer energy-efficient technology, DTE Energy is offering increased cash incentives on additional lighting measures through August 31, 2012. The incentive bonus is an element of DTE Energy's Energy Efficiency Program for Business, a program designed to help DTE Energy Commercial and Industrial customers improve the energy efficiency of their businesses. Originally introduced in May, the increased incentives are available for retrofitting T12 fluorescent lamps to higher efficiency T8 systems. www.dteenergy/saveenergy/ 8/2 PRNewswire via COMTEX

9.      PA DEP Offers Grants to Small Businesses to Reduce Energy Costs - Small-business owners in Pennsylvania working to prevent pollution and save money may now apply for a Small Business Advantage Grant through the Department of Environmental Protection. Businesses can apply for 50-percent matching funds of up to $9,500 to adopt or acquire energy-efficient or pollution-prevention equipment or procedures. The grant-supported project must be in a Pennsylvania facility owned by the applicant and must save the business at least 25 percent, plus $750 annually in energy or pollution-related expenses. Applicants may be manufacturers, retailers, service providers, mining operators or agricultural businesses. Eligible projects include HVAC and boiler upgrades, high-efficiency lighting, solvent recovery systems, waste recycling systems and auxiliary power units deployed as anti-idling technology for trucks. The application deadline is Sept. 26. Visit www.dep.state.pa.us and click on the "Small Business Advantage Grant" button.

10.  Japan Puts Green Growth at Heart of Economic Recovery Plan - The Japanese government has today confirmed it will put green growth at the center of plans to revive the country's flagging economy over the next eight years, after formally approving a new growth strategy. The document, which updates a previous growth plan approved in 2010, sets a goal of delivering three per cent a year nominal economic growth, equating to two per cent a year real growth through to 2020. In order to deliver on the new growth target, the government is promising an increased focus on fast-growth sectors, including renewable energy, green vehicles, farming and healthcare. http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2195510/japan-puts-green-growth-at-heart-of-economic-recovery-plan

11.  NTL Electronics Announces One-Year Sales of 3 Million LED Retrofit Lamps in India - Typically replacing incandescent and compact-fluorescent lamps (CFLs), NTL Electronics India Ltd has revealed that it sold 3 million LED retrofit lamps between the beginning of July 2011 and the end of June 2012. NTL Electronics is a major Indian lighting vendor with the equivalent of more than $110 million in sales and that is pushing to expand its presence in the solid-state lighting (SSL) market. NTL Electronics put its recent performance in perspective by noting that Strategies Unlimited (a sister business within PennWell Corp. to LEDs Magazine) estimated the global sales of retrofit lamps in 2011 to be just under 40 million. http://ledsmagazine.com/news/9/7/23

12.  2nd Day of Power Failures Cripples Wide Swath of India - On Tuesday 7/31, India suffered the largest electrical blackout in history, affecting an area encompassing about 670 million people, or roughly 10 percent of the world’s population. Three of the country’s interconnected northern power grids collapsed for several hours, as blackouts extended almost 2,000 miles, from India’s eastern border with Myanmar to its western border with Pakistan. The failure of supply and distribution of power to keep up with India’s rapid economic growth as perhaps the most important reason for the power failure. India's power supply has been fully restored after a two-day blackout. 7/31 NY Times

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