News Updates for the Week of July 25

1. U.S. DOE Releases Six Fact Sheets to Help Facilities Managers, State, and Local Energy Officials Benchmark Performance-Based Efficiency Improvements - The U.S. Department of Energy has released six fact sheets to assist American Reinvestment and Recovery Act grantees and end-users in benchmarking energy efficiency upgrade costs and expected annual savings. The fact sheets are directed at municipal, state, and federal government buildings, healthcare facilities, universities, colleges, and K–12 schools. They provide information on the typical range of project installation costs, savings, and payback times from energy retrofits completed by energy service companies (ESCOs). Download the ESCO benchmarking project fact sheets here: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wip/solutioncenter/buildings/performance_contracting.html

2. Housing Starts for June Show Improvement - Monthly housing starts for June rose above the 600,000 mark for the first time since January, according to data released 7/19 by the Commerce Department. Housing starts increased to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 629,000 in June, up 14.6% from the revised May estimate of 549,000. Single-family starts also showed a big improvement -- up 9.4% to a rate of 453,000. The 629,000 annual rate came in much higher than anticipated by most forecasts, which had called for a rate of about 570,000. http://www.census.gov/const/newresconst.pdf

3. Utility Helps Local Cities Switch to More Efficient LED Lights - Streetlights that use energy-efficient technology could become a growing part of how Clark County illuminates its roadways, parking lots and neighborhoods. The cities of Vancouver, Battle Ground, Camas and Washougal have either completed or are well into pilot projects to replace several hundred streetlights that use conventional bulbs with light-emitting diode, or LED, streetlights. Officials involved in the work, fueled by federal stimulus dollars, say if the benefits of conservation and savings in energy and maintenance costs are achieved -- as expected -- then LED streetlights could become embedded in the county's land-use codes. 7/20 The Columbian

4. Reversal on Rebates Stings Solar Industry - Missouri's fledgling solar power industry could be severely wounded by a recent court decision declaring that mandated rebates on solar installations violate the state constitution. The $2-a-watt rebate, approved by Missouri voters in 2008, shaves thousands of dollars off the cost of solar energy systems -- the smallest of which can cost as much as a new car. Without them, the price of installation could become too much for even environmentally conscious consumers to bear. Together with a 30 percent federal tax credit, the incentives put clean energy systems within reach for many consumers. But the June court ruling struck down the incentives as an illegal taking of private property. 7/19 St. Louis Post-Dispatch

5. HID Lamp Dimming by Craig Dilouie, 7/18 - http://lightingcontrolsassociation.org/hid-lamp-dimming/ Dimming is growing in popularity due to energy codes, green construction and user interest in flexibility and maximizing energy savings. High-intensity discharge (HID) lamp dimming is no exception, and with continuing development of electronic HID ballasts, continuous HID lamp dimming is easier to achieve, in a broader range of wattages, than ever before.

6. DOE Publishes Updated SSL Manufacturing R&D Roadmap and 2011 Workshop Report - The U.S. DOE has published the 2011 edition of the Solid-State Lighting (SSL) Manufacturing R&D Roadmap, and has posted the summary report from the third annual SSL Manufacturing R&D Workshop, which was held in Boston April 12–13. Complementing the SSL R&D Multi-Year Program Plan (MYPP) that guides the Core and Product Development R&D programs, the Roadmap's primary goal is to guide the manufacturing R&D program and help direct funding solicitations for it. Like the Roadmap, the workshop is a key component of an initiative launched by DOE in 2009 to enhance the quality and lower the cost of SSL products through improvements in manufacturing equipment and processes and to foster a significant manufacturing role in the U.S. To download a PDF copy of the updated Roadmap, see www.ssl.energy.gov/techroadmaps.html. A PDF copy of the workshop report at www.ssl.energy.gov/boston2011_materials.html

7. DOE Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium - The DOE Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium shares technical information and experiences related to LED street and area lighting demonstrations. The Consortium also serves as an objective resource for evaluating new products on the market intended for street and area lighting applications. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/consortium.html

8. Success with Solid-State Lighting - Lighting Facts® is a program of the U.S. Department of Energy that showcases LED products for general illumination from manufacturers who commit to testing products and reporting performance results according to industry standards. For lighting buyers, designers, and energy efficiency programs, the Lighting Facts label provides information essential to evaluating products and identifying the best options. http://www.lightingfacts.com/

9. GE Acquires LED Manufacturer - GE Lighting signed an agreement to acquire Lightech, a privately held, advanced lighting technology leader based near Tel Aviv, Israel, with commercial teams in Europe, the United States and Asia. Lightech specializes in providing LED electronic drivers, plus halogen transformers, to the lighting industry. http://enews.penton.com/

10. Newest Electronic Ballasts Cut Energy Costs by Up To 45% - The NEMA Premium Electronic Ballast Program is another industry effort to widen the use of high-efficiency products. Late in 2009, NEMA published BL 2-2009 Energy Efficiency for Electronic Ballasts for T8 Fluorescent Lamps, which revised the 2007 version. NEMA’s BL 2 contains energy-efficiency requirements for evaluating electronic ballasts designed for use with four-foot 32W T8 fluorescent lamps with a lumen output greater than or equal to 3100 lumens. It covers definitions, requirements, and markings. NEMA’s Ballast Program provides the method for identifying the most efficient T8 fluorescent ballasts available in the market. http://tedgreenroom.com/

11. Rise of Energy-Saving LEDs in Lighting Market Seen as Unstoppable - The switch to energy-efficient lighting will proceed rapidly this decade. Light-emitting diodes or LEDS, in particular, are driving the lighting market as commercial, industrial and outdoor sectors — which make up 96 percent of the world's lighting energy use — continue to realize massive savings from the emerging technology. Globally, the LED market reached nearly $5 billion in 2010 and is expected to surpass $7 billion at the end of this year. By 2020, the market is expected to reach more than $20 billion. That growth is due chiefly to the widespread adoption of LEDs in television and display markets, which is driving down the manufacturing costs and per-unit prices for lighting by as much as 25 percent per year. Although newer LED technology comprises less than 1 percent of the 32 billion light bulbs and lamps used worldwide, the research firm anticipates LEDs will make up 45 percent of the overall market by 2020. http://www.solveclimatenews.com/

12. Lighting the Future of Efficiency - LEDs are no longer a trend, and as a rechargeable platform they are the best technological development in lighting history. http://www.inddist.com/Content.aspx?id=1608

13. Philips 75W LED Replacement - This LED is designed to replace a 75W incandescent bulb and is now exclusively available online at Home Depot. The new Philips AmbientLED 17W light bulb, which puts out 1,100 lumens of light is being promoted as the brightest LED alternative to a standard incandescent available on the market today. Designed to meet Energy Star specifications, the bulb will reduce energy consumption by 80 percent, last 25 times longer and save an estimated $160 in electricity costs during its lifespan as compared to the traditional 75W incandescent. Its initial retail price is $39.97.

News Updates for the Week of February 21

1. Many Consumers Still in the Dark Over Incandescent Phaseout - While more than one-third of Americans are aware of the federal phaseout of incandescent light bulbs, the majority of consumers have yet to learn that the 100-watt bulb is scheduled to disappear from store shelves beginning in 2012. This is one of the many findings of an Osram Sylvania consumer survey involving 300 homeowners and renters nationwide. Overall, the public appears to be optimistic toward the changes ahead: 59% of respondents reported that they were eager to use more energy-efficient lighting solutions. 60% plan to switch to LED, CFLs, or halogen varieties. But 28% of the consumers polled expressed concern over the loss of the traditional light bulb. Only 13% planned to stash away a supply of 100-watt bulbs. 2/18 HCN


2. Chu: Budget is Part of Plan to Win Future - The DOE's $29.5 billion budget proposed by President Barack Obama for FY 2012 invests in what is needed and eliminates what is not, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu said Monday in a press briefing. The FY 2012 budget, Chu said, is part of an administration-wide plan to win the future by "out-innovating, out-educating and out-building the rest of the world," while at the same time cutting programs and expenses. http://www.aikenstandard.com/

3. LCA Updates Education Express Course on LED Lighting Control - Residing at the Lighting Controls Association’s website, EE300: Lighting Control of LEDs provides in-depth education about lighting controls and controllable ballast technology, application, system design and commissioning, as well as meta-issues such as energy codes, daylighting and other trends. http://lightingcontrolsassociation.org/lighting-controls-association-updates-education-express-course-on-led-lighting-control/

4. Survey Illuminates Lighting Trends by Joseph M. Kelly - Electrical contractors have seen the bright lights of opportunity borne by involvement in lighting specification and installation. Over time, market forces have drawn ECs further into the fold, allowing them to increasingly influence brands and make specification decisions and, ultimately, become very vital decisionmakers when it comes to lighting-related projects. This change has occurred across the lighting spectrum, through all categories, including lamps, ballasts, fixtures and controls. LED trends are something to keep an eye on. One-third of electrical contractors say that LEDs are poised to replace incandescent lamps, compared with 23 percent thinking LEDs are currently ready to replace compact fluorescents and another 19 percent suggesting LEDs are ready to replace fluorescent lamps. An additional one-third of those surveyed think that LEDs will be ready to replace each of these lamp types within the next one or two years. 2/’11 Electrical Contractor

5. After Two Years of Declines, Hardware Sales Are Up - Hardware store sales increased slightly in 2010, according to the Census Bureau's Monthly & Annual Trade Report. It showed December sales for hardware stores -- NAICS code 44413 -- reached $1.684 billion in December, the most recent month of available data in this business classification. That unadjusted figure is up 4.5% from the unadjusted figure from December 2009. For the full year, hardware stores sales were $18.756 billion, up 0.7% from 2009. It was the first increase in NAICS code 44413 sales since 2007 showed an increase over 2006. 2/15 HCN

6. Acuity’s Roam Monitoring System to Control Austin’s Lighting - by Doug Chandler - Acuity Brands’ Roam remote monitoring business, based in Kennesaw, Ga., said it has been selected by the city of Austin, Texas, for a comprehensive street lighting upgrade project. The project will enable the city to control each of its approximately 70,000 streetlights with the click of a mouse, once it’s completed in 2014. The city expects annual savings of more than $1 million in combined energy and maintenance costs. The system will be installed and managed by Austin Energy, which will monitor and control the streetlights using data received every hour from the wireless Roam devices via a web-based communication system. http://livewire.electricalmarketing.com/2011/02/18/acuitys-roam-monitoring-system-to-control-austins-lighting/

7. Philips LED Bulb to Cost Around $60 - Final pricing on the 60-watt equivalent EnduraLED bulb from Philips hasn't been released yet, but Ed Crawford, CEO of Philips Lighting in North America, told us that it will sell in the $60 range. Commercial customers will likely be able to buy the EnduraLED in September or October, while residential consumers will get their hands on it in December. It will emit 806 lumens, last at least 25,000 hours, consume 12 watts of power and will save people who buy it $60 over its lifetime.

8. January Housing Starts Rise 14.6% - Residential construction showed a rebound in January as housing starts improved to a pace of 596,000 -- a 14.6% increase over the downwardly revised December pace of 520,000. Compared with a year ago, total starts are down 2.6%, according to the Department of Commerce residential construction report released Wednesday. 2/16 HCN

9. 2011 Solid-State Lighting R&D Workshop Materials - Links to the presentations given at the Transformations in Lighting: 2011 DOE Solid-State Lighting R&D Workshop, held in San Diego, on February 1-3, 2011, as well as reference and handout materials are available at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/sandiego2011_materials.html

Monthly Special Feature...

Check out Home Channel News Industry Dashboard 1/24/11. Housing starts were disappointing when they were released last week. But existing-home sales saw double-digit gains. That mixed message was also delivered by the Home Channel Stock Roundup.

News Updates for the Week of December 20th

1. Dot Earth: U.S. Energy Choices and Global Climate Plans - There’s plenty to ponder in the newly released summary of the Annual Energy Outlook 2011 by the Department of Energy. While all such forecasts are implicitly uncertain, this one helps clarify where to focus efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions; reinforces the importance of resolving questions about how to safely expand, while not stopping, extraction of vast domestic reserves of natural gas; and powerfully challenges proponents of accelerated deployment of today’s menu of renewable energy technologies or nuclear power plants to lay out a credible strategy for supplanting coal. http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/executive_summary.cfm 12/16 New York Times

2. Siemens Said to Weigh Osram Options as Future Brightens for Lighting Unit - Siemens AG, Europe’s largest engineering company, is exploring options for its Osram lighting business, including a possible initial public offering or sale. Siemens, based in Munich, has held preliminary talks with investment banks about the viability of a transaction involving Osram, said the people, who declined to be identified because talks are private. No decision has been made and Siemens may keep the unit, they said. Siemens may consider an IPO or sales process for the first half of next year. Siemens is examining Osram’s future as the IPO market shows signs of thawing and the unit’s earnings surge, rising six-fold in the past fiscal year. Osram, the second-largest lighting company in the world by sales after Royal Philips Electronics NV, has an enterprise value of 6.5 billion euros ($8.7 billion) to 7 billion euros. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-15

3. GE’s Petras Sees Lighting Profit, Sales Up in 2011 - General Electric Co.’s lighting unit expects 2011 profit to rise on increased sales of LED-based products, said Michael Petras, who oversees the division. GE Lighting should increase its $2.6 billion in sales and have “strong double-digit” profit growth next year, Petras told investors at a Bank of America Merrill Lynch conference in New York. The unit, based in Cleveland, plans to raise investment in new products by almost 30 percent next year following increases in 2010. Two-thirds of new product spending at GE Lighting will be directed to LED-based products, he said. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-16/

4. Improvement Seen in Both Current and Expected North American Business Conditions in November - The Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American business conditions climbed 14.5 points in November, rising to 62.5 from 48.0 a month ago. With a reading above 50 indicating more panelists than not reporting better conditions than a month ago, and vice-versa, these results show widespread improvement in the business environment across the electroindustry in November, in contrast to the modest deterioration seen in October. 12/15 EC&M

5. Green Energy Website Launched - Schenectady County has announced the launch of a new website – http://www.gogreenschenectadycounty.com/ -- that will provide county residents with information about energy saving projects and serve as a one-stop location for residents, businesses, and organizations to find rebates, incentives, and grants available to reduce energy costs and conserve resources. 12/15 Times Union

6. EnerPath Strengthens Communities Around the Country With Energy Efficiency Programs - Utility companies across the country are turning to California-based EnerPath to run energy efficiency programs and reduce their electricity demand. Energy efficiency programs are increasing in popularity with utilities across the country. http://www.enerpath.com/

7. DEP Announces Small Business Advantage Grants to Help Improve Energy Efficiency in PA - The Department of Environmental Protection announced that 90 small businesses across the state of Pennsylvania will receive more than $560,000 in grants through the Small Business Advantage program and leverage an additional $1.1 million in private investments to reduce energy use and pollution, enabling them to become more competitive. Examples of eligible projects include HVAC and boiler upgrades, high-efficiency lighting, solvent recovery and waste recycling systems, and auxiliary power units that help large trucks reduce time spent with idling engines. Web Site: http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/ 12/16 PRNewswire

8. Texas Appliance Rebate Program Grows by $8.5 Million - An extra $8.5 million is being pumped into Texas' upcoming appliance rebate program, swelling the total rebates offered to $18.5 million. The program kicks off Monday, the day consumers can begin buying and getting rebates for new appliances that have a federal Energy Star designation signifying high energy efficiency. Rebates range from $40 to $1,000, depending on the appliance. Rebate application forms are available to download and print at www.texaspowerfulsmart.org 12/16 Fort Worth Star-Telegram

9. Housing Starts Are Up, But Not Much - November housing starts, expressed as a seasonally adjusted annual rate, increased to 555,000 in November -- up from 534,000 in October. 12/16 HCN