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 August 26

1.      LEDucation 8 Issues Call for Speakers - The Designers Lighting Forum of New York announced its “Call for Speakers” for LEDucation 8, a single day exhibition and educational event dedicated solely to the ever evolving LED market and technology. LEDucation 8 will return to New York City on March 18-19th, 2014 in a new 2-day format and in a new venue – the Sheraton NY Times Square hotel. Speaker proposals will be accepted through 5 p.m. EST, October 15th, 2013. Proposals should be submitted online: http://www.leducation.org/call-for-presenters.html

2.      WSJ Evaluates Hue, Lutron, Belkin - How many gadgets does it take to turn on a light bulb? Tech companies have released all types of gizmos that let you control your lights via remote or smartphone, but only a few are genuinely useful and easy to set up. Michael Hsu joins Lunch Break. Watch the video at WSJ.com

3.      Not All LEDs are Created Equal - LEDs are undeniably the future of lighting. The DOE estimates that by 2030, LED lighting will own a 74 percent market share. As LEDs become the increasingly obvious choice for any lighting project, specifying quality, efficiency and functionality will ensure that each lamp lives up to its reputation. Energy efficiency shouldn't be the only priority that building owners, facility managers, architects, builders or owners focus on when it comes to choosing LED lighting. The thought and attention put into quality and color consistency can make a significant difference in the lamp life, functionality, aesthetics and energy savings. ENERGY STAR provides qualifications for the LED lamps that meet its stringent specifications. http://www.edcmag.com/articles/95109-not-all-leds-are-created-equal

4.      Orion Switch Back 'On' - Shares of the Manitowoc, WI maker of energy-efficient lighting tumbled to below $1.50 a share in September 2012 from more than $20 following its initial public offering in 2007. Its market capitalization tumbled with it, falling below $50 million from $450 million. New leadership has reignited interest in Orion's stock which bottomed at $1.12 a share in December, hit $4.30 earlier this month. It closed Friday at $3.16. Its $10 million acquisition of Florida-based Harris Manufacturing Inc. and Harris LED in July gives Orion an entry into new markets, including the federal government, retail stores and new construction.  The LED market for commercial buildings is projected to grow to $25 billion in 2021 from $2.7 billion this year. A big shift is forecast in lamps sold for retrofit projects -- the target market for Orion. LEDs this year are expected to account for 5% of all lamps sold to retrofit projects, but that is projected to increase to 40% by 2017. For LED technology, the tipping point in the technology-advancement and cost-cutting curves is likely to occur in the next 12 to 24 months, according Navigant Research. 8/17 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

5.      New DOE SSL Technology Fact Sheet on Lifetime and Reliability - The U.S. DOE has come out with a new SSL Technology Fact Sheet, Lifetime and Reliability, to help users gain a better understanding of typical causes for LED product failures, the difference between lifetime and reliability, and methods for measuring and reporting lifetime and reliability.  LED system performance is more affected by interactions between system components than most conventional lighting systems. The failure of any system component—not just the array of LED packages, but also the electronics, thermal management, optics, wires, connectors, or seals, for example—can lead to product failure. www.ssl.energy.gov/factsheets.html.

6.      Philips Issues Recall of Endura and Ambient LED Bulbs – The recall is due to defects in a lead wire within the bulb's housing, which can potentially pose a shock hazard. The wire, which is ill-fitted, can electrify the entire lamp and shock the customer. No injuries have been reported. The recall affects about 99,000 units of Endura 12-watt and Ambient 12.5-watt LED Dimmable bulbs. 8/16 HCN

7.      Indiana Customers Due $32M from 6 Utilities - Six of the largest electricity and gas providers budgeted $74.4 million for Energizing Indiana, a state-mandated energy-saving initiative the companies fund out of rates paid by customers. But the companies spent only $42.4 million, according to a July 9 regulatory filing, the Indianapolis Business Journal reported. 8/20 AP http://bit.ly/18E0M94

8.      Electrical Industry Apps - The NAED Strategic Technology Task Force has developed a list of industry apps http://www.naed.org/strategictechnology/#tabs-5 produced by both distributor and manufacturer members. If your company has an app that you would like to share, email the app and link to: Bethanysullivan@msn.com

9.      Short-Term Energy Outlook at http://www.eia.gov/  -

	2011	2012	2013 projected	2014 projected
WTI Crude Oila (dollars per barrel)	94.86	94.12	96.96	92.96
Brent Crude Oil (dollars per barrel)	111.26	111.65	105.80	99.75
Gasolineb (dollars per gallon)	3.53	3.63	3.52	3.37
Dieselc (dollars per gallon)	3.84	3.97	3.92	3.76
Heating Oild (dollars per gallon)	3.68	3.76	3.73	3.59
Natural Gasd (dollars per thousand cubic ft)	11.03	10.66	10.79	11.91
Electricityd (cents per kilowatthour)	11.72	11.88	12.11	12.43

10.  Tesla Model S Is Rated the Safest Car of All Time - Tesla's Model S has been rated as the safest car ever. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration scored the car as an unheard of 5 stars in every single category (only 1 percent of cars). In fact, the car scored so high that the final, combined score beats 5 stars. Its final 5.4 rating is the highest ever, making an electric car the safest on the road, including vans and SUVs. The score represents the probability of injury from front, side, rear and rollover accidents. Tesla, the best performing automaker this year, has seen its shares jump to $147, up almost 300 percent so far in 2013. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2013/08/21/tesla-model-s-rated-safest-car-all-time