News Updates for the Week of May 6

1.      The Path to 80 Percent Market Share for LED Lights - Increased competition, steady cost reductions and improved technology performance are putting the LED lighting industry on a path to securing an 80 percent market share for lighting by 2020.With revenues flattening out in the broader LED market, lighting technologies will become a more important focus for manufacturers. This will put pressure on traditional lighting companies like Philips and Osram, which are also investing heavily in LEDs. The lighting industry has been relatively stable for the last 100 years. But the emergence of cost-competitive LEDs has caused a "paradigm shift" in the lighting industry that has "changed everything." Historically, the incumbents had an edge in lighting manufacturing because of the specialized glass furnaces needed for traditional bulbs. But high-volume LED production has allowed new entrants to enter the market, eating away at the share for traditional lighting companies. http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/The-Path-to-an-80-Percent-Market-Share-for-LED-Lights

2.   High-Performance LED Street Lighting Using Microlens Arrays - An efficient LED lamp that illuminates the street with high quality is presented. The luminaire shows high optical efficiency, high optical utilization factor, low glare, and illuminates the street with high uniformity. The concept is simple but effective: a cluster of LEDs with TIR lenses are put inside a reflective box, which is covered with a microlens sheet; the reflective cavity improves efficiency by light recycling; each TIR lens collimates the LED light for the microlens array; and the microlens sheet uniformly distributes light only into the street. In this context, LED luminaires have the potential to deliver precise light patterns to maximize illumination performance by directing light to the appropriate area. http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/fulltext.cfm?uri=oe-21-9-10612&id=253009

3.     LIGHTFAIR^® International Presentations Posted - 2013 DOE training session presentations:  http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/news_detail.html?news_id=19174

4.    DOE Publishes Updated SSL R&D Plan - The U.S. DOE has published the April 2013 edition of the Solid-State Lighting (SSL) R&D Multi-Year Program Plan (MYPP). This year's new, streamlined edition provides a description of the activities the Department plans to undertake over the next several years to implement its SSL mission, and informs the development of annual SSL R&D funding opportunities. The MYPP reviews SSL technology status and trends for both LEDs and organic LEDs (OLEDs) and offers an overview of the current DOE SSL R&D project portfolio. Significant updates to the Technology Research and Development Plan include revised efficiency projections, priorities, task descriptions, and metrics to align DOE targets with progress made to date and industry trends. To download a PDF of the 2013 MYPP:www.ssl.energy.gov/techroadmaps.html

5.   DOE Report Estimates LED Savings in Common Lighting Applications - The U.S. DOE has released a report analyzing markets where LEDs compete with traditional lighting sources (e.g., incandescent and fluorescent). The report, Adoption of Light-Emitting Diodes in Common Lighting Applications, provides estimates of current energy savings, plus potential savings if these markets switched to LEDs overnight. Download a PDF of the report: www.ssl.energy.gov/tech_reports.html

6.   US Survey: Nearly Half of New Lighting Projects Use Automated Controls - All the major LED companies are focusing on implementing intelligent platforms for controlling lighting fixtures in industrial and commercial buildings. A range of new partnerships are being formed to make it easier for LED manufacturers to produce "intelligence-ready" products, which may also create new opportunities for setting modern communications standards in lighting. Lights offer the perfect entry point for building intelligence. They see themselves as far more than lighting companies. http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/survey-nearly-half-of-new-lighting-projects-use-automated-controls

7.    Reminder: Webinar on LED Street Lighting Case Studies - On Wednesday, May 8, DOE's Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium will host a 90-minute live webinar entitled Member Case Studies: LED Street Lighting Programs in Algona (IA), Asheville (NC), and Boston (MA).The webinar will begin promptly at 1:00 p.m. EDT (10:00 a.m. PDT) and will include a 60-minute presentation, followed by a 30-minute question-and-answer session with attendees. IES continuing education credits will be offered. To register, visit the DOE SSL website

8.   Armstrong-Area PA Small Businesses Plug in Energy Savings - Area grocery stores have brightened up by going green thanks to a cost and energy-saving program offered throughout the region by West Penn Power. The program has helped small businesses reduce energy costs while increasing efficiency with new LED lighting in all the refrigerated cases and new interior and exterior lights. Under contract with West Penn Power, it pays up to 80 percent of the project cost to area grocery stores through the Small Business Direct Install Program. The Ecobrite LEDs lining the refrigerated cases don't emit any heat and are 28 watts compared to the old tubes which were 110 watts. 4/26 Leader-Times

9.   Intelligent Efficiency: Innovations Reshaping the Energy Efficiency Market - This new paradigm is already reshaping the way we think about energy efficiency. All around us, embedded in every commercial building, manufacturing facility and corporate campus, is a vast, untapped energy resource: efficiency. In the past, that resource was hidden, ignored or misunderstood by the companies sitting on the potential, and recognized only by a small group of energy professionals. But with dramatic advances in web-based monitoring, real-time data analytics and utilities using peak pricing, that hidden resource is now becoming something tangible--an asset that companies can measure, manage, procure and sell. This emerging approach to energy efficiency is information-driven. It is granular. And it is empowering consumers and businesses to turn energy from a cost into an asset. We call this new paradigm "intelligent efficiency."  http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/intelligent-efficiency-innovations-reshaping-the-energy-efficiency-market

News Updates for the Week of April 22

1.    Lightfair or Should I Say LEDfair is This Week - http://www.lightfair.com The Exhibit List can be found at: http://www.lightfair.com/lightfair/V40/exhibitor_list/exnamelist.cvn?id=2. This is shaping up to be a fantastic exhibition and conference. Be sure to visit as many as you can and focus on:

• A.L.P. Lighting #501 
• AAMSCO Lighting #513 
• Acclaim Lighting #4116 
• Acuity Brands #801 
• Amerlux #1832 
• Anaren #3754 
• CAO Group #3945 
• Cooper Lighting #1533
• Cree #833 
• Emerge Alliance #3446 
• Evolucia #3925 
• GE Lighting #2101
• Honeywell Lighting #2953
• Hubbell Lighting #1745
• IES #2937
• Lamar Lighting #3738 
• LEDnovation #1561 
• Leviton #2024 
• LG Innotek #2659 
• Lumenoptix #3461 
• Lutron Electronics # 1345 
• MaxLite #3001 
• Osram Sylvania # 1001 
• Philips #1401
• PIXI Lighting #3918 
• SATCO #2501 
• Shat-R-Shield #1261
• Solatube #3118 
• Soraa #4047 
• Switch Lighting #213 
• TCP #1933 
• TerraLUX #861  
• Topaz #1125 
• VU1 Corp #108 
• Wattstopper #1525 
• Westinghouse #401

2.    DOE LED Street Lighting Case Studies - On Wednesday, May 8, DOE's Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium will host a 90-minute live webinar entitled Member Case Studies: LED Street Lighting Programs in Algona (IA), Asheville (NC), and Boston (MA). Customer perspectives and lessons learned from the installation processes will be shared. These experiences will help attendees gain a better understanding of the most common components of LED street lighting programs and the challenges many cities face when implementing them. The webinar will begin promptly at 1:00 p.m. EDT (10:00 a.m. PDT) and will include a 60-minute presentation, followed by a 30-minute question-and-answer session with attendees. For more information, or to register, visit the DOE SSL website.

3.   Global Lighting Equipment Market to 2017 - Market Size, Growth, and Forecasts in Nearly 70 Countries - is a comprehensive package that enables readers the critical perspectives to be able to evaluate the world market for lighting equipment. The package provides the market size, growth, and forecasts at the global level as well as for each of the 70 countries and is designed for companies who want to gain a comprehensive perspective on the global lighting equipment market. This package makes it easy to compare across different countries and product groups to be able to find new market opportunities and make more profitable business decisions. The market data covers the years 2006-2017. Order online: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/publication/cmixwe/global_lighting_equipment_market_to_2017_ma.

4.      DOE's MSSLC Releases Adaptive Controls Spec for LED Street Lights -The US DOE) via its Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium (MSSLC), has released its model specification that municipalities and utilities can use as template for procuring LED street lights with integral network and adaptive-control technology. The specification is another step in the MSSLC's goal of helping cities, local agencies, and utilities accelerate the deployment of solid-state lighting (SSL) technology for roadway and parking applications. Download at:  http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/control-specification.html

5.      Efficient Lighting Applications & Case Studies - With the increased concern for facility energy conservation in recent years, much attention has been focused on lighting energy consumption and the methods for reducing it. Lighting has a profound effects on worker productivity, as well as important aesthetic qualities. With this understanding in mind, this book presents an introduction to effective lighting design, and an examination of energy efficiency measures which can be implemented while simultaneously maintaining the required quality of illumination. Topics include lighting energy management, selection of lamps, task lighting, lighting design, lighting control, use of reflectors, ballast selection, natural daylighting, wireless lighting control, and case studies. http://www.researchandmarkets.com/publication/j7ydp8/efficient_lighting_applications_case_studie  

6.   The LED Gold Rush - With new price points and higher efficiency, LEDs seem set for rapid growth in market share. Not every LED stock will benefit equally, however. Pure-play LED companies like Cree and Revolution Lighting Technologies, Inc. are likely to gain more than broader lighting companies like Phillips and Acuity Brands. Navigant Research predicts that revenue from LED lamp sales will rise to $8.7 billion by 2021 but while LED lamp sales to commercial buildings will grow by 23% per year for the next 8 years, the longer life of LEDs will cause industry revenue from lamp sales to decline slightly over the coming decade. http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomkonrad/2013/04/17/the-led-gold-rush/?partner=yahootix

7.      Philips Lighting Claims R&D System Efficacy Achievement for LED Tube - Philips Lighting has revealed laboratory work on an LED-based replacement for fluorescent tubes in which a so called TLED (Tube lighting LED) tube delivered 200 lm/W, including the driver, at a 3000K warm-white CCT. The company said it will bring such a solid-state lighting (SSL) product to market in 18 months to two years. The best such fluorescent lights operate in the 100-lm/W range so efficiency in that application could double in two years. http://ledsmagazine.com/news/10/4/7

News Updates for the Week of April 8

1.      Earth Day 2013 - On April 22, 2013, more than one billion people around the world will take part in the 43rd anniversary of Earth Day. From Beijing to Cairo, Melbourne to London, Rio to Johannesburg, New Delhi to New York, communities everywhere will voice their concerns for the planet, and take action to protect it. The choice is yours…http://www.earthday.org/2013/about.html

2.      California Lighting Technology Center Seminar & Luncheon Wednesday, April 17, 10 am – 2 pm Celebrating the launch of WattStopper's LMLS-600 Dual-Loop Photosensor—the first commercial product to combine open-loop and closed-loop photosensor control strategies and the newest component in WattStopper's Digital Lighting Management (DLM) system. The dual-loop approach is the result of extensive R&D efforts at CLTC, and it is widely regarded as a pivotal innovation in daylight harvesting and efficient building design. https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=bjmexqjzl4b6

3.      DOE Publishes Exploratory CALiPER Study on Commercial Ambient LED Lighting - The U.S. DOE has released an exploratory CALiPER study on the problems and benefits likely to be encountered as LED products intended to replace linear fluorescent lamps become increasingly popular. Eighteen lighting designers and facility engineers compared 24 identical pairs of troffers in a simulated office space. Three of those pairs involved fluorescent benchmark troffers, and the rest were LED products. The products were evaluated for photometric distribution, uniformity of light on the task surface, and suitability of the light output for the task, as well as flicker, dimming performance, color quality, power quality, safety and certification issues, ease of installation, energy efficiency, and life-cycle cost. Bottom line: LED dedicated troffers can compete with (and beat) fluorescents in terms of efficacy. For a copy of the full report: www.ssl.energy.gov/exploratory.html

4.      Illuminating The Big Picture: LEDs by Craig DiLouie - In the April 2012 issue of ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, we challenged the presumption that LED lighting is maintenance-free. We found that, while it produces significant maintenance benefits over conventional technology, it must be maintained, though it requires rethinking of some aspects of how that service is performed. The DOE produced two studies, which confirmed LED replacement lamps are more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly than both incandescent and CFLs. (1)“Review of the Life-Cycle Energy Consumption of Incandescent, Compact Fluorescent and LED Lamps” (February 2012), is based on an analysis of 10 existing life-cycle assessment studies. (2)“Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of LED Lighting Products” (June 2012), is based on analysis of more than 25 life-cycle assessment studies. The DOE is planning a third study, which will examine the amount of hazardous materials that exist in LED replacements, CFLs and incandescent lamps and whether those materials are present in levels that exceed federal and California waste disposal regulations. http://www.ecmag.com/section/lighting/illuminating-big-picture%E2%80%A9-leds

5.      What a Difference a Year Makes for Incandescent Lamps - NEMA’s incandescent lamp shipments index showed a precipitous decline of 40.1 percent compared to the same period last year. Moreover, the index reached a value of 49.3, a new record low for the series. On an annual basis, incandescent lamp shipments during 2012 were down 18.3 percent–erasing a 16.4 percent gain for 2011. Compact fluorescent (CFL) lamp shipments dipped slightly during 2012 to an index value of 176, a change of 0.3 percent versus 2011. Meanwhile, halogen A-line lamps continued to make inroads as a viable alternative lamp source increasing by 88.3 percent over last year. http://www.nema.org/News/Pages/What-a-Difference-a-Year-Makes-for-Incandescent-Lamps.aspx

6.      Linear Fluorescent Lamp Shipments Wane During 2012 - NEMA’s shipment indexes for T5 and T8 liner fluorescent lamps increased 2.1 and 15.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012 to reach 156.8 and 103.1, respectively. However, the quarterly gains were not able to offset decreases earlier in 2012. The index for T5 lamps posted an annual reading of 159, a decline of 10.7 percent from 2011. T8 lamps declined 14 percent during the year to reach an index value of 99 for 2012. Shipments of T12 lamps showed the largest annual slide, dipping by 18.6 percent to 50 –half the level of 2006. Similarly, the index for T12 lamps reached a new record low of 36.6, a decline of 1.1 percent during Q4. http://www.nema.org/News/Pages/Linear-Fluorescent-Lamp-Shipments-Wane-During-2012.aspx

7.   HID Lamp Shipment Indexes Remain on the Decline During 2012 - NEMA’s HID lamp shipment indexes declined for the second consecutive year during 2012. Mercury vapor lamps declined 9.6 percent to an index value of 44 signifying that shipments during 2012 were 44 percent of the 2006 base level. The index for sodium vapor lamp shipments fell 6.2 percent, landing at 75. Metal halide lamps posted an index reading of 80, declining by 4.9 percent for the year. http://www.nema.org/News/Pages/HID-Lamp-Shipment-Indexes-Remain-on-the-Decline-During-2012.aspx

8.      Independence LED Launches “Cash for Clunkers” Program - Pennsylvania lighting tube manufacturer Independence LED’s new “Cash for Clunkers” program will reimburse the buyer a portion of what their T12 bulbs are worth when they retrofit with the Eagle LED tube. The program also covers the cost for installation and removal of the light bulbs, enabling customers to easily and affordably retrofit their lighting to be both more cost efficient and environmentally friendly. Independence LED plans to spend $10 million on the program.  http://www.independenceled.com/cash_for_clunkers_lighting

9.      Norwalk, CT Shopping Plaza Gets Energy Upgrades - A local shopping plaza is the state's first commercial energy-efficiency project financed through a new program launched earlier this year. The shopping plaza at 542 Westport Ave. financed a $285,000 lighting upgrade through the Commercial and Industrial Property Assessed Clean Energy Program (C-PACE), which is designed to provide commercial and industrial building owners with low-cost, long-term, upfront financing for renewable energy projects.  4/02 New Haven Register

     10.  Businesses to Lower Costs and Save Energy with Efficiency Vermont and SmartWatt Energy - Efficiency Vermont  http://www.efficiencyvermont.com is taking steps to reduce peak electricity demands. Incandescent lighting is a major drain on energy resources, so Efficiency Vermont is undertaking to replace it with LEDs. Efficiency Vermont required an experienced and capable partner to implement the LED Upgrade Program, so it awarded SmartWatt Energy http://www.smartwattinc.com/ the sole program implementation and administration contract. The LED Upgrade Program will help targeted Vermont businesses lower their electricity costs, while also reducing peak electricity demands. 4/01 PRWEB

11.  Are You READY for LIGHTFAIR  in 3 Weeks - Map your course on the LARGEST trade show floor, featuring over 500 exhibitors. Improve your knowledge and take charge of your education with over 66 conference courses offered at LFI. Connect with peers and make new contacts by adding networking and special events. With LIGHTFAIR’s accelerating growth, the trade show floor has expanded to another level - Hall F on the 100 Level of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Hall F illuminates the future of new lighting technologies with a spotlight on a diverse and well-known lineup of exhibitors. Register at: http://www.lightfair.com/lightfair/V40/index.cvn?id=10189