News Updates for the Week of April 1

1.  A Bright Future for LED - By 2020, you're not going to be able to buy a light source other than an LED. You're on a learning curve of cost reduction, quality improvement and efficacy improvement. Today, 2013, is the first year you're going to be able to buy an exact clone of a regular 60-watt incandescent bulb at a reasonable price point. This year it's a $10 product. We're looking at it being a $5 product within 24 months, $2.50 within 48 months. So, by the time you get to 2020, it would be the equivalent cost to today's regular light bulb, last 25 years and use 85% less energy. But probably the more interesting thing is, after you digitize the light socket and you switch to LEDs, there's a second and third wave coming. Changing the color temperature. Changing the ambience of the room. Being able to integrate other functionality—it's your Wi-Fi hot spot, it's your alarm system because it detects presence coming into the room. You've got a raft of functionality that just has to be integrated into the bulb itself.  3/26 WSJ

2.  DOE Releases Report on LED Environmental Testing - The U.S. DOE has released a new study addressing the potential environmental impacts from landfill disposal of three light-source technologies used in residential homes: incandescent, CFL, and LED. All three lamp types contained some hazardous elements which, while generally below Federal landfill limits, in some instances exceeded the more restrictive California limits. The report, LED Environmental Testing, covers the third part of a larger DOE study to assess the life-cycle environmental and resource impacts of LED lighting products in relation to the two other types of lighting. Altogether, the three-part study found that LEDs currently have the lowest environmental impact, and that the rapid pace of LED technology improvements will widen that gap considerably over the next five years. The full report is available online at www.ssl.energy.gov/tech_reports.html

3. New Reasons to Change Light Bulbs - You’ve probably seen LED flashlights, the LED “flash” on phone cameras and LED indicator lights on electronics. But LED bulbs, for use in the lamps and light sockets of your home, have been slow to arrive, mainly because of their high price. May these six capsule reviews shed some light on the latest in home illumination: 3/20 NY Times

• R  3M ADVANCED LED BULBS 
• CREE LED BULBS
• TORCHSTAR
• PHILIPS HUE 
• INSTEON 
• GREENWAVE SOLUTION

4.  Osram Opto Announces New Bright White LEDs for the Interior of Vehicles - Osram Opto Semiconductors has launched the next-generation of its Topled and Mini Topled LEDs for interior-vehicular applications. The components enable high-brightness, long-life solid-state lighting (SSL) for the interior of buses, autos, trains, and airplanes. Osram retailed the same packaging technology that it had previously used in the Topled families. But the new LEDs stretch lifetime to 50,000 hours and deliver more light output allowing for a better user experience in mass transit applications. http://ledsmagazine.com/news/10/3/22

5. PA’s PPL Launches New Conservation Program - PPL Electric Utilities will offer a portfolio of energy conservation programs over the next three years under a plan approved this month by the PA Public Utility Commission.  Some of the 13 programs will be similar to existing offers, such as rebates for energy-efficient appliances and energy audits for residential, small commercial and large industrial customers, as well as to government agencies, schools and home builders. They will cost about $61 million a year--an expense covered by a monthly charge on customers' bills. PPL will conduct energy audits at such places and then provide significant discounts to implement recommendations, such as lighting upgrades (over 7 million CFLs were distributed), occupancy sensors and high-efficiency refrigeration, heating and irrigation systems. The new programs will be available starting June 1. Details are available: http://www.pplelectric.com/save-energy-and-money

6. LEDucation 7 Breaks Both Exhibit & Attendance Records - The Designers Lighting Forum of New York announced that LEDucation 7 hosted its largest event to date with a record -breaking crowd of over 3,000 attendees and a sold out expo of 150+ exhibitors. Dedicated to advancing the education of the lighting community, LEDucation offered attendees key updates and glimpses into the future of the industry. Educational seminars were conducted by some of the industry’s most leading authorities and gave attendees a chance to catch up on the latest advancements in solid state technology and controls. http://www.leducation.org/

7.  LightFEST - It is the LFI evening reception of Light, Networking & Celebration. This signature event of 2013 will bring together lighting professionals to enjoy the festivities and networking. It takes place Tuesday, April 23, 6:15pm – 8:00pm in the PA Convention Center Ballroom http://www.lightfair.com/lightfair/V40/index.cvn?id=10189

8. AEE Upcoming Online Training Opportunities For Energy-Involved Professionals - top quality professional training while earning CEU credits online: http://www.aeeprograms.com/

News Updates for the Week of October 10

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1. Strategies Unlimited Forecasts LED Revenue Growth of Nearly 10% in 2011 - Falling LED prices and a reduced demand for LED-backlit TVs will result in a slower growth rate for LED revenues this year compared with 2010, according to Strategies Unlimited. The high-brightness LED market is projected to grow by 9.8% year-on-year in 2011, reaching $12.3 billion in revenues. LED revenues grew by a remarkable 108% to $11.2 billion in 2010, propelled by applications in TV backlight units. However, expanding supply and a slowdown in overall TV demand in 2011 led to a drastic drop in LED prices, and a slower rate of growth in total revenues. LED revenue is expected to peak in 2014 at $16.2B and then fall to $15.3 B in 2015. The dip in revenues will be temporary, as lighting will take over as the engine for growth after 2015. Revenues of LEDs for lighting will see compound growth of 33% over the period. 10/7 http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/8/10/9

2. Other Reports by Strategies Unlimited Include - http://www.optoiq.com/market-research.html

• LED Outdoor Area and Street Lighting (August 2011)
• LED Driver IC: Market Review and Forecast—2011 (June 2011)
•  LED Luminaries Market Analysis and Forecast (February 2011)

3. OSRAM SYLVANIA Acquires Encelium Technologies - OSRAM has signed an agreement with Townsend Ventures, LLC to increase its stake in Encelium Technologies from 15 percent to 100 percent. This move will enhance the company's position in two key global growth markets, LED based technologies and Light Management Systems (LMS). Encelium, headquartered in Teaneck, N.J., is a leading software technology development company concentrating in advanced lighting control and energy management systems for commercial and industrial buildings. Encelium will become part of the OSRAM General Lighting - LMS organization. 10/5 PRNewswire

4. Survey: Few Aware of Energy Efficiency Incentives - A new survey indicates that few consumers are taking advantage of tax rebates and incentives for energy efficiency upgrades on appliances, light bulbs, air conditioners and other items. St. Louis-based Emerson commissioned Harris Interactive to perform the study in recognition of October as National Energy Awareness Month. More than 70 % of respondents said they did not take advantage of rebates, tax holidays or other incentives. 10/3 AP

5. A New Use for LEDs: Mind Control - “Biological specific lights,” tuned so as not to interfere with an individual’s normal production of melatonin, the hormone secreted from the pineal gland linked to sleepiness, could begin to hit the market in about two years, according to Mr. Fred Maxik, a founder of the Lighting Science Group With a biological bulb, you could read at night without experiencing the nagging irritability that can occur after using a computer or sitting close to a lamp near bedtime. Industry experts and executives suggest that efficiency will become a Trojan horse for a host of unexpected and arguably more valuable applications. LEDs, after all, are semiconductors that can be programmed to emit light at precise wavelengths, colors and tones. 10/7 NY Times

6. Energy Conservation Kits Now Available to Maryland Customers of Potomac Edison - Potomac Edison, a FirstEnergy company, will begin promoting Energy Conservation Kits and educational materials to its Maryland residential customers as part of the company's programs to meet Maryland energy efficiency requirements through the state's EmPower Maryland program. Potomac Edison customers in Maryland can visit www.myconservationkit.com to request the Energy Conservation Kit, which contains six CFLs, one smart strip and other useful components.

7. New Qualified Light Fixture Products List - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to inform partners and stakeholders of a new, consolidated ENERGY STAR qualified light fixture list. This new list includes products qualified to the Residential Light Fixtures specification (RLF), the Solid State Lighting (SSL) Luminaires specification and the Luminaires V1.1 specification. This new list will be updated at the beginning and middle of each month and can be accessed at www.energystar.gov/lightfixtures

8. Energy-Efficient Lighting by Alliance to Save Energy - The federal government’s energy efficiency standards for light bulbs are expected to save Americans money on their electric bills and make it easier for them to choose the type of lighting they want, according to several energy and lighting organizations. Related articles by ASE:

• Energy-Efficient Lighting: Lumens vs. Watts
• Energy-Efficient Lighting: New Labels
• Shedding Light on 2012's Phase-In of Energy-Efficient Bulbs
• Coloring Your Room With Energy-Efficient Lighting
• Living Efficiently With Tom: Efficient Lighting
• CFLs: Choosing the Right Type

http://www.ase.org/efficiencynews/shedding-light-2012s-phase-energy-efficient-bulbs

9. Rising From the Ashes of 9/11 - Ten years have passed since the devastating terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and while we will never forget the events of that day, the scars are healing. Construction is underway on One World Trade Center, which towers 80 stories high, on the site known as Ground Zero. It is already the tallest building in Lower Manhattan and is rising at a rate of about one story per week. New York-area electrical contractors are part of the team of thousands rebuilding the site, which includes six new skyscrapers and a 9/11 memorial. Clearly, the electrical contractors are contributing to a new life for Ground Zero that both honors the fallen and conveys a message of American resilience. 9/’11 Electrical Contractor

10. PPL Electric Utilities—Spreading the Energy Efficiency Word Through Programs, Social Media - Based in Allentown, PA, PPL Electric Utilities Corporation is offering its customers a wide variety of energy efficiency programs . Through its E-power energy efficiency programs, PPL is providing energy saving options like home energy audits, appliance recycling, and efficient equipment rebates for more and more of its customers. In addition, PPL Electric Utilities is featuring energy-saving tips at www.pplelectric.com/e-power each day this month.