Top Light Reading News of 2011

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Dec 292011
 
PinExt Top Light Reading News of 2011

A Look Back on 2011 Top Light Reading News of 2011Ah, the end of the year. Time for reflection, resolutions, and recaps. 2011 was a busy year for lighting  news…

EISA 2007 took center stage this year, as the phaseout of traditional incandescent light bulbs approached and the political scene got heated. We published a week-long series explaining the legislation and how it will affect you:

However, that series was not the last you heard about the legislation. The BULB Act attempted (and failed) to repeal the portion of EISA 2007 that referred to incandescent lighting. Texas challenged the federal mandate with a bill declaring incandescent light bulbs produced and sold in Texas were exempt. The Department of Energy created an ad campaign to jump start support for efficient light bulbs.  And most recently, Congress passed a bill that denied funding to implement the efficiency standards, which will start January 1, 2012. Continue reading »
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In-The-Know About January 1, 2012

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Nov 172011
 
PinExt In The Know About January 1, 2012

question In The Know About January 1, 2012There has been a lot of coverage on this blog about the upcoming incandescent light bulb phaseout. Back in January, I wrote a post titled Are You One of the 36%?, pointing out that only 36% of Americans were aware of the upcoming phaseout. A whopping 64% had heard nothing about the legislation, and 80% did not know that traditional 100-watt light bulbs would no longer be available after January 1, 2012.

The Department of Energy has been hard at work spreading the word, and so have lighting manufacturers and retailers like us.

Well, a new poll from Osram Sylvania found that those efforts have paid off! A majority of Americans (55%) are now aware of the federal legislation.

However, according to the poll, most Americans are still hazy on the details.

Do you feel comfortable about the upcoming changes? Do you have questions? Ask away!

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Happy 5th Birthday to the Original “LED City”

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Aug 312011
 
PinExt Happy 5th Birthday to the Original LED City

Raleigh NC 300x175 Happy 5th Birthday to the Original LED CityBack in 2006, the city of Raleigh, NC partnered with local LED manufacturer Cree to become the first “LED City.” Since that time, the LED City program has grown substantially, with cities across the U.S. and abroad joining in to reduce their carbon footprint, save money, and promote LED technology in general. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy itself absorbed the LED City Program recently.

This fall marks Raleigh’s fifth year as an LED City! Since that time, 57 LED projects have been completed in Raleigh, with installations ranging from streetlights to pedestrian walkways to the mayor’s office.

According to assistant city manager Dan Howe, each project passes a careful cost-benefit analysis before going through. “We have undertaken no LED project that did not pencil out for the taxpayers,” says Howe. “Early on, we decided our efforts here have to be focused on LED as a strategy that pays off, not just something cool that will save the earth.”

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Political Pulls with Energy Efficient Lighting

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Jul 212011
 
PinExt Political Pulls with Energy Efficient Lighting
doe ad chicken Political Pulls with Energy Efficient Lighting

Department of Energy photo from the national consumer education campaign

The efficiency standards for light bulbs set into place by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007) have been a topic of debate in the political arena recently.

First, the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act, H.R. 2417, sought to repeal the portion of EISA 2007 requiring incandescent light bulbs to become 25 to 30 percent more efficient.  The BULB Act did not pass in the House of Representatives.

Last Friday, the House approved an amendment that denies funding to implement the federal light bulb efficiency standards.

On Tuesday, the Department of Energy launched a new advertising campaign touting the benefits of efficient light bulbs.  It seems to be a timely response to Friday’s amendment.

The DOE’s public service announcements include print and television ads.  Here’s one of the videos to be aired: Continue reading »
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GE Enters the Ring: L Prize Update

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Jul 152011
 
PinExt GE Enters the Ring: L Prize Update

LED light GE Enters the Ring: L Prize Update

Almost two years ago, Philips Electronics submitted their L Prize Competition entry to the Department of Energy.  Since that time, the entry has been undergoing rigorous tests so the DOE can determine if it meets performance and lifetime requirements.

As of June 30, 2011, Philips has their first competitor!  GE Lighting announced they are entering the L Prize Competition. Their design for the 60 watt replacement LED incorporates a component from Cree.

What is the L Prize?

The L Prize is the DOE’s initiative to push lighting manufacturers to create the most energy-efficient, high-performance, top-quality light bulb to replace the common light bulb.  To enter the contest for the replacement 60 watt incandescent light bulb, manufacturers must develop a product that delivers more than 900 lumens of light, consumes less than 10 watts of energy, and has an average rated life of 25,000 hours, among other requirements.

The winners will receive between $5-10 million, partner incentives, and federal purchasing agreements.


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When to Avoid LEDs

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Mar 302011
 
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jim broderick When to Avoid LEDs

Jim Brodrick, head of the Department of Energy's Solid State Lighting Program

Awhile back, we published a blog post called Why LEDs Aren’t Always the Answer.  It explained a Department of Energy report that announced LED T8 replacement lamps were very poor alternatives for fluorescents.

There is a good deal of hype about LEDs and for good reason but it’s important to remember this is still a new technology that has its own unique limitations.  While there are many good LED applications within high quality products (i.e., barbecue lights, cabinet lights, exit signs, night lights, step lights, recessed lights, under cabinet lights), there are also some poorly-manufactured LEDs fixtures with flawed designs.

The Department of Energy released another report recently about LED replacements for four-foot linear fluorescent lamps (used often in commercial spaces like schools, hospitals and offices).  In their words:

Vendors of LED linear replacement lamps claim energy savings and long lifetimes, but testing of currently available products to date does not support these claims.

Unfortunately, LED linear replacement lamps fall far short of fluorescents in light output, color quality, distribution, cost-effectiveness, and lumen maintenance.  The DOE recommends avoiding all LED linear replacement lamps for the time being.

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The Expected Impact: The Incandescent Phase Out, Part 5

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Mar 252011
 
PinExt The Expected Impact: The Incandescent Phase Out, Part 5

Turning off the incandescent The Expected Impact: The Incandescent Phase Out, Part 5This post concludes our week-long series featuring everything you ever needed to know about the upcoming incandescent phase out as a result of the EISA 2007.  Our other posts in the series: Truth & Lies; The Fine Print, Explained; The Inclusions & Exceptions; The Replacement Contenders.  Thanks for reading as always, and here’s hoping you are now an expert on the phase out!

You may be thinking: “Okay, I get that the EISA 2007 was designed to reduce energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions… but is an incandescent phase out really going to make all that much of a difference?”

The short answer?  Yes. Continue reading »

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The Replacement Contenders: The Incandescent Phase Out, Part 4

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Mar 242011
 
PinExt The Replacement Contenders: The Incandescent Phase Out, Part 4

On the bench The Replacement Contenders: The Incandescent Phase Out, Part 4This post is part of our week-long series about the upcoming incandescent phase out as a result of the EISA 2007.  If you haven’t been reading so far, check out Parts 1, 2, and 3!

One of the biggest misconceptions among the public and news media is that compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are the only replacements for incandescent light bulbs.  It couldn’t be farther from the truth.

There are currently at least three widely-known technology options that can replace incandescent light bulbs and deliver the required higher efficiency, and more innovative technological options lay just around the corner.  Three other light sources that are lesser known and not discussed below are cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs), induction lamps, and electron stimulated luminescence lamps (ESL). Continue reading »

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The Inclusions & Exceptions: The Incandescent Phase Out, Part 3

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Mar 232011
 
PinExt The Inclusions & Exceptions: The Incandescent Phase Out, Part 3

Not All Incandescents Affected The Inclusions & Exceptions: The Incandescent Phase Out, Part 3This post is part of a week-long series explaining the upcoming incandescent phase out as a result of the EISA 2007.  If you’ve missed the posts so far, make sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2!

We’ve already gone over common misconceptions about the phase out and explained when you can expect this all to happen.  Now, for the next tidbit of information:

Did you know that the efficiency standards set by the EISA 2007 do not apply to all incandescent bulbs?  In fact, there’s a pretty long list of special-use incandescent lamps that have been excluded – one of which is the 3-way incandescent light bulb, a very popular consumer product. Continue reading »

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The Fine Print, Explained: The Incandescent Phase Out, Part 2

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Mar 222011
 
PinExt The Fine Print, Explained: The Incandescent Phase Out, Part 2

Understanding the EISA 2007 The Fine Print, Explained: The Incandescent Phase Out, Part 2

Our post yesterday represented the first in a week-long series about the upcoming incandescent phase out as a result of the EISA 2007.  If you missed it, catch up here.

Yesterday, we mentioned that the EISA 2007 does not ban incandescent A-line light bulbs; however, the new law will, in fact, result in the elimination of today’s standard 100W, 75W, 60W, and 40W light bulbs.

If you’re thinking there’s a discrepancy here, read on.

The EISA 2007 sets “maximum rate wattages.”  In other words, light bulbs will be required to consume less electricity (measured in watts) for the amount of light produced (measured in lumens).

Each category of “lumen ranges” that the EISA specifies corresponds with one of today’s standard incandescent bulbs. See the chart below:

Continue reading »

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