California to Receive More Than $4.2 Million from the U.S. Department of Energy to Advance Next-Generation Energy-Efficient Lighting

Erik Sine · June 10, 2011

Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that three California-based organizations will receive more than $4.2 million to research and develop high-efficiency lighting in an effort to deploy solid-state lighting that is cost-effective, high-performing and commercially viable.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that three California-based organizations will receive more than $4.2 million to research and develop high-efficiency lighting in an effort to deploy solid-state lighting that is cost-effective, high-performing and commercially viable. The award is part of nearly $15 million nationally to support eight new research and development projects that will accelerate the development and deployment of high-efficiency solid-state lighting technologies like light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and OLEDs. Solid-state lighting has the potential to be ten times more energy-efficient than conventional incandescent lighting and can last up to 25 times as long. The projects nationwide are focused on advancing core R&D goals for the technology, developing new products, and expanding domestic manufacturing capacity to help the U.S. remain competitive in this growing technology market.

“These investments in cutting-edge lighting technologies will support American innovation, create new manufacturing jobs for U.S. workers, and help ensure that the United States leads the world in this rapidly evolving industry,” said Secretary Chu. “These next-generation lighting technologies have the potential to transform the way we light our homes and businesses and generate enormous energy and cost savings for families and businesses across the country.”

The projects selected today address the full spectrum of research, development, and deployment for solid-state lighting (SSL) technologies and will leverage an additional $4 million in private sector funding.

The awards to California announced today include:

Soraa Inc. (Goleta, CA) - $678,257 – This project will develop high efficiency LEDs that can be operated at high current for greater light output. These improved LEDs would then enable the development of cost-effective LED packages with an estimated efficacy of 150 lumens per watt.

Cree, Inc. (Goleta, CA) - $1,610,681 – This project will investigate various design trade-offs in Cree’s high brightness LED package design and fabrication. The research will enable high-output, warm-white LED packages with an efficacy of 128 lumens per watt.

Philips Lumileds Lighting Company, LLC (San Jose, CA) - $1,987,200 – This project seeks to make use of high-voltage, low-current LED designs, in order to simplify driver requirements, improve driver efficiency, and reduce system cost. The proposed warm white LED package will deliver light with an efficacy of 130 lumens per watt at high temperature operation.

The full list of awards and topic areas is below:

Core Technology Research ($4.3 million) - These projects will focus on filling key technology gaps in LED and OLED development, improving scientific knowledge, and providing performance data for these technologies, which are all critical to the widespread deployment of solid-state lighting for general lighting purposes.

* Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ) - $664,785

* Research Triangle Institute (Research Triangle Park, NC) - $1,699,318

* Soraa Inc. (Goleta, CA) - $678,257

* University of Rochester (Rochester, NY) - $1,247,881

Product Development ($3.6 million) - These projects will help develop and improve cost-effective, high-performing, commercially viable solid-state lighting materials, devices, and systems.

* Cree, Inc. (Goleta, CA) - $1,610,681

* Philips Lumileds Lighting Company, LLC (San Jose, CA) - $1,987,200

SSL Manufacturing ($6.9 million) - These projects will focus on achieving significant cost reductions and enhanced quality by improving manufacturing equipment, processes, or monitoring techniques. These projects will address the technical challenges that must be overcome to make LEDs and OLEDs cost-competitive with other lighting options.

* Moser Baer Technologies, Inc. (Canandaigua, NY) - $2,906,324

* Veeco Instruments (Plainview, NY) - $4,000,000

This is the seventh round of DOE funding for solid-state lighting core technology research and product development, and the second time that DOE has funded solid-state lighting manufacturing projects. These efforts are part of DOE’s initiative to accelerate the adoption of SSL technology through improvements that reduce costs and enhance product quality and performance. They will also play an important role in encouraging U.S.-based manufacturing of SSL technologies, creating jobs, and promoting America’s role as a global leader in energy efficiency.

YYZ · June 11, 2011

It's small money to invest into technology that will save billions in hydro usage over the long run, but if they're going to be doing this, I'd rather it go to universities and other specialty startups. Companies like Philips and Cree have large amounts of private money already being spent on major R&D, so this ends up boosting revenues for already profitable companies.