News Updates for the Week of July 15

1.      House Again Votes to Block Law Requiring Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs - A U.S. House vote Wednesday blocked enforcement of light bulb standards aimed at promoting the use of bulbs that are more energy efficient but also pricier. Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, inserted the language pertaining to the light bulbs in the energy and water spending bill. His addition prohibits using any Department of Energy funds to implement the standards. The measure's supporters said it does not outlaw any particular bulb, but rather requires bulbs to become more energy-efficient and does not require the purchase of specific alternatives. 7/10 UPI

2.      Final Draft Version 1.0 ENERGY STAR Specification for Lamps - The Lamps V1.0 specification is intended to replace the existing Compact Fluorescent Lamps and Integral LED Lamps specifications, as well as the certification requirements for GU24-based fluorescent lamps previously detailed in the Residential Light Fixtures specification. The effective date for Lamps V1.0 will be September 1, 2014. Stakeholders wishing to provide additional comments should submit comments to lamps@energystar.gov by July 23, 2013. Please note that comments received will be posted to www.energystar.gov/lamps unless marked "Do Not Post."            

3.     Smart Building Certified - A smartly designed building enhances the performance of the building and ease of operation over its life-cycle. The primary goal for a higher performing building is to minimize the long-term costs of facility ownership to owners, occupants and the environment. In a higher performing building all components of the building are integrated in order to work together.  This improves operational performance, increases occupant comfort and satisfaction and provides the owner with systems, technologies and tools to manage and minimize energy consumption. http://www.smartbuildingsinstitute.org

4.      Honeywell Launches LED Lighting Solutions Business - LED Lighting Solutions will offer a new line of high-efficiency industrial LED lighting fixtures in North America, expanding Honeywell’s portfolio of energy efficiency products and solutions. The new business compliments the company's building controls and automation businesses and product lines. Honeywell’s new line of LED lights starts with three versions suitable for the most common commercial-industrial applications, such as stairwells, parking garages, manufacturing floors, cold storage facilities, and warehouses. Later this year Honeywell will expand the line with the release of LED retrofit, ceiling panel and high-bay luminaire models, plus a full line of lighting control devices, including sensors and switches to enable lighting controls to be integrated with other building management systems. http://ecmweb.com

5.   TXU Energy Business Customers Can Cash In with Brighten Reduction Rewards - With Brighten® Reduction Rewards, participating business customers get a market-based bill credit for reducing their demand by 2 percent or more. Those customers get an hour's notice of the opportunity and can choose whether their business can accommodate a reduction. There's no cost to join the program and no penalty for not participating when contacted. Sign up: www.txu.com/reductionrewards  

6.      DOE Releases GATEWAY Report on LED Street Lighting - The U.S. DOE has published the evaluation report from a GATEWAY demonstration of LED street lighting in Kansas City, MO, that was conducted in support of DOE's Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium (MSSLC). Nine different LED products were installed in February 2011 as replacements for incumbent high-pressure sodium (HPS) luminaires. The cobrahead-style LED fixtures represented were the Philips Hadco Evolaire, Cooper Lumark RC LED, and GE Lighting Solutions Evolve. The report is available for download at: www.ssl.energy.gov/gatewaydemos_results.html

7.      New DOE SSL Technology Fact Sheet on Optical Safety of LEDs - One question that's spawned a certain amount of confusion and misinformation is how safe LED lighting is for the human eye referred to as the "Blue Light Hazard." To answer it, the U.S. Department of Energy has come out with a new SSL Technology Fact Sheet, Optical Safety of LEDs, which clarifies what's known about that issue and takes a look at current standards for photobiological safety.  The new fact sheet makes clear, white-light LEDs don't pose any more of a blue light hazard than other types of general-purpose light sources at the same color temperature. www.ssl.energy.gov/factsheets.html

      8. Next Generation SSL Luminaires Outdoor Competition Opens - The 2013 Next Generation Luminaires (NGL) Solid-State Lighting Outdoor Design Competition has officially launched! Written Intents to Submit are due by September 20, 2013, and must be submitted online at www.ngldc.org Final submission forms are due by October 11, 2013, and physical product samples are due by November 1. Judging takes place in December, and results will be announced in February 2014.

9.      Contractor's Corner: Rebates - Although many contractors try to stay on top of rebates, others do not. Rebates can often cover 20% - 50% of the product cost, which can make many projects much more attractive to customers. Contractors can be so busy with getting jobs, ordering materials, scheduling, managing work, billing, etc., that there is often not enough time to insure that products are energy efficient and qualify for rebates. There are typically three types of rebates. One is called prescriptive, which is a fixed dollar amount per product. The other is called customized, which is usually based on the KWH saved over the first years, and sometimes there is an adder for peak load reduction. For more information, email stan@lightingwizards.com

10.  NAED Releases 2013 Performance Analysis Report (PAR) Highlights - The typical distributor surveyed, based on median figures, had annual sales of $70.7 million and achieved a gross margin of 21.6 percent in 2012. Inventory turnover was 4.3; payroll expenses were 13.1% of sales. The report shows that electrical distributor profit margins increased to a median of 3.3 percent in 2012, up slightly when compared to the 2011 medians of 3 percent. Among the top performing "high profit" distributors, the 2012 profit margin was 6.3 percent, consistent with last year's profit margin. http://www.naed.org/Media/News/NAED_Press_Releases/2013_PAR_Highlights/

11.  Missouri Energy Loan Program Tops $100M - A Missouri program that is now entering its 25th year has provided more than $100 million in loans for energy efficiency projects around the state. The program through the Department of Natural Resources helps finance energy-saving measures such as improved insulation, windows, lighting and heating and cooling systems. The loans are available to public schools and colleges, local governments, water and sewage treatment facilities and some hospitals.  7/11 AP

12.  Mississippi Regulators Approve Energy Efficiency Rules - The state Public Service Commission voted unanimously Thursday to adopt energy efficiency rules requiring all gas and electric companies with more than 25,000 customers to begin offering programs within six months. Quick start plans could include energy audits, tuning customer heating and air conditioning systems, appliance and lighting rebates, weatherizing homes, and paying builders to make new homes and commercial structures more efficient. Utilities would be allowed to recover the costs of those plans by raising rates on all customers. 7/11 AP

13.  PGE to Install 26,000 LED Streetlights - The state of Oregon’s largest electric utility, Portland General Electric (PGE), recently launched a large scale installation of LED streetlights with the goal of reducing energy consumption and costs for its municipal customers. The first deployment was in February 2013, in Clackamas County, and focused on replacing 8,000 high pressure sodium (HPS) cobrahead streetlights with LED streetlights. Ultimately, PGE plans to replace 26,000 HPS streetlights throughout forty-seven cities and five counties. PGE is offering its customers the choice of LED cobrahead fixtures manufactured by either Cree Lighting or Leotek Electronics. http://www.newstreetlights.com/news/portland-general-electric-to-install-26000-led-streetlights/994403

14.  Eaton Tapped to Enhance Lighting and Energy Efficiency at Pentagon - Eaton Corp.’s Energy Solutions Group recently was awarded multiple service contracts from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate and modernize lighting systems at the Pentagon. The contracts have an estimated value of $3.2 million and a completion date of early 2014. Eaton will provide a comprehensive lighting audit for the 6.5 million square foot office complex, one of the world’s largest office buildings with workspace for approximately 23,000 military and civilian employees. Eaton will use the lighting analysis to develop a master lighting modernization plan, including a detailed engineering, environmental and economic analysis of all recommended projects. http://www.eaton.com

15. China LED Lighting Market Annual Growth Rate at 36 Percent in 2013 - LEDinside stated that benefiting from the intensive investment in lighting channel of various manufacturers, the quick falling in the sales price of LED lighting products and the improvement of average consumer's acceptance. In 2013, the Chinese lighting market has achieved growths in commercial, residential, industrial and outdoor lighting fields of 24 percent, 96 percent, 28 percent and 46 percent, respectively, and formally entered the general public channel era. http://www.ledinside.com/node/17886

16.  The 2013 CSA Award of Merit Has Been Awarded to Howard L. Wolfman - The Canadian Standards Association, a leading standards-based solutions organization, officially announced the recipients of the 2013 Award of Merit. The Award of Merit is an honour bestowed by CSA Group to individuals that have demonstrated leadership in developing voluntary standards and who, through technical, administrative, or special standards activities, have advanced the purpose of CSA Group. Howard formed Lumispec Consulting in 2008 which specializes in energy efficient lighting. http://www.mylife.com/howard-wolfman Congratulations my friend…

17.  2013 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting - 2013 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting

News Updates for the Week of March 18

1.      Ledmotive: Brilliant Innovation Video with LED Technology - Summary of a research idea conceived at the Catalonia Institute for Energy Research, Lighting Group. This video explains the potential applications of a novel concept based on LEDs than uses a microprocessing unit to reproduce and read spectra in spaces. http://vimeo.com/33619331

2.      Utilities Offer Rebates for Lighting Controls - Prescriptive rebates continue their upward trend in spending in 2013, with LED and lighting controls coming on strong. The number of rebates supporting lighting controls, in fact, has nearly tripled since 2009. Common rebates cover remote-, wallbox- and fixture-mounted occupancy sensors; photosensors; and daylight harvesting dimming control systems, with rebate dollars available for both new and existing construction projects. http://lightingcontrolsassociation.org/utilities-offer-rebates-for-lighting-controls/

3.      The Energy Saving Benefits of LED Lighting Brighten its Prospects in the North American Market - Favorable legislation mandating energy conservation increase opportunities for LED manufacturers.  Lighting accounts for nearly 15 percent of the energy consumed in the U.S. building sector, compelling building owners to seek more energy efficient lighting systems. This places the spotlight on light emitting diode (LED) lighting due to its reasonable cost, technology improvements and long life. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan's “Analysis of the North American LED Lighting Market” research finds the market earned revenue of $1.15 billion in 2012 and estimates this to reach $3.63 billion in 2017. The market is primarily segmented into indoor and outdoor LED lighting. http://www.frost.com

4.      LED Lighting in Museums - It’s hard to find a lighting application with aesthetic standards higher than those of museums, where success depends upon showing the artifacts and works of art in the best possible light – literally speaking. The bottom line is that solid-state lighting per se poses no special danger to artwork and artifacts, and has progressed to the point where it can compete with incumbent lighting even in applications where aesthetics are at a premium. But that doesn’t mean it’s a slam-dunk, or that it’s a matter of buying any lighting product that contains LEDs and expecting good results. There’s a wide performance range among the LED lighting products on the market, which means you have to do your homework and test, test, test – and even then, some issues are likely to emerge. http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/2012_gateway_smithsonian.pdf

5.      Cree and Philips Take Divergent Approaches to Sub-$15 LED Lamps - Philips has been widely known for its remote-phosphor technology in retrofit lamps. Even in the warm-white lamp that's white in the off state, the company relied on an inner dome that was coated with remote phosphor. The new lamps use blue LEDs with the remote phosphor applied on the dome of the individual packaged LEDs. The new approach certainly can reduce cost and improve optical efficiency by eliminating an optic between the LEDs and the outer globe. Cree, in contrast, took a more conventional approach using its phosphor-converted XLamp XT-E high-voltage LEDs. The LEDs are mounted on what Cree calls a Filament Tower that is a vertical structure upon which the LEDs are mounted in pairs around what is essentially a circular structure (see photo) http://ledsmagazine.com/news/10/3/9

6.     'Smart' LED Bulbs Controlled by iPhones - The Philips Hue bulbs (hue light app) cost more because there are five unique and expensive lime-green LEDs in each bulb, balanced by four red-orange ones and two blue ones. Together, these LEDs produce a range of colors, including a nice span of "whites," from warm to cold. The company has produced the first kit of LED bulbs whose color and brightness can be wirelessly controlled from your iPhone. Few people will pony up $200 for the Philips kit with three smart bulbs. But these products are still interesting because they point the way to the future of lighting. In the future, the price difference between color-mixing LEDs and regular ones will shrink, and perhaps vanish. Adding color and wireless controls to bulbs will cost very little, so we might as well get used to it. 3/13 AP

7.   LED Lighting Market Forecasted to Experience Steady Growth in 2013 - In the U.S. LED bulbs account for less than 1 percent of the 5.6 billion bulbs used in residential homes.  LED companies have been trending upwards in recent weeks due to potential growth within the lighting market, which has been dominated by the standard incandescent bulb for decades. Five Star Equities releases regular market updates on the Semiconductors Industry so investors can stay ahead of the crowd and make the best investment decisions to maximize their returns. Register at www.FiveStarEquities.com and get exclusive access to numerous stock reports and industry newsletters at no charge.

8.      California to Base LED Lamp Rebate Programs on Quality Specification - The California Energy Commission (CEC) has published a voluntary quality specification for omnidirectional and directional LED replacement lamps intended to replace screwbase incandescent lamps in light fixtures other than colored lamps, light strips and rope lights, linear pin-based lamps and integrated light fixtures. This specification is being developed in response to the findings of compact CFL incentive program evaluations, which found that the poor performance of CFL lamps was a major impediment to increased market penetration of those products. This specification will set a high performance standard that is intended to create a positive public perception of LED lamps, especially in residential applications. http://www.energy.ca.gov/appliances/led_lamp_spec/index.html

9.     LEDucation 7 is This Week on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 - Hotel Pennsylvania , Penn Plaza Pavilion, 401 Seventh Avenue, New York City. (Located between 32nd & 33rd Streets - across from Madison Square Garden) Pre-register to avoid onsite registration lines. http://www.leducation.org/

 

10.  Lightfair Pre-Registration Savings End in 2 Weeks - Take advantage of the lower prices now through March 28.  Register now and save money on exhibit hall access, courses, workshops, seminars and networking and special events like the LFI Innovation Awards^® and LightFEST. Download the latest LFI mobile app update and customize the app to synch with your registration. Simply click ‘Sign In’ on the Home page and enter your badge number and last name. Once you sign in, you can take advantage of all of the personalized features of the LFI mobile app and access information about the daily giveaways at the show. Download at m.lightfair.com.

News Updates for the Week of December 19

1.      Congress Overturns Incandescent Light Bulb Ban - Congressional negotiators struck a deal Thursday that overturns the new rules that were to have banned sales of traditional incandescent light bulbs beginning next year. That agreement is tucked inside the massive 1,200-page spending bill that funds the government through the rest of this fiscal year, and which both houses of Congress will vote on Friday. Mr. Obama is expected to sign the bill, which heads off a looming government shutdown. The spending bill doesn’t actually amend the 2007 law, but does prohibit the administration from spending any money to carry out the light bulb standards—which amounts to at least a temporary reprieve. This provision in the Omnibus bill is to prevent DOE from implementing the light bulb standards until September 30th. 12/16 The Washington Times

2.       Next Generation Luminaires Design Competition Deadline Extended to January 13 by Craig DiLouie - The deadline for “Intents to Submit” for the 2012 Next Generation Luminaires Indoor Design Competition has been extended. Written Intents to Submit are now due by January 13, 2012, and must be submitted online at www.ngldc.org 

   3.  More Than 3,900 Products Now Registered With Lighting Facts by Craig DiLouie - There are now more than 3,900 products registered with Lighting Facts, along with more than 300 manufacturers. The Lighting Facts label provides an at-a-glance view of an LED product’s basic performance attributes as measured according to the LM79 standard. http://www.lightnowblog.com/

 

4.      OLED Displays and Lighting Market to 2020 - GBI Research, a leading business intelligence provider, has released its latest research, "OLED Displays and Lighting Market to 2020 - Technological Innovations Lead to Cost Efficient Products and New Aesthetics." The report gives an in-depth analysis of the global Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED) market for displays and lighting, covering four major regions - North America (USA and Canada), Europe, Asia-Pacific. The report covers market revenue forecasts for the OLED market (Displays and Lighting) from 2005-2020. It also provides market revenues breakdown for displays by application types; Cell Phones, Televisions, IT Monitors and Others and technology type; Passive Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (PMOLED) Displays and Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) Display. For OLED lighting segment, the report provides covers market revenue forecasts from 2010-2020. http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/c60711/oled_displays_and_lighting_market_to_2020_t

5.      IMS Reports Fastest Discounts on LED Lamps in China - The latest analysis of global retail prices for LED lamps and luminaires from IMS Research of Austin, TX, www.imsresearch.com has indicated that the most significant decline in LED lamp prices has occurred in China, with prices falling on average 62% (from $30 to $11) from September to November. IMS is tracking the sales of 420 LED lamps in 12 countries. Worldwide, it reported no 100W replacements on the market and only 32 lamps (7%) designed as 60W and 75W incandescent replacements. In South Korea, 26 of the 31 lamps tracked were mislabeled with regard to their wattage equivalency. In Japan, the average price of a 40W LED lamp is over $30. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/8/12/13

6.      Will 2012 Be the End of the World for Renewable Energy? - As the year comes to a close so do two federal tax incentives the solar and wind energy industries have relied on to power their breakneck growth of recent years. Green energy executives and their respective trade groups warn that the expiration of the incentive tax credit–used primarily by solar–and the production tax credit for wind will cost tens of thousands of jobs and slow the nation’s transition to carbon-free power. At the 11th hour or later, Congress invariably extends the tax incentives once again. In the midst of a presidential election year with Republicans riding the bankruptcy of solar panel maker Solyndra to slam the Obama administration’s green energy policies, Congress may well let the tax breaks die. http://www.forbes.com/sites/toddwoody/2011/12/13/will-2012-be-the-end-of-the-world-for-renewable-energy/

7.      LEDs to Help Decrease Market Size by Joe Salimando - Pike Research forecasts that LED share will reach 52% of the commercial lighting market by 2021. The cleantech market intelligence firm anticipates that LED lighting costs for various SSL products will be reduced by 80% to 90% in many cases during the next decade. Pike Research forecasts that the global market for commercial lighting will reach $42 billion in 2011 and see a peak of nearly $54 billion in 2012 before gradually declining to about $30 billion by 2021. The decline will be due to the extended lamp life of both fluorescents and LEDs as they become the primary lamp types, increasingly displacing demand for replacements for less efficient and shorter-lived incandescent lamps. This forecast is for a GLOBAL DEPRESSION in the Lighting industry—a 9-year drop of 44%. http://electricalcontractor.com

8.      Amerlux Launches Smart LED Platform - "We are proud to unveil a wireless network and multimedia platform that fully integrates performance-based lighting designed to yield significant energy savings, as well as enhance public safety, security and communications," said Amerlux chairman and founder Frank Diassi. The lighting elements of SmartSite are similar to other network-enabled luminaires. A city or utility can dim lights to save money and remotely monitor the operational status of lights to save on maintenance. The multimedia element presumably will help municipalities fund SSL street-light conversions. http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/8/12/12

9.      Washington’s Puget Sound Energy Offers Instant Rebates on LED Lamps - Puget Sound Energy has introduced an instant rebate that provides up to $10 off the purchase of LED lamps to residential customers. The rebates are good for the purchase of a variety of Energy-Star-qualified LED lamps. Depending on the bulb type, after-rebate price varies between $15 and $50. Customers can purchase the lamps at participating retailers including Costco, Lowe’s and The Home Depot. PSE is also hosting an online survey for bulb purchasers at http://www.PSE.com/LEDsurvey http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/8/12/11

10.  Ford Says It Will Break 100-Mpg Barrier - Ford Motor Co. said it would offer U.S. consumers in select markets a five-passenger vehicle rated at 100 miles per gallon in 2012. The 2012 Ford Focus Electric is one of a battery of fuel-thrifty cars in development at Ford.  Ford is planning to launch the Focus in California and the metropolitan New York areas in 2012 and then add 15 markets across the country before the end of the year, as long as supplies are available. 12/14 UPI

11.  California Releases Clean Car Plan: 1.4 Million by 2025 - CA released its plan for putting 1.4 million electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen-powered cars on its roads by 2025, that's one in seven cars.  New global warming standards for model years 2017-2025 would reduce vehicle emissions by about half of current levels and 34% below 2016 requirements. The standards are being coordinated with federal agencies to establish a single set of global warming pollution and fuel efficiency requirements for automakers. http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/23232

12.  India LED Lighting Market to Enjoy Rapid Growth - LED lighting is considered the key emerging lighting segment in the Indian market, driven by the move towards energy efficiency. Local issues include those of energy deficiency in remote rural regions and strong interest in energy sustainability. According to Frost & Sullivan Research, the LED lighting market in India was $73.3 million in 2010 and is forecast to grow at a CAGR 45.53% through 2014. The anticipated market growth will be mainly due to street lighting and railway lighting applications, which could account for over 60% of total demand next year.  http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/8/12/13

13.  CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood: Let There Be Light 12/18/11 - On the Sunday Morning Cover Story, Lee Cowan reports on the debate between the warm glow of the watt-sucking incandescent and the energy efficient LED. This segment features: Dr. David DiLaura; Ed Crawford; Daniel Blitzer; and Howard Brandston. Watch the video. http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7392058n&tag=contentMain;contentBody