Energy Focus, Inc. Lights Up U.S. Navy Ships and Submarines

LIGHTimes News Staff

March 8, 2011…Last week we reported in an article that the Office of Naval Research had begun installing LEDs on ships and submarines. Energy Focus, Inc. reports that it is the company supplying fixtures for these installations on U.S. Navy ships and submarines. The products being supplied were developed under contracts from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) TechSolutions Program and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

According to a recent ONR release and our recent article, Energy Focus SSL fixtures are being installed aboard several ships and submarines across the U.S. Navy including the USS New Hampshire (SSN-778), USS New Mexico (SSN 779), USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52), USS Preble (DDG 88) and USS Chafee (DDG 90).

Aixtron Expects Further Growth with Help of Increased LED Demand

LIGHTimes News Staff

March 3, 2011…Aixtron, a maker of metal organic chemical vapor deposition systems, for the third year in a row, posted record operational results. Aixtron delivered EUR 783.8m of revenues and a 35% EBIT margin. Guidance for 2011 has been set at EUR 800-900m in revenues with an EBIT margin of circa 35%. Aixtron says it entered the year with a very solid opening order backlog of EUR 302.3m (revalued from EUR 274.8m at USD 1.35/EUR as of January 1, 2011), all shippable in 2011.

The company posted a staggering 159 percent improvement over 2009 during fiscal 2010. The company’s gross profit increased by 206% to EUR 411.8m in 2010, or more than tripling the 2009 statistic of EUR 134.7m.

Cree Makes XLamp ML-B LED Commercially Available

SSLighting Design News Staff

March 1, 2011…Cree of Durham, North Carolina USA has announced the commercial availability of the XLamp® ML-B LED. The XLamp ML-B LED was designed for quarter-watt operation. The XLamp ML-B LED boasts lighting-class performance for distributed lighting applications where the light source is visible, such as panel lights and LED-based fluorescent tube replacements.

The XLamp ML-B LED provides up to 30 lm at 80 mA in cool white (5000 K) and up to 24 lm in warm white (3000 K). The ML-B LED shares the same footprint and package with the XLamp ML-E LED. Like the ML-E, the ML-B provides uniform color over angle and a 120-degree viewing angle.

Arkansas RFP Seeks LED Lights for Poultry Farmers

LIGHTimes News Staff

March 1, 2011…The state of Arkansas is taking bids for the supply of LED lamps to be used in poultry houses as part of the Advanced Lighting Technology for Poultry Growers program. This program is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and administered by the Arkansas Energy Office, a division of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. The request of bids closes March 15, and the project will require around 34,500 LED lamps of different types. The request of bids closes March 15, and the project will require around 34,500 LED lamps of different types. Bids will be opened on Tuesday March 15 at 1.30 pm Central Time. The project requires approximately 34,500 LED lamps, divided equally into PAR-38 (max. 10W, min. 600 lm), PAR-30 (max. 10W, min. 400 lm) and R-30 (max. 10W, min. 400 lm) types.

Detailed information including the application and requirements can be found at Arkansas’s Office of State Procurement website under reference bid SP-11-0209. A hard copy of the application can be obtained from the Office of State Procurement, 1509 West Seventh Street, Room 300, Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information on Arkansas’s ARRA programs, visit www.recovery.arkansas.gov. 

32,256 Philips LUXEON LEDs will keep the Times Square 'New Years Ball' burning bright all year round.

New York, USA – In 2010-2011, Royal Philips Electronics enters a new decade of energy efficiency, celebrating its 11th anniversary as the official Lighting Partner to the world-famous Times Square Ball, a beacon of LED innovation. Both the Times Square Alliance and Philips share a commitment to sustainability, reflected in the Ball's ongoing upgrades with Philips energy-efficient lighting products, culminating in the recent upgrade to LED lighting, which have reduced its energy usage by 88 percent over the halogen technology it replaced.

Originally lighting the Ball with specially designed halogen 'Millennium' bulbs to mark the century passage from 1999 to 2000, Philips converted the Times Square Ball to all Philips LUXEON LEDs (light emitting diodes) in 2007-2008 to mark the Ball's milestone 100th anniversary. The Ball was upgraded to higher-power, more energy-efficient LUXEON LEDs yet again in 2008-2009 when the ball was doubled in size. Today's Ball is lit all year round and uses just 12 percent of the energy that would have been required to light it with the original technology.

The Ball benefits from Philips' unmatched investment in LED technology, with its modules lasting about 30,000 hours and using just 22 watts of electricity. If the Ball were still lit with Halogen lamps, it would use 1.1 million KWh, whereas the new LED Ball uses just 140,000. In addition, these LED modules will last years, compared with months for the halogens which they replace, drastically reducing the amount of maintenance and re-lamping required by the Ball. This same LED technology is available to consumers through Philips' AmbientLED line, which includes such innovations as the world's first 60 watt LED equivalent lamp, the Philips AmbientLED 12 watt.

At a Glance: Times Square Ball Lighting Facts as a result of being lit by Philips LEDs

o The Ball will consume only the same amount of energy per hour as it takes to operate just two traditional home ovens. (Source: U.S. Department of Energy – Consumer Appliance Energy Use) 
o The numerals will consume the same amount of energy per hour as it takes to operate just one 40 gallon home water heater. (Source: U.S. Department of Energy – Consumer Appliance Energy Use) 
o The Ball is lit by 32,256 Philips LUXEON LEDs, each of which can be digitally controlled to create extraordinary effects. 
o Red, green, blue and white LEDs in the Ball create a palette of more than 16 million vivid, vibrant, and highly-saturated colors as well as billions of possible lighting effects. 
o The LED lighting in the Ball has a rated average life of 30,000 hours, compared to the roughly 1,000 hour life span of previous incandescent and halogen solutions. This is especially important as the Ball is now lit year-round. 
o The light source in the Ball is 88% more energy efficient than in previous years, requiring only 22 watts of power for Philips' red, green, blue, and white LUXEON LEDs to produce the same amount of light output as it took 180 watts of incandescent light bulbs to produce in previous years. This represents a 158-watt (or 88%) reduction in electricity consumption per four-color series. 
o The Ball features waterproof modules and connections as well as the ability to passively dissipate heat. Each LED in the ball has its own specific address, enabling a level of two-way communication and digital controllability never before possible. 
o LEDs demand far less electricity than incandescent or halogen technology by delivering an equivalent level of light output with significantly fewer watts of power. This reduces the amount of electricity that utilities will have to generate, which helps avoid the airborne emission of such hazardous pollutants as CO2, mercury and sulfur dioxide – all by-products of the electricity generation process. 
o Whereas incandescent and halogen bulbs may be subject to failure if dropped or bounced, LEDs can withstand vibration and shock, delivering superior durability. 
o Philips LEDs are lead and mercury-free as well as RoHS-compliant (a European standard known as 'reduction of hazardous substances'). 

GE and Canadian Government Invest in New LED Lighting Technology to Support Greenhouse Production

LIGHTimes News Staff

February 24, 2011…GE reports that the government of Canada is investing $1.3 million, and GE is matching that investment to develop innovative LED lighting technology for commercial greenhouses The goal of the research project, which also enlists help from Les Serres St-Laurent (Savoura) and McGill University, is to improve growing efficiency while reducing business operational costs of commercial greenhouses.

GE expects the joint investment to develop technologies, which allow Canadian greenhouse growers to become more profitable and competitive globally. The anticipated benefits to Canadian greenhouse operators may include: reduced energy consumption, increased year-round production, lower operating cost and may stimulate new jobs in the Canadian greenhouse industry.

"Today's announcement exemplifies successful collaboration driving technology innovation. The application of GE's LED technology will significantly enhance commercial greenhouse operations, not just in Canada, but around the world," noted Elyse Allan, President & CEO, GE Canada. GE points out that operating costs will ultimately be less with LED lighting because it is more energy efficient than high intensity discharge light sources typically used today.

June 23, 2011…Seoul Semiconductor (SSC), a provider and innovator of LED technology, is the winner of the Assodel Awards 2011 in the category of LED. The award of the Italian Association for Electronics Suppliers (Associazione Nazionale Fornitori di Elettronica), an important European industry event, was presented on June 17th, 2011 at the Gala Assodel in San Siro, Italy.

"We are very proud of this official recognition from our Italian partners, this confirms our business strategy to focus on customers and customer satisfaction", says Manuel Zarauza, Managing Director of Seoul Semiconductor, who accepted the award. "A fair cooperation with manufacturers, distributors and partners is and remains the basis of our everyday work. That’s why we focus on our core business, in particular the development and manufacturing of high-performance and innovative LEDs."

Since 2003 the Assodel award has been given annually to manufacturers in the electronics industry who are honored for their excellent quality in collaboration and distribution. The award is presented in nine regular categories of active components, passive components, connectors, electromechanics, LEDs, visualization, RF & wireless, power, and instrumentation. Additionally, there’s an award for lifetime achievement. This year, the winners are based on reviews of the electronics industry, mainly distributors, but companies from the field of design or construction were taken into account as well. Seven criteria have to be met including technical, commercial and logistics support, in addition to communication, quality of products and business relationship as well as distribution policy.

June 28, 2011…LED driver IC sales will reach nearly $3.5 billion in 2015 from nearly $2 billion in 2010, according to Strategies Unlimited (SU). This would be a compound annual growth rate of 12%.  These are among the findings in a new report, LED Driver ICs—2011, from Strategies Unlimited.  The company says that sales of driver ICs for LCD backlights will dominate through the period, with growth from those used in edge-lit TVs and monitors.  SU predicts that LED lighting applications will be the “next big thing” for LED drivers and driver ICs, beginning with replacement bulbs. The company asserts that the big increase in this segment of the LED driver market will be in response to improvements in technology and phasing-in bans on incandescent bulbs.

President's Energy Budget Invests in Innovation, Clean Energy and National Security Priorities

February 14, 2011

U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today detailed President Barack Obama's $29.5 billion Fiscal Year 2012 budget request for the Department of Energy, emphasizing that it is part of an Administration-wide plan to win the future by out-innovating, out-educating and out-building the rest of the world. At the same time, the FY 2012 makes tough choices, cutting programs and expenses to underscore the Administration's commitment to fiscal responsibility and shared sacrifice.

"The United States faces a choice today: will we lead in innovation and out-compete the rest of the world or will we fall behind? To lead the world in clean energy, we must act now. We can't afford not to. Through our investments, we are laying the groundwork for the nation's future prosperity and security," said Secretary Chu. "While we are investing in areas that are critical to our future, we are also rooting out programs that aren't needed and making hard choices to tighten our belt. Additionally, we are improving our management and operations so we function more efficiently and effectively."

Specifically the President's FY 2012 budget request for the Department of Energy:

 

• Puts the nation on the path to reach a bold but achievable goal of generating 80 % of America's electricity from clean sources by 2035 as called for by the President.
• Supports groundbreaking basic science, research and innovation to solve our energy challenges and ensure that the United States remains at the forefront of science and technology.
• Leads in the development and deployment of clean and efficient energy technologies to reduce our dependence on oil, accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy and promote economic competitiveness; and
• Strengthens national security by reducing nuclear dangers, maintaining a safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent and cleaning up our Cold War nuclear legacy.
• Advances responsible environmental management by cleaning up hazardous, radioactive legacy waste from the Manhattan Project and the Cold War.

 

Some highlights in the FY 2012 budget include:

 

• $3.2 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, because investing in clean energy will strengthen our security, protect our planet, and create countless new jobs here at home.
• Promoting renewable energy and energy efficient projects with $300 million in credit subsidies to support approximately $3-4 billion in projects.
• $36 billion in loan guarantee authority to help jumpstart the domestic nuclear industry, as well as additional investments in the research and development of advanced nuclear technologies, including small modular reactors. Combined with existing authority, the additional loan guarantee authority will support 6 to 8 nuclear power projects, which will result in the construction of anywhere from 9 to 13 new reactors.
• To spur innovation, the President's budget request invests in basic and applied research and keeps us on the path to doubling funding for key science agencies, including the Department's Office of Science.
• $5.4 billion for the Office of Science to expand our investment in basic energy sciences, advanced scientific computing and biological and environmental sciences – all key areas for our future economic competitiveness.
• $550 million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to continue support for the promising early-stage research projects that could deliver game-changing clean energy technologies. $146 million to support the three existing Energy Innovation Hubs and to establish three new Hubs in the areas of batteries and energy storage; smart grid technologies and systems; and critical materials. Through the Hubs, we are bringing together our nation's top scientists and engineers to work over a longer time frame to achieve a specific goal.
• $100 million to continue supporting 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers started in 2009.
• A five-year FY 12 to FY 16 request of nearly $65 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) reflects the President's nuclear security priorities, as well as his commitment to modernize the U.S. nuclear weapons enterprise and sustain a strong nuclear deterrent for the duration of the New START Treaty and beyond.
• To support the President's goal of securing all vulnerable nuclear material around the world in four years, the budget invests $2.5 billion in the NNSA Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation program. This is part of a five-year, $14.2 billion commitment for the program.

 

In developing this budget, several program reductions and terminations are proposed, further demonstrating the Obama Administration's commitment to fiscal responsibility. The Department also continues to make progress on a management excellence agenda to improve our operations.

They include:

 

• In the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, DOE reduced funding for the hydrogen technology program by more than 40 %, or nearly $70 million in order to focus on technologies deployable at large scale in the near term.
• In January, DOE decided that it would end operation of the Tevatron, at the Fermi National Laboratory, rather than extend them through FY 2014. It is projected this decision will save the Department $35 million for FY 2012.
• DOE has reduced the budget for the Fossil Energy Office by 45 %, or $418 million. This includes zeroing out the Fuels Program, the Fuel Cells Program, the Oil and Gas Research and Development Program, and the Unconventional Fossil Technology Program.
• The proposal to repeal a number of subsidies and tax preferences available for fossil fuels. Repeal of these subsidies and preferences will save the taxpayer approximately $3.6 billion in FY 2012.
• The Department is reducing administrative expenses across all programs in the FY 2012 budget from FY 2010 levels.

 

In the FY 12 budget request, the Department was able to reduce the cost of its corporate management by nearly 13 %, cutting nearly $45 million from its budget. Some of these spending reductions came from:

 

• Office of the Secretary: 14 % reduction
• Office of the Chief Financial Officer: 16 % reduction
• Office of the Chief Information Officer: 17 % reduction
• Office of Human Capital Management: 22 % reduction
• Office of Public Affairs: 16 % reduction.

For more information about the Administration's Fiscal Year 2012 budget proposal for the Department of Energy, please visit Energy.gov. 

3 Types of Cathodes listed below.

 

1. Long Life Cathode with “The cathode Advantage.” 50% longer coil with more area for emitter material. This gives our product a 1 ½ life time compared to the competitors lamp. A uniformly applied emitter material with a composition that reduces end banding.

 

2.  Standard Cathode A. Longer cathode achieved with a bend for more length and area.

 

3.  Standard Cathode B. known as a “Stick Cathode” with an uneven coating of emitter material. The emitter material would appear to be applied in a hap hazard way (old technology) that will cause the material to spatter on the lamp wall, or in this case they need a cathode guard.

 

“Long Life Lamps,” with the combination of quality and the new technology.