[Federal Register: August 2, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 148)]
[Notices]
[Page 43720-43722]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02au06-43]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Next Generation Lighting Initiative: Commercial Application
Activities
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Energy Policy Act of 2005, section 912, established the
Next Generation Lighting Initiative, and directed the Department of
Energy (DOE or the Department) to ``support research, development,
demonstration, and commercial application activities related to
advanced solid-state lighting technologies based on white light
emitting diodes.'' In partial fulfillment of the directive to support
commercial application activities, the Department has initiated and
planned a number of activities. In the interest of informing the public
on the scope of the commercial application activities underway and
planned, the Department developed a document entitled, ``Solid State
Lighting: Commercialization Support Pathway.'' That document was
recently updated, and is now publicly available. The document is
printed with this notice.
DATES: ``Solid State Lighting: Commercialization Support Pathway,'' was
first publicly distributed on February 1, 2005. It was subsequently
updated and again publicly distributed on February 1, 2006. The
document was updated once again on May 22, and is being made publicly
available via this notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Brodrick, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Program
Office EE-2J, 1000 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121,
(202) 586-1856. E-mail: james.brodrick@ee.doe.gov. Richard Orrison,
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy, Program Office EE-2J, 1000 Independence Ave., SW., Washington,
DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-1633. E-mail: richard.orrison@ee.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Solid-State Lighting: Commercialization Support Pathway
I. SSL R&D Investment Leads to Technology Commercialization
The U.S. Department of Energy has made a long-term commitment to
develop and support commercialization of SSL for general illumination,
including sources, fixtures, electronics, and controls. In August 2005,
President Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005), the
first national energy plan in more than a decade. Title IX (Research
and Development) of the Energy Act directs the Secretary of Energy to
carry out a Next Generation Lighting Initiative (NGLI) to support
research, development, demonstration, and commercial application
activities for SSL.
The Secretary is also directed to carry out research, development,
demonstration, and commercial application activities through
competitively selected awards. The EPACT 2005 authorizes $50 million to
the NGLI for each fiscal year 2007 through 2009, with extended
authorization to allocate $50 million for each of the fiscal years 2010
to 2013. The actual Congressional appropriation for the NGLI will not
be determined until fiscal year 2007.
This public R&D investment serves the ultimate goal to successfully
commercialize the technologies in the buildings sector, where lighting
accounts for more than 20 percent of total electricity use.
Potential benefits are enormous if SSL technology achieves
projected price and performance levels:
By 2025, SSL could displace general illumination light
sources such as incandescent and fluorescent lamps, decreasing national
energy consumption for lighting by about 0.45 quadrillion Btus (quads)
annually, that is, enough
[[Page 43721]]
energy saved to serve the lighting demand of 20 million households
today.
The cumulative energy expenditure savings from 2005 to
2025 would translate into more than $25 billion dollars saved.
The cumulative energy savings from 2005 to 2025 is
projected to be more than 1.5 quads.
To realize the full promise of solid-state lighting by 2025, major
research challenges must be addressed. To help tackle these challenges,
DOE is funding selected R&D to improve energy efficiency and speed SSL
technologies to market. Projects are selected to align with a
comprehensive R&D plan developed in partnership with industry, research
and academic organizations, and national laboratories. DOE has and will
continue to maintain a focus on the ultimate goal of supporting
commercialization of SSL technologies to decrease lighting energy use
while improving and expanding lighting services. Unique attributes of
SSL technologies underscore the importance of a long-term, coordinated
approach encompassing applied research and strategic technology
commercialization support.
For most general illumination applications, current white lighting
emitting diodes (LEDs) cannot yet compete with traditional light
sources on the basis of either performance or cost, but the technology
is evolving rapidly. As a result of extensive R&D, the luminous
efficacy of white LEDs has approximately doubled in the past three
years. The timing and targeting of commercialization support efforts is
as important to the ultimate success of SSL as current R&D investment.
For this reason, DOE has created a comprehensive commercialization
support plan, drawing on a variety of strategies to assist the market
introduction of high-quality, energy-efficient SSL technologies.
II. Commercialization Support Strategies
DOE has a long-term vision for commercialization support of SSL
technologies. Over the coming years, SSL technologies for general
illumination will continue to improve and evolve, with luminous
efficacy increasing and unit costs decreasing. Appropriate
commercialization support strategies will be determined by the status
of the technology relative to particular applications. Beginning in
2005, DOE initiated several activities as part of the long-term plan.
A. Activities in Progress
Partnership With Industry
EPACT 2005 directs DOE to partner, through a competitive selection
process, with an industry alliance that represents U.S. SSL research,
development, infrastructure, and manufacturing expertise. DOE is
directed to solicit alliance assistance in identifying SSL technology
needs, assessing the progress of research activities, and updating SSL
technology roadmaps. In fulfillment of this directive, DOE signed a
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Next Generation Lighting
Industry Alliance (NGLIA) in 2005. Among a number of activities in the
MOA, DOE with the Alliance will create criteria for voluntary market
conditioning programs, such as ENERGY STAR [supreg] for SSL (see next
item). Alliance members include the major US-based manufacturers of
LEDs, organic LEDs, components, materials, and systems.
ENERGY STAR[supreg] for SSL
DOE has initiated development of ENERGY STAR criteria for white
LED-based lighting products intended for general illumination purposes.
DOE envisions a two-category criteria, with the first category
(Category A) covering a limited number of general illumination niche
applications for which white LED systems are appropriate in the near-
term, and the second category (Category B) intended to cover a wide
range of LED systems for general illumination. Category B will serve as
the longer term target for the industry. Initial applications eligible
under Category A will include those with the following characteristics:
(1) Appropriate for a light source with a directional beam, as opposed
to a diffuse source; (2) low to moderate illuminance requirement; (3)
illuminated task or surface relatively close to the light source; and
(4) potential for cost-effective use of LED-based products in the near
term.
Support for Standards Development
Solid state lighting differs fundamentally from incandescent,
fluorescent, and HID lighting technologies, in terms of materials,
drivers, system architecture, controls, and photometric properties. A
host of new or revised test procedures and industry standards is needed
to accommodate these technical differences. DOE is engaged in ongoing
dialogue with the relevant standards organizations, and is providing
technical assistance in the development of new standards.
LED Fixture Design Competition
DOE is one of the organizing sponsors of Lighting for Tomorrow
(LFT), along with the American Lighting Association and the Consortium
for Energy Efficiency. LFT design competitions in 2004 and 2005 were
successful in encouraging, recognizing, and publicizing excellent new
designs for energy-efficient residential decorative light fixtures.
LFT's 2006 program includes a new competition for LED products in
specific general illumination niche applications. Working prototype
fixtures will be evaluated by an expert judging panel which will select
winners on the basis of lighting quality, energy efficiency, fixture
design, and style.
Outreach to Federal Programs
As the largest single purchaser of lighting products in the nation,
the federal government can play an important role in demonstrating new
technologies. Recently, DOE has provided information to more than 30
federal agencies through presentations to the Federal Utility
Partnership Working Group, the Interagency Energy Management Task
Force, and the Federal Energy Efficiency Working Group.
Technology Tracking and Information Services
DOE continues to track performance improvement in SSL technology
over time. DOE also maintains a database of available white LED-based
niche lighting products available in the market. This information is
used to support DOE efforts to provide general information about
pricing and availability trends of LED products.
Consumer and Business Awareness Programs
DOE is developing informational materials on LED technology and
products for a general consumer and business audience. Fact sheets are
being disseminated widely. More fact sheets on a wide range of LED
topics are in development. Additional information of use to consumers
and businesses is available online via DOE's SSL Web site at
http://www.netl.doe.gov/ssl/.
B. Planned Activities
In addition to the activities already underway, DOE is planning a
range of other initiatives over the next five years that will support
commercialization of SSL technologies and products. These include the
following:
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Technology Procurements
Technology procurement is an established process for encouraging
market introduction of new products that meet certain performance
criteria. DOE has employed this approach successfully with other
lighting technologies, including sub-CFLs and reflector CFLs. DOE plans
to employ technology procurement to encourage new SSL systems and
products that meet established energy efficiency and performance
criteria, and link these products to volume buyers and market
influencers. Volume buyers may include the federal government (FEMP,
DLA, GSA), utilities, or various sub-sectors including hospitals,
lodging, or retail.
Demonstration and Performance Verification
DOE will develop valuable information from SSL installations in
various field applications through demonstration and performance
verification, including design and installation issues and measurement
of energy consumption, light output, color quality, and interface/
control issues.
Technical Information Network
Working with key organizations and companies already involved in
providing technical information to the market on energy-efficient
technologies (such as energy efficiency organizations, electric
utilities, state energy offices, and energy consulting companies), DOE
plans to establish a network through which SSL technical information
can be efficiently distributed to the market.
University and Professional Education Programs
DOE will support development of training materials and curricula
for design professionals, including interior designers, lighting
designers, and architects. To support development of the next
generation of engineers and designers who will implement SSL, DOE will
also support development of teaching materials and related information
on SSL technologies for universities.
Issued in Morgantown, WV, on July 17, 2006.
Eddie Christy,
Building and Industrial Technologies Division Director.
[FR Doc. E6-12425 Filed 8-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P