News Updates for the Week of March 24

1.      By 2020, LEDs May Rival Incandescent Bulbs in Cost without Rebates - New data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows how far the cost of LEDs has fallen since 2010. The agency projects that the technology will approach price parity with CFLs and incandescent bulbs around the end of the decade. A 2012 report from the U.S. Department of Energy, however, forecasts that LEDs will make up only 36 percent of lumen-hour sales in the lighting market in 2020, a figure that is expected to grow to 74 percent by 2030. But the DOE has already revised its projections upward three times in the past five years. The department now has a goal of 224 lumens per watt efficacy at $0.70 per thousand lumens by 2020. EIA’s projections would suggest that this is too ambitious a goal to achieve; its forecast is closer to 150 lumens per watt by 2020. http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/can-leds-be-nearly-as-cheap-as-incandescents-by-2020

2.      BP Forecast: US Is Destined to Be an Energy Giant Again - Domestic energy production is destined to outstrip consumption in coming years, led by natural gas and U.S. dominance as the world's biggest producer, so that the nation will stand totally energy independent by 2035, according to a long-range global study by oil giant BP. Worldwide, demand for energy will go up 41 percent by 2035, primarily because of use in emerging economies, BP estimated. During that time period, the U.S. share of global demand is expected to decline to 13 percent from the current 18 percent, and China's demand will go up to 27 percent from the current 22 percent. http://www.moneynews.com

3.      Toshiba Seeks Europe Lighting Tie-Ups to Take on Philips - Toshiba Corp. plans to sign at least three partnerships in the next 12 months to manufacture lighting fixtures in Europe as it seeks to become the region’s third-biggest supplier of LEDs. Tokyo-based Toshiba, which until 2009 only sold LEDs in Japan, plans to reach a top 3 spot in Europe by 2020, threatening the dominance of Royal Philips NV and Osram Licht AG in a global market forecast to reach $42 billion by 2019. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-18/toshiba-seels-europe-lighting-tie-ups-to-take-on-philips.html

4.      LED Industry to Enter 3 Golden Years, Says Epistar Chairman - Mainly due to fast growing global demand for LED lighting, the LED industry will enjoy three golden years during 2014-2017, according to chairman Lee Biing-jye for Taiwan-based LED epitaxial wafer and chip maker Epistar. Global demand for LED lighting as a percentage of all lighting products will increase to at least 30% in 2014, Lee said. LED lighting penetration in the Japan market will remain the highest around the world and is expected to rise from over 50% in 2013 to about 70% in 2014, while the US market will grow from about 10% to 20%, Lee said. Everlight Electronics, the largest Taiwan-based LED packaging service provider, expects double-digit growth in 2014, company chairman Robert Yeh noted. http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20140320PD213.html

5.      DOE Webinar: Maintenance Practices for LED Streetlights - On Monday, April 14, DOE's Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium will host a 90-minute live webinar entitled Maintenance Practices for LED Streetlights. The relative newness of LED streetlights naturally prompts important questions about maintenance and reliability, and how to take these issues into account when planning and preparing for a transition to LED street lighting. The webinar will begin promptly at 2:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT) and will include a 60-minute presentation, followed by a 30-minute question-and-answer session. For more information / register, visit the DOE SSL website.

6.      DOE Webinar: LED Color Stability—10 Important Questions - On Tuesday, April 15, the U.S. DOE Solid-State Lighting Program will host a 60-minute live webinar entitled LED Color Stability: 10 Important Questions. The lumen maintenance lifetime of many LED products is 25,000 hours or more, but that doesn't mean products are guaranteed to perform the same over that time. One thing that could change is the color of the light, or chromaticity. This webinar will examine the causes of color shift, and look at existing metrics used to describe color shift/color stability in LED lighting. The webinar will begin at 1:00 p.m. ET; will include a 45-minute presentation followed by a 15-minute Q&A session with attendees. For more information / register, visit the DOE SSL website.

7.      LED Solutions Improve Lighting Performance and Efficiency at Detroit Metropolitan Airport Eaton has announced that its Cooper Lighting division’s Ventus LED luminaires are replacing 6,050 existing parking garage fixtures at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) to improve efficiencies and optical lighting performance. The conversion will result in a 66 percent reduction in power consumption with an anticipated overall energy and maintenance savings of approximately $1.2 million annually. http://www.ledjournal.com/main/markets/applications/led-solutions-improve-lighting-performance-and-efficiency-at-detroit-metropolitan-airport/#more-9880

 8.      Ameresco Begins Implementation of ESPC as Part of GSA's National Deep Energy Retrofit Program Challenge – The GSA's $45 million Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) is underway. The GSA selected Ameresco to develop a comprehensive ESPC addressing over one million square feet of office space at the New Carrollton Federal Building in Lanham, MD and the Silver Spring Metro Center 1 building in Silver Spring, MD. Both buildings will be modernized with the installation of 11,000 individually addressable LED lighting fixtures controlled by a network of sensors. Over 2,000 sensors will be installed in the two buildings. Capable of sensing occupancy and ambient light, the system will automatically adjust light output to match current conditions. The new lighting control systems will integrate into existing and new DDC control systems allowing the HVAC systems to heat and cool only occupied spaces. 3/18 BUSINESS WIRE

9.      Benton City, WA Gets New LED Street Lights - Benton City is one of six small towns in the state of Washington to receive new, power-efficient LED street lights for free.  Swapping out incandescent bulbs for LEDs is a pilot program of the state Transportation Improvement Board.  Benton PUD will be replacing 119 of the lights and Benton Rural Electric Association will replace 11 of the street lights.  Benton City also has 53 street lights and has contracted with Sun River Electric of Kennewick to replace those with the new LEDs. 3/12 Tri-City Herald

10.  Will the US Choose the Right Road to a New Energy Future? - The United States is currently facing a very unique situation—the first of its kind—as we decide how to upgrade and expand our energy infrastructure. Many are afraid that investing in a new energy system is too expensive and would cost trillions of dollars. The truth is that the investment choices we make today will determine whether we build a resilient, reliable energy system. What we need is a modern system that will maximize economic benefits, put the consumer in control, and utilize innovation and technology all while attaining steep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. http://www.renewableenergyworld.com

11.  Lighting Systems Index Gains Traction During Fourth Quarter - NEMA’s Lighting Systems Index gained traction during 2013 Q4, increasing by 1.8 percent compared to the previous quarter. The index increased 4.7 percent on a year-over-year basis. Index components for emergency lighting, fixtures and miniature lamps posted gains, while ballasts and large lamps retreated q/q. Overall performance during calendar year 2013 placed the index nearly 17 percent above the depressed level of the Great Recession during 2009. http://www.nema.org/news/Pages/Lighting-Systems-Index-Gains-Traction-During-Fourth-Quarter.aspx

News Updates for the Week of February 17

1.      DOE Webinar on Early Lessons Learned in Bringing SSL to Market - On Thursday, February 20, at 1:00 p.m. EST, the U.S. DOE Solid-State Lighting Program will host a 60-minute live webinar entitled Solid-State Lighting: Early Lessons Learned on the Way to Market. DOE has just published a report summarizing key efforts to date and identifying 12 lessons about LED market development thus far, with an eye toward rapid market growth – enabling huge energy savings and improved lighting service – in the future. The webinar will describe the 12 lessons and attendees will be able to submit questions, comments, and their own takeaways from the LED lighting market experience to date.  For more information, or to register, visit the DOE SSL website

2.      The Port Authority of NY and NJ Awards Contract for $2.1 Million Lincoln Tunnel Lighting Upgrade - Constellation announced that it has been awarded a contract by The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for the installation of 2,300 energy efficient LED lights in the Lincoln Tunnel. Facilities Solution Group (FSG), located in Perth Amboy, N.J., installed the system. Green RG Management, based in North Arlington, N.J., provided the LED lighting fixtures. Green Econometrics, in Clifton, N.J., conducted the energy efficiency analysis of the project. Bernie Erickson, Northeast Regional Manager for FSG stated, "FSG values our longstanding relationships with both Constellation and the Port Authority, and we were pleased to play a part in this exciting project." 2/03 BUSINESS WIRE

3.      NPPD, Others Offer Incentives for LED Bulbs - The Nebraska Public Power District and its wholesale customer utilities are offering incentives to residential electric customers for the purchase and installation of LED bulbs with a $5 account credit for each Energy Star-qualified 60-, 75-, or 100-watt LED equivalent to the standard bulb they buy, with up to 10 credits available per residential account this year. NPPD www.nppd.com  and its wholesale customer utilities are contributing approximately $100,000 toward this campaign in 2014.  2/10 Public Power Weekly

4.      Orlando Is One of 10 Cities Picked for $9 Million Energy Project - The City Energy Project will pay for a building-efficiency expert to work full time in each of the cities and to finance additional expertise as each city rolls out plans to lessen the energy used by municipal and privately owned buildings. The other cities are Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Salt Lake City. They were selected for "ambitiousness" and range of sizes and types. http://www.cityenergyproject.org/

5.      Grissom Air Reserve Base Paves Way for Energy Savings - The U.S. Department of Defense has an annual energy budget of approximately $20 billion, which accounts for nearly 80 percent of the federal government's total energy consumption.  U.S. military bases alone rack up a $4 billion energy bill annually. One of the most innovative and groundbreaking projects at Grissom was the recent installation of a $100,000 geothermal heating and cooling system. It's the first unit of its kind ever installed on an Air Force Reserve Command base. Other energy-saving upgrades include the installation of low-flow plumbing, better HVAC controls, energy efficient lighting, and infrared heating systems. Grissom spent more than $900,000 last year on those projects.  1/30 AP

      6.      LED Lighting Emphasizes Natural Beauty in Museo Del Duomo Zumtobel Arcos Xpert LED spotlights have been deployed during the just completed two-year renovation of the Museo del Duomo -- the Museum of the Cathedral located at the Milan Cathedral in Italy. The UV- and IR-free lighting with a CRI of 94 highlights the historic sculptures, paintings, and scale models of the cathedral with the oldest model dating to 1519. Zumtobel supplied a variety of LED lighting products for the renovation including Panos Infinity downlights, Tecton row lighting, and Linaria fixtures in side rooms.  http://www.ledsmagazine.com

7.      Toshiba Progresses in Louvre Project, Lights Mona Lisa with LEDs - A custom controllable SSL fixture now provides adaptive lighting on the famous Mona Lisa painting, and linear LED fixtures have been installed in the Red Rooms.  The Louvre Museum in Paris, France will ultimately see most of the lighting converted to LEDs. Toshiba said that the design uses 32 LEDs along with a control system and optics that ensure uniformity of lighting and frame the painting. The dynamic system was developed to enable museum workers to adjust the spectrum of the light to compensate for color shift that is due to ambient lighting and the way that lighting hits the protective glazing on the famous painting.  See the video: https://www.toshiba.eu/lighting/en/news-events/mona-lisa

      8.      Osram LEDs to Light The Sistine Chapel's Michelangelo Frescoes - The project, involving custom-designed fixtures optimized for beam control and with a color spectrum that will highlight the pigmentation in the frescoes, will be completed next year, although a pilot project entitled LED4Art has already proven the concept. While LED-based solid-state lighting (SSL) has long offered efficiency advantages compared to legacy sources, it's a fairly recent development in which LED fixtures have become accepted in museum or historical settings where artwork is omnipresent.  http://www.ledsmagazine.com

      9.      IKEA to Donate Solar Lighting to Refugees with Each LED Bulb Purchase - For the 10.5 million refugees around the globe, much of their lives are spent in the dark. In partnership with the United Nation Refugee Agency (UNHCR), IKEA announced that for every LEDARE LED lightbulb sold in its stores, it will donate €1.00 (U.S. $1.34) to UNHCR refugee camps for solar lighting, fuel-efficient cooking stoves and other renewable energy technologies. http://www.ikeafamilylivemagazine.com/gb/en/article/35914

      10.  DOE’s Solid-State Lighting: Early Lessons Learned on the Way to Market - This study identifies and characterizes 12 key lessons that have been distilled from DOE’s SSL Program results. http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/ssl_lessons-learned_2014.pdf

 

11.  Public Lighting Authority to Install LED Lamps in Detroit - The state-created Public Lighting Authority is looking for LED suppliers to speed up the $160 million relighting project of Detroit. The authority decided to exclusively use LED lamps and accelerate the pace of installation with a goal of completing all city neighborhoods with 50,000 new LED lights to be installed over the next two years. Fewer than half of Detroit’s 88,000 streetlights are believed to work. 2/12 Detroit News

12.  York County PA Commissioners Poised to Spend $2.4 Million for Efficiency Projects - The board is considering making an amendment to an existing contract with Harrisburg-based McClure Company.  The county has already spent about $6.1 million on facilities upgrades, under McClure's guarantee that the company would pay the difference if county coffers didn't save the $380,000 per year McClure said would be saved.  Under the current proposal, projects include heating and air-conditioning improvements, more interior and exterior lighting upgrades at various facilities, and transformer replacement. 2/13 The York Dispatch

13.  Linear Fluorescent Lamp Shipments Retreat During Third Quarter of 2013 - NEMA’s shipment indexes for T5, T8 and T12 lamps retreated during 2013Q3, decreasing by 7.3%, 9.4% and 5.5%, respectively. Year-over-year (y/y) performance showed mixed results for the different lamp types. The T5 lamp index increased by 5.7% compared to 2012Q2. T8 lamp shipments improved as well increasing by 10.7%. Shipments of T12 lamps continued to decline, registering a decline of 6.3% (y/y). http://www.nema.org

14.  2014 Lighting for Tomorrow Competition - Since 2002 the annual Lighting for Tomorrow competition has encouraged manufacturers to develop well designed, energy efficient lighting products - the best decorative energy efficient lighting fixtures in the market. The 2014 competition seeks lighting control devices, solid state lighting (SSL) fixtures, replacement lamps, and retrofit kits. This year there is a particular interest in securing high lumen LED lamps, LED lamps under $10, LED fixtures under $50, high efficacy LED products, high CRI LED products, OLED fixtures, and senior friendly lighting products. Guidelines: http://www.lightingfortomorrow.com/