News Updates for the Week of July 29

1.      DOE Studies Residential Lighting Usage - DOE has published a collaborative study focused on developing new estimates of residential lighting usage and energy consumption at the national and regional levels. The study, Residential Lighting End-Use Consumption Study: Estimation Framework and Initial Estimates, developed a framework that allows for the estimation of U.S. lamp usage and energy consumption not only nationally and by region, but also by household characteristics, lamp characteristics, and the particular room within a home as well as limited combinations of these parameters. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/residential-lighting-study.html

2.      The DOE's LED Lighting Facts Program by James Brodrick - In response to industry feedback, the U.S. DOE launched the LED Lighting Facts program in late 2008 to promote the accurate and consistent reporting of LED product performance claims. The idea behind LED Lighting Facts is that SSL manufacturers, who sign up test their products using industry-standard methods (IES LM-79-2008), report the performance results and use the LED Lighting Facts label—which presents key product metrics in an easy-to-read format in order to help users evaluate those products and identify the best options. www.lightingfacts.com

3.      New ENERGY STAR Product Finder Tools - The product finder tools provide consumers, partners, and interested third parties with an easily-accessible, user-friendly search tool. EPA encourages ENERGY STAR Manufacturing Partners to review your listed models and verify the accuracy of the data. Any concerns about data quality should be reported to your EPA-recognized certification body (CB). http://www.energystar.gov/productfinder/product/certified-light-fixtures/results Utilities, retailers, and other more advanced users can access the detailed datasets (qualified product lists) directly at data.energystar.gov

4.      Energy-Saving Program Launched with $100 Million Commitment - Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett announced an expanded energy-efficiency program that will enable building owners to pay overtime rather than up front for projects that cut energy use and utility bills. In addition, he announced a financing agreement between the Milwaukee Economic Development Corp. and California-based Clean Fund to finance scores of energy-focused building upgrades.  Clean Fund works with Johnson Controls Inc., whose global building efficiency business, based downtown, specializes in engineering projects that replace building chillers, upgrade controls, tap software to make them run better and install more efficient lighting. 7/24 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

5.      ComEd's Energy Efficiency Programs Helped Customers Save $400 Million on Electric Bills Over Past Five Years - The company recently launched the sixth year of its Smart Ideas® energy efficiency programs with more than $56 million in incentives to help customers conserve energy and spend less on electricity. New this year for small businesses, ComEd will cover up to 75 percent (increased from 50 percent) of recommended energy efficiency upgrades - such as lighting, LED exit signs and energy-efficient water heater installation--offered through its Small Business Energy Savings Program. 7/23 PRNewswire

6.      New Lights in Shuttered Chicago Schools - Chicago Public Schools spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to install new lighting systems in at least nine schools just before they were targeted for closing in the city's cost-cutting school consolidation plan. At the same time, the city wants private investors to pay for the new energy-efficient lights in those schools and more than 200 others, as part of the Chicago Infrastructure Trust. The trust is enticing private firms to pay for the school improvements by promising a cut of the energy savings on future electricity bills. But it is unlikely investors will see much of a return from new lights installed in empty schools. 7/19 Chicago Tribune

7.      MaxLite Expands Engineering Department - MaxLite has expanded its engineering department by setting up a team in its West Caldwell, NJ headquarters and appointing key engineering personnel. MaxLite’s new engineering team in New Jersey will work with an existing engineering team in its Rancho Cucamonga, CA, location. MaxLite is collaborating with electrical engineers to troubleshoot indoor and outdoor LED product issues and performing internal testing.

8.      Introducing Hubbell Loans - Removing a significant barrier to wider adoption of energy efficient lighting, Hubbell Lighting announced a creative financing solution called “Cash Flow Positive.” The initiative provides flexible and easy access funding for commercial and municipal customers, through Hubbell Lighting and its agent network. Working through the company’s Hubbell Capital team, commercial customers can receive competitive rate financing with terms from 12 to 60 months (up to 120 months for municipal customers) on projects ranging from $5,000 to $10 million. http://www.hubbelllighting.com/resources/financing/

9.      Lutron Survey Shows Who Is Leaving The Lights On - Lutron Electronics announced the findings from a recent “Home Lighting Usage and Behavior” survey to determine wasted energy. This survey looked at energy and electricity within the home and where people tend to leave the lights on. The study shows that 90% of the people surveyed have someone in the house who leaves the lights on when they leave a room, and 55% of the time a child is to blame. Also, the kitchen is the most common room to have the lights left on, while the bathroom, bedroom and living room are all about the same. Lutron is announcing to study to promote its Meastro Occupancy Sensing Switch

10.  Seoul Semiconductor Drives Efficacy Up and Cost Down in Mid-Power LEDs - The new plastic-packaged 5630C LED can deliver efficacy up to 180 lm/W. There has been a race of late to new efficacy levels in the mid-power space. Just before the LFI show back in April, Samsung announced 160 lm/W efficacy in mid-power LEDs, claiming that as an industry high. Then at LFI, LG Innotek announced 170-lm/W efficacy in similar products. http://ledsmagazine.com/news/10/7/16

11.  GE Lighting Makes the Streets of Bristol Shine - GE Lighting has upgraded the street lighting in Bristol, UK to deliver an energy efficient, white light solution - part of Bristol City Council's aim to reduce its carbon footprint and to promote a safer urban environment. The project comprises the replacement of existing high-pressure sodium street lighting with GE’s improved, higher efficiency CMH Streetwise ceramic metal halide lamps. http://specificationonline.co.uk/news-article/4695/ge-lighting-ge-lighting-makes-the-streets-of-bristol-shine

Monthly Special Feature

LEDs Magazine Top 20 Stories of 2012: Retrofit Lamps Stay on Top - This year brought plenty of good news to the SSL industry, and the retrofit market in particular is looking very strong.

Top 20 LEDs Magazine news stories of 2012:

1. 3M announces novel approach to an LED retrofit lamp

A light guide provides omnidirectional light distribution in 3M's new LED-based lamp that is decidedly different from the typical SSL approach to the retrofit application.

2. LED lighting market to grow while LED component market goes flat (MAGAZINE)

Strategies Unlimited’s analysts believe that the LED lighting market is growing nicely, though they expect lower LED prices to keep a lid on LED-component growth in the foreseeable future. LAURA PETERS and MAURY WRIGHT report from the Strategies in Light conference.

3. Are MR16 LED lamps ready for the 50W-halogen switch? (MAGAZINE)

The MR16 LED lamps face certain transformer and dimmer compatibility issues. Still, major lamp manufacturers have introduced 50W halogen equivalents in 8-10W LED lamps and feel the lighting market is ready to make the switch, reports LAURA PETERS.

4. LED market grew almost 10% in 2011, with 44% growth in lighting

The worldwide LED market grew 9.8% to $12.5 billion in 2011, with 44% growth in the lighting sector, according to Strategies Unlimited, who revealed the top-ten LED suppliers for the year. However, the outlook remains roughly flat for the next 5 years, peaking in 2013.

5. UV LEDs ramp up the quiet side of the LED market (MAGAZINE)

Relative to visible LEDs, UV LEDs are a quiet market at only $30 million, yet recent breakthroughs in radiant power and intensity have enabled the displacement of mercury-vapor lamps in applications including UV curing and counterfeit detection, reports LAURA PETERS.

6. Philips Lighting and GE Lighting launch 100W LED retrofit lamps (Updated)

Lightfair will see a number of companies introduce SSL retrofit lamps that are equivalent of 100W incandescent bulbs and GE and Philips Lighting announced such products before the exhibits opened.

7. Ambergreat introduces Amberstar LED canopy light to replace 1000W MH lamps

8. Lighting market report predicts strong growth for LED lighting (MAGAZINE)

A recently-released report from McKinsey & Company on the worldwide lighting industry indicates sizable growth for LED-based lighting, says LAURA PETERS.

9. Low-voltage LED lamps present unique driver challenge (MAGAZINE)

MR16 sockets present a significant retrofit-lamp opportunity for LEDs, explains KAMAL NAJMI, but installed transformers complicate the design of a drop-in SSL replacement.

10. Soraa unveils GaN-on-GaN LEDs and MR16 lamps

Silicon Valley start-up Soraa is manufacturing LEDs using a unique GaN-on-GaN process, and has used these to build high-performance MR16 lamps that are its first products.

11. Are you using all of the lumens that you paid for? (MAGAZINE)

12. Osram Sylvania wins race to offer 100W-equivalent LED A-lamp (Updated)

13. LED lighting market holds steady in 2012 (MAGAZINE)

14. Audi’s LED headlights are key feature in Super Bowl ad

15. Cree targets luminaire system cost with new XLamp XB-D LED

16. Osram Opto unveils R&D results from GaN LEDs grown on silicon

17. GE introduces Lumination LED troffer

18. Cree Lighting announces striking street-light luminaire

19. Philips Lumileds and Cree launch multiple new LED lines

20. Philips launches color-tunable ZigBee-based LED retrofit lamp

News Updates for the Week of December 3

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 1.     DOE Announces U.S. Manufacturing Funding Opportunity for SSL (Round 4) - The U.S. DOE announced a solid-state lighting (SSL) funding opportunity on November 29, 2012. Up to $11 million in funding is directed toward the existing DOE SSL R&D program area of Manufacturing Research and Development, to establish the U.S. as a global manufacturing leader.  Under this funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0000792), DOE seeks applications for SSL manufacturing R&D projects that will achieve significant cost reductions through improvements in manufacturing equipment, processes, or monitoring techniques. Potential applicants should note that applications are due by February 21, 2013. For more information: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/

2.      GE Lighting to Acquire LED Fixture Company Albeo Technology - GE Lighting has signed an agreement to acquire Albeo Technologies, an LED fixture manufacturer based in Boulder, Colorado. GE Lighting officials say the acquisition will help GE serve as an advisor to enterprise customers, as well as offer a more complete and integrated family of LED-based solid-state lighting (SSL) products. Albeo Technologies was founded in 2004. Albeo's range of products includes high bay and low bay lighting fixtures as well as linear, surface-mounted and under cabinet lighting. http://ledsmagazine.com/news/9/11/18

3.      Siemens Confirms Plan to List Osram via Spinoff - Siemens AG, the industrial conglomerate that owns lighting manufacturer Osram, has confirmed its plans to see its subsidiary listed as a separate company, subject to a shareholder vote. A plan to conduct an IPO of Osram shares was finally shelved in July of this year. Instead, Siemens will take a different route, and will spin off 80.5% of Osram’s shares to existing Siemens shareholders. The transaction will result in Siemens’ shareholders receiving one Osram share for every ten Siemens shares. However, Siemens still intends to retain a minority stake in Osram, in which it wants to remain “a long-term anchor shareholder.” To this end, Siemens AG will retain a 17% stake in Osram following the spinoff, with the Siemens Pension Trust holding the remaining 2.5%. http://ledsmagazine.com/news/9/11/22

4.      $20 Billion Bonanza - SWEEP http://www.swenergy.org/ promotes greater energy efficiency in a six-state region that includes Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. By investing a total of $17 billion in best practice utility energy efficiency programs, the Southwest region could realize $37 billion in utility system and public health benefits --meaning $20 billion in net benefits or $2650 for every household in the region today. The State’s utilities already have programs that can be expanded to achieve the forecast savings. http://azcapitoltimes.com/files/2012/11/20B_Bonanza-COMPLETE_REPORT-Web.pdf

 

5.      Now Accepting tED magazine Greenest of the Green Nominations - Nominations for the 2013 Greenest of the Green contest will be accepted from Dec. 3, 2012 through Jan. 18, 2013.  The Greenest of the Green award recognizes NAED distributors who have implemented operational energy efficiencies in their own facilities. The award will be presented at the 2013 NAED National Meeting. The winning company will also be featured in the April 2013 issue of tED magazine.  Contact: Misty Byers mbyers@naed.org

6.      Soraa and IESNYC Tackle Led Lighting Compatibility - DATE: Wednesday, Dec. 5^th  TIME: 11:00 am - 7:30 pm LOCATION: The Metropolitan Pavilion (Located at 125 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011).  In an effort to remove barriers to the rapid adoption of LED lighting, Soraa www.soraa.com will sponsor the lighting industry's first PlugFest in conjunction with the IESNYC at their annual Control This! event.   www.controlthis.org

7.      Con Edison of New York City Accepts LED Tubes with Internal Drivers for Rebate - In recognizing the advancement of LED T8 technology, Con Edison announced recently it is now able to accept LED tubes with internal drivers for custom rebate program on a case-by-case basis. The requirements are:

• LED T8 with internal driver design must meet all code & safety requirements. 
• Existing fixture retrofit and new fixture replacement are both applicable. 
• The fixture must use non-shunted tombstones.

http://www.aleddra.com/AleddraSpec/CutSheet-LLT-4ft-SingleEnd.pdf

8.      LED Streetlights Set to Light the Way on Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard - According to a report published by The Lighting Group http://thecleanrevolution.org/_assets/files/LED_report_web1.pdf

this year, “Public street and park lighting accounts for 1-3% of total electricity demand, depending on the region, and up to 40% of the electricity bill of local authorities.” As part of their mission to promote energy efficiency, Cape Light Compact is working with towns across the Cape and Vineyard to convert town-owned streetlights to LED fixtures. Starting in January 2013, 140 streetlights will be retrofit in both commercial and residential areas. http://www.energyefficiencymatters.org/author/neepenergy/

9.      Virginia Beach Residents Upset About LED Traffic Signs - All eight LED signs, intended to alert drivers of traffic problems and public safety issues, are scheduled to be up and running in February, according to the city's Public Works Department. Federal congestion mitigation funds paid the cost: $60,500 per sign, plus money for fiber optic cables, infrastructure and a "state of the art" traffic management system.  The PWD said the potential benefits, especially during construction, special events and storms, outweigh the relatively minor aesthetic cost. Residents have concerns about how often the signs will be on and how bright they'll be. They don't want them on all the time, flashing the temperature or how long it will take to reach the beach. 11/26 The Virginian-Pilot

10.  PACE: A Smart Way to Finance Retrofits for Energy Efficiency and Water Conservation in TX - Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) is a non-profit business association organized for the specific purpose of promoting legislation in Texas to facilitate loans throughout the state.  PACE is an innovative program that provides low-cost, long-term financing for energy efficiency retrofits and improvements to existing structures on all types of commercial, industrial, and residential properties. PACE loans will enable Texans to save substantial amounts in energy costs, upgrade and enhance the value of existing structures, and create thousands of jobs. http://www.keepingpaceintexas.org

11.  California Public Utilities Commission 2010 – 2011 Energy Efficiency Annual Progress Evaluation Report - Lighting represents approximately one quarter of residential and commercial electricity use in California and has historically represented half or more of utility program portfolio savings. California’s Strategic Plan cites energy efficient lighting as a critical element of the Strategic Plan’s zero net energy vision, and sets a goal of a 60 to 80 percent reduction in California’s electric lighting energy consumption by 2020. California Assembly Bill 1109 (the also known as “the Huffman Bill”) will support this goal by phasing out some traditional, low efficiency incandescent lamps by 2018.  http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/NR/rdonlyres/89718A1B-C3D5-4E30-9A82-74ED155D0485/0/EnergyEfficiencyEvaluationReport.pdf

12.  2013 DOE Solid-State Lighting R&D Workshop January 29-31, 2013 • Long Beach, CA - As solid-state lighting technology matures, the remaining questions get more complex. Where does future R&D need to be directed to drive significant leaps in LED and OLED performance? How can government and industry work together to find solutions, accelerate advances, and hasten market adoption? Join DOE at the 10th annual SSL R&D workshop. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/longbeach13.html

13.  ENERGY STAR Luminaires V1.2 - Attached is important correspondence from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concerning the proposal for Version 1.2 ENERGY STAR Specification for Luminaires. Comments/concerns may be submitted no later than Friday, December 14, 2012 to: luminaires@energystar.gov http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=archives.luminaires

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