A little humor: A couple was celebrating their golden wedding anniversary. Their domestic tranquility had long been the talk of the town. A local newspaper reporter was inquiring as to the secret of their long and happy marriage. "Well, it dates back to our honeymoon," explained the husband. "We visited the Grand Canyon and took a trip down to the bottom of the canyon by pack mule. We hadn't gone too far when my wife's mule stumbled." "My wife quietly said 'That's once.' We proceeded a little farther when the mule stumbled again. Once more my wife quietly said, 'That's twice.' We hadn't gone a half-mile when the mule stumbled a third time. My wife took a pistol from her purse and shot him." "I started to protest over her treatment of the mule when she looked at me and quietly said 'That's once.'"
News & observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets:
Per the two items below from LEDinsider, what a difference 20 days makes! We went from not enough capacity to a potential glut of LEDs for LCD TV backlighting applications! The really bad news is that there are hundreds of MOCVD lines still in the production queues at Veeco, Aixtron and others that will just add to the glut as they are delivered and brought on line (or ultimately moth balled) in Asia. The last time something like this happened in Asia, it was 2000 - 2001 and the hot end product were cell phones with blue and then white backlit screens. When that crash happened, the cost per white LED went from ~$0.20 each to less than ~$0.05, a 75% decrease.
Meanwhile, Cree is at capacity on its illumination grade LED products and they do not see their new 150 mm wafer lines starting up until mid 2011. Apparently it is easier to tool up an MOCVD line that can handle 6 inch wafers, much less so to actually grow production grade 6 inch crystals. However, Cree, like most illumination grade LED manufacturers, use proprietary packages for their devices, which is good for them... but customers using proprietary packaged parts will continue to see lead times stretching out and there will be a potential for product pricing to either flatten or go up slightly in the near term. The good news for Cree is that the glut of low current / small die LEDs used for direct LCD backlighting should not accelerate a downward price spiral at their current customers in the illumination markets... unless these small die are used in larger arrays, then all bets on the cost per lumen for new lamp and fixture designs are off. Why new just new designs? Proprietary LEDs require proprietary optics and circuit board layouts, etc. No design engineer wants to go back to an existing design if they do not have to. That puts new designs with multi-die arrays into play.
News:
Panel manufacturers worrying about LED backlit TV demand: 05 Aug 2010 - Panel manufacturers are worried that there's an inventory overflow compared to the current demand for LED backlit TVs. Korean panel vendors in particular have been saving LED stocks from the end of last year, while Taiwanese manufacturers have adopted huge quantities of LED backlight products - particularly AU Optronics, which has created a short supply for its Lextar plant. The current panel and set inventory is still set at over four weeks, which is leading to a decline in CCFL panel prices - this is forcing manufacturers to take a conservative attitude towards LED backlit products. A report from LEDinside (http://www.pcb007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=70555&artpg=1) asks whether this will affect the penetration rate of these products, though it's too early to tell just yet. Samsung will be taking an aggressive shipment target for its LED-backlit TVs this year, also actively preparing stocks and materials since the end of last year. Retail prices for LED backlit TVs are still on the high end, which is making end user market sales lower than forecasted for the first half of 2010 leading to excess inventory. However Samsung's product "pull-in" began slowing at the beginning of Q1, and the giant has started to adjust inventory levels. Gaining orders outside of Korean firms will be crucial for Taiwan's LED industry to achieve sales targets, suggests the report. That said, following Samsung's dive into the market last year, other TV brands are beginning to actively put LED-backlit TVs into their portfolios but big names such as Sharp and Sony are still lagging and behind schedule. http://www.techeye.net/business/panel-manufacturers-worrying-about-led-backlit-tv-demand#comments
LEDinside: Limited LED Price Decline in Q3 under Continuous Demand for Large-size Backlight Application: 07/15/2010 - LEDinside, a research division of Trendforce Corp., has made the latest price trend report, pointing out that the LED price for backlight application remained stable in Q2 due to a robust demand and shortage of upstream materials. It predicts that there should be limited pressure to lower the price in Q3 as the supply of LED materials gradually stabilizes and large-size backlight application demand continues. However, high power LEDs for lighting application are expected to receive higher pressure to cut prices than LEDs for backlight application since major manufacturers are expanding their production. LEDinside says that although the LED price drops by 5%-10% every quarter, it is not the same in Q2 this year. Because of high season demand as well as ongoing expansion of large-size panel applications such as the LED backlit TV, the LED backlight application tightened the supply and caused a strain on the existing tight supply of upstream materials like the sapphire substrate, MO gas, further enlarging the supply-demand gap.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
"High Lights from the Heartland" 2-7-10
Welcome to "High Lights from the Heartland". A little humor plus news and observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets for your enjoyment. Feel free to share this with your friends!
A little humor: A lawyer phoned the governor’s mansion shortly after midnight. “I need to talk to the governor, it’s an emergency!” exclaimed the lawyer. After some cajoling, the governor’s assistant agreed to wake him up. “So, what is it that’s so important that it can’t wait until morning?” grumbled the governor. “Judge Pierson just died, and I want to take his place,” begged the attorney. “Well, it’s OK with me if it’s OK with the mortuary,” replied the governor.
News & observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets:
Opinion: The Super Bowl is being played today and the game of football has been called a “game of inches”. The lighting industry can be called a “game of lumens” and every lumen is precious. Humans have been producing lumens for hundreds of thousands of years every time they set something on fire. Burning something to create lumens has been mankind’s primary lighting process until we got around to phosphor conversion, first in fluorescent lamps and now with LEDs. Fluorescent lamps are currently in the 90 to 120 lumen per watt range and as you will see in the news item below from Cree, white LEDs are now pushing 208 lumens per watt in the lab (however still averaging 80 to 130 lumens per watt in production). Every time we see a boost in LED lumen output, more lighting applications for this light source become possible. Getting white LED output up to and beyond the levels of existing glass lamp technologies has been the big challenge for the last 10 years.
The other big challenge is consistent white CCT output at acceptable CRI. LED die and phosphor packaging can have a big impact on how well this gets done. The problem here is the variance that exists in each blue LED die’s output wave length (~455 nm +/- 5 nm). Since the wave length varies slightly from wafer to wafer and across each wafer, these small changes will alter the output from the yellow phosphor used. To add to the manufacturing surprise value, phosphors are chemical mixtures that can vary from lot to lot. So with small changes at the blue die level and small changes in the phosphor mix can produce wide changes in the resulting CCT values. One way to get around this problem is to mix multiple small LEDs into an array and then apply the phosphor mix over the array. BridgeLux and now Cree have developed products that use the multiple die approach (see news stores below). While they are not the first to embrace this solution, they do bring their own special edge to it as die manufacturers. This also solves manufacturing and supply chain issues that LED fixture and retrofit lamp companies have be struggling with as well: binning consistent CCT from discrete white LED components. If you have enough of an air gap in your fixtures or lamps, you can achieve white LED color mixing but many of these end products do not afford this option. Using white LED arrays also better utilizes blue die production, which will be in short supply this year and next. So this approach is better for the LED companies and the end users, solving multiple problems on both ends of the supply and production chains.
Finally, one of my readers reminded me, in the spirit of full disclosure, that in the last issue of High Lights I mentioned Sharp Electronics’ CES announcements on LED Lighting for the USA market. If you did not already know, I work for Sharp as their Business Development Mgr for LED Lighting (LED Retrofit Lamps, LED Fixtures and Solar Off-Grid LED Fixtures). This newsletter is strictly a personal endeavor, analyzing the LED components and LED Lighting markets and the rapid changes occurring there.
News:
Cree Breaks 200 Lumen Per Watt Barrier - LIGHTimes News Staff, February 4, 2010. The company announced that its white, power LED achieved a record of 208 lumens per Watt at a drive current of 350mA under standard LED test conditions. The LED had a correlated color temperature of 4579 K. Cree noted in a news release that this R&D result passes a significant milestone within the solid-state lighting industry. Cree says that while this level of performance is not yet available in Cree’s production LEDs, it continues to lead the industry with the broadest family of high-performance LEDs. “We have now broken the elusive 200-lumen-per-watt efficacy barrier for a single white power LED.” “This is a result of improvements in blue optical output power, lower operating voltage and higher conversion efficiency. We continue to push the envelope in white LED technology to enable the highest efficiency white lighting products in the marketplace.
http://www.solidstatelighting.net/news/?date=2010-02-04&id=118808
LED maker Bridgelux targets general lighting - At the current rate of technology development, it's possible that LED replacements for 60-watt incandescent bulbs could drop below $10 by the end of this year, said Mark Swoboda, the president of LED maker Bridgelux. Although technically feasible, that six- or eight-fold price drop is not likely to happen. Swoboda figures that price could only be reached in the case of a lighting company selling directly to a customer. Bridgelux is set to introduce a line of LED arrays which can be used in different applications, such as household light bulbs, down lights, and street and commercial lighting. With the new line of LEDs, the amount of light per watt has improved by over 30 percent in the past year and the costs have fallen between 10 percent and 30 percent, Swoboda said. "Our core technology has improved to the point where it can deliver a light source that makes it very easy for a lamp or luminaire company to meet or exceed requirements to meet EnergyStar or California's Title 24," Swoboda said. Its arrays range in output from 240 lumens to over 4,500 lumens, making them suitable for both general consumer lighting and commercial applications, such as retail stores.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10446253-54.html
Cree’s MPL EasyWhite LED obsoletes binning - With Cree’s announcement today of its XLamp MPL EasyWhite LED the company moves another step forward on its quest to eliminate “binning” from the vocabulary of LED lighting application designers.
The XLamp MPL Easy White can provide as much as 1500 lm at 250mA. This is a best-case number with a pulsed, rather than a constantly-on drive current, but with proper drive electronics and heat sinking, the LED can deliver the light output for a 3000 K, 75-Watt equivalent BR-30 light bulb, while consuming 78% less power than a traditional halogen bulb. (This performance meets the efficacy/lumen requirements for integral LED lamps as defined by the Energy Star program.) Which is impressive, but just as important is how the EasyWhite series frees light application designers from having to worry about matching the color output of multiple LEDs in each light bulb fixture. LED manufacturers have historically had difficulty in holding the LED chips to a uniform color output, and have sorted the chips into different color bins. Light manufacturers would mix-and match from different bins to get a uniform color, but this approach requires a large inventory of LEDs to meet the production lines need for a variety of bins. Plus, the whole idea of binning is confusing: Traditional light sources require only two specifications: color temperature and light output. This simplicity of specification and inventory is what Cree is driving at by eliminating or at least reducing the need for binning. 24 die are packed into a 12x13mm footprint that Cree believes is 72% smaller than the next-smallest alternative. In volume quantities, expect the pricing to be under $20. http://www.edn.com/blog/1470000147/post/170052417.html
A little humor: A lawyer phoned the governor’s mansion shortly after midnight. “I need to talk to the governor, it’s an emergency!” exclaimed the lawyer. After some cajoling, the governor’s assistant agreed to wake him up. “So, what is it that’s so important that it can’t wait until morning?” grumbled the governor. “Judge Pierson just died, and I want to take his place,” begged the attorney. “Well, it’s OK with me if it’s OK with the mortuary,” replied the governor.
News & observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets:
Opinion: The Super Bowl is being played today and the game of football has been called a “game of inches”. The lighting industry can be called a “game of lumens” and every lumen is precious. Humans have been producing lumens for hundreds of thousands of years every time they set something on fire. Burning something to create lumens has been mankind’s primary lighting process until we got around to phosphor conversion, first in fluorescent lamps and now with LEDs. Fluorescent lamps are currently in the 90 to 120 lumen per watt range and as you will see in the news item below from Cree, white LEDs are now pushing 208 lumens per watt in the lab (however still averaging 80 to 130 lumens per watt in production). Every time we see a boost in LED lumen output, more lighting applications for this light source become possible. Getting white LED output up to and beyond the levels of existing glass lamp technologies has been the big challenge for the last 10 years.
The other big challenge is consistent white CCT output at acceptable CRI. LED die and phosphor packaging can have a big impact on how well this gets done. The problem here is the variance that exists in each blue LED die’s output wave length (~455 nm +/- 5 nm). Since the wave length varies slightly from wafer to wafer and across each wafer, these small changes will alter the output from the yellow phosphor used. To add to the manufacturing surprise value, phosphors are chemical mixtures that can vary from lot to lot. So with small changes at the blue die level and small changes in the phosphor mix can produce wide changes in the resulting CCT values. One way to get around this problem is to mix multiple small LEDs into an array and then apply the phosphor mix over the array. BridgeLux and now Cree have developed products that use the multiple die approach (see news stores below). While they are not the first to embrace this solution, they do bring their own special edge to it as die manufacturers. This also solves manufacturing and supply chain issues that LED fixture and retrofit lamp companies have be struggling with as well: binning consistent CCT from discrete white LED components. If you have enough of an air gap in your fixtures or lamps, you can achieve white LED color mixing but many of these end products do not afford this option. Using white LED arrays also better utilizes blue die production, which will be in short supply this year and next. So this approach is better for the LED companies and the end users, solving multiple problems on both ends of the supply and production chains.
Finally, one of my readers reminded me, in the spirit of full disclosure, that in the last issue of High Lights I mentioned Sharp Electronics’ CES announcements on LED Lighting for the USA market. If you did not already know, I work for Sharp as their Business Development Mgr for LED Lighting (LED Retrofit Lamps, LED Fixtures and Solar Off-Grid LED Fixtures). This newsletter is strictly a personal endeavor, analyzing the LED components and LED Lighting markets and the rapid changes occurring there.
News:
Cree Breaks 200 Lumen Per Watt Barrier - LIGHTimes News Staff, February 4, 2010. The company announced that its white, power LED achieved a record of 208 lumens per Watt at a drive current of 350mA under standard LED test conditions. The LED had a correlated color temperature of 4579 K. Cree noted in a news release that this R&D result passes a significant milestone within the solid-state lighting industry. Cree says that while this level of performance is not yet available in Cree’s production LEDs, it continues to lead the industry with the broadest family of high-performance LEDs. “We have now broken the elusive 200-lumen-per-watt efficacy barrier for a single white power LED.” “This is a result of improvements in blue optical output power, lower operating voltage and higher conversion efficiency. We continue to push the envelope in white LED technology to enable the highest efficiency white lighting products in the marketplace.
http://www.solidstatelighting.net/news/?date=2010-02-04&id=118808
LED maker Bridgelux targets general lighting - At the current rate of technology development, it's possible that LED replacements for 60-watt incandescent bulbs could drop below $10 by the end of this year, said Mark Swoboda, the president of LED maker Bridgelux. Although technically feasible, that six- or eight-fold price drop is not likely to happen. Swoboda figures that price could only be reached in the case of a lighting company selling directly to a customer. Bridgelux is set to introduce a line of LED arrays which can be used in different applications, such as household light bulbs, down lights, and street and commercial lighting. With the new line of LEDs, the amount of light per watt has improved by over 30 percent in the past year and the costs have fallen between 10 percent and 30 percent, Swoboda said. "Our core technology has improved to the point where it can deliver a light source that makes it very easy for a lamp or luminaire company to meet or exceed requirements to meet EnergyStar or California's Title 24," Swoboda said. Its arrays range in output from 240 lumens to over 4,500 lumens, making them suitable for both general consumer lighting and commercial applications, such as retail stores.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10446253-54.html
Cree’s MPL EasyWhite LED obsoletes binning - With Cree’s announcement today of its XLamp MPL EasyWhite LED the company moves another step forward on its quest to eliminate “binning” from the vocabulary of LED lighting application designers.
The XLamp MPL Easy White can provide as much as 1500 lm at 250mA. This is a best-case number with a pulsed, rather than a constantly-on drive current, but with proper drive electronics and heat sinking, the LED can deliver the light output for a 3000 K, 75-Watt equivalent BR-30 light bulb, while consuming 78% less power than a traditional halogen bulb. (This performance meets the efficacy/lumen requirements for integral LED lamps as defined by the Energy Star program.) Which is impressive, but just as important is how the EasyWhite series frees light application designers from having to worry about matching the color output of multiple LEDs in each light bulb fixture. LED manufacturers have historically had difficulty in holding the LED chips to a uniform color output, and have sorted the chips into different color bins. Light manufacturers would mix-and match from different bins to get a uniform color, but this approach requires a large inventory of LEDs to meet the production lines need for a variety of bins. Plus, the whole idea of binning is confusing: Traditional light sources require only two specifications: color temperature and light output. This simplicity of specification and inventory is what Cree is driving at by eliminating or at least reducing the need for binning. 24 die are packed into a 12x13mm footprint that Cree believes is 72% smaller than the next-smallest alternative. In volume quantities, expect the pricing to be under $20. http://www.edn.com/blog/1470000147/post/170052417.html
Sunday, January 24, 2010
"High Lights from the Heartland" 1-24-10
Welcome to "High Lights from the Heartland". A little humor plus news and observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets for your enjoyment. Feel free to share this with your friends!
A little humor:
An optometrist was instructing a new employee on how to charge a customer. “As you are fitting their glasses, if they ask how much they will cost, you say ‘$150.’ “If their eyes don’t flutter, say, ‘For the frames, the lenses will be $100.’ “If their eyes still don’t flutter, you add, ‘Each.’”
News & observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets:
Opinion:
Doubt the conventional wisdom unless you can verify it with reason and experiment. - Steve Albini
Conventional wisdom of the ages: The world is flat, the earth is the center of the universe and no one will buy $70 LED light bulbs…
I was on a flight recently and the guy seating next to me was one of those very talkative fellows. Turns out he was ex military and now works as a weapons consultant but more importantly for me, he was also an early adaptor of LED lighting. He had recently purchased several high end LED light bulbs at a big box DIY retailer. How did he know about LED lighting? Turns out that his weapons background also included military flashlights and those high end units had already been converted to LEDs. His positive experience with LEDs in his work gave him the confidence to buy several of the new $70 LED retro-fit lamps for his kitchen. While he liked them overall, his wife was somewhat disappointment in the limited beam angle and the lack of a uniform fall off from the center of the beam to the outer edges, which is what she had come to expect from standard halogen PAR lamps. Would he buy them again? Yes, but only for specific “difficult to re-lamp” fixtures.
This got me to thinking about the other local / personal inputs I was getting on LED lighting and lamps… My local Wal-Mart once again completely sold out of LED Christmas lights before Christmas. My next door neighbor (he knows what I do for a living and he is still willing to talk to me) said that he would most likely buy a $50 LED retrofit lamp for at least one “difficult to relamp” fixture in his home (he is semi-retired and works part time at a big box DIY retailer). Sharp announced at CES that they have already produced over 1 million A19 LED lamps for the Japanese market at ~ 4,000 yen (~$45) each since this product launched in June 2009.
Is there pent up demand for LED retrofit lamps and fixtures at the consumer level? I believe that all of the signs are there… but the consumer’s first real LED lighting “experience” needs to build their confidence in using LED Lighting products. This confidence in the product and its performance will determine if they will buy more or hold off indefinitely, should it prove to be significantly lacking. The US-DOE Energy Star for SSL programs will help build this confidence but these are not mandated programs and anyone can still make anything with any type of LEDs and try to sell it into the US market. Hopefully we will see a shift from a market that currently has a track record of 97% poor / junk LED lighting products towards one that offers high quality products that utilize the US-DOE Energy Star performance specifications as their goal. Stay tuned, 2010 will be a significant year for LED Lamps.
Speaking of the US-DOE, they announced $37 million in funding for several OLED, LED and phosphor programs this month as well (http://www.energy.gov/news2009/documents2009/SSL_Selections_011510.pdf). The interesting thing here is that the winners of these awards were already in the process of developing these products or process innovations. Hopefully this money will accelerate these efforts and allow us to realize the next generation of SSL solutions faster than what the normal market development cycle would allow.
News:
A Boost for LED Lighting Development - The government is awarding $37 million for more research into LED lighting development. As part of the government’s aggressive push for more energy efficient lighting options, the Department of Energy announced Friday it had awarded more than $37 million in stimulus funds for research and development projects that will help advance the market for products that use light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. A significant portion of the 17 projects selected to receive money were proposed by well-known lighting companies, including General Electric, Osram Sylvania, Philips and Cree. The awardees have promised to pony up an additional $28.5 million in private-industry matching funds for the projects, and to spend the money in the United States. According to the department, the focus on manufacturing is part of a new initiative to accelerate adoption of LEDs by improving quality and cost – while also encouraging production in the United States. A considerable amount of LED manufacturing occurs in Asia, according to the department’s solid-state lighting research and development plan. The plan states that developing advanced automation methods could improve product consistency, reduce labor content and potentially make domestic production “a more attractive option than it is today.” http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/18/a-boost-for-led-lighting-development/
Sharp To Enter LED Lighting Market - Sharp said it will enter the LED lighting market for the first time with energy efficient products targeting high end uses. Despite being a newcomer to the market, Sharp was able to take 60 percent share of the LED lighting market in Japan, where companies including Panasonic, Toshiba and Hitachi have been working on lighting for years, he said. "Our plan is to launch an LED lighting business to supply the United States and Europe by the end of this year," said Sharp Electronics' global president and COO Mikio Katayama. He acknowledged that breaking into the U.S. lighting market presents a significant challenge, but Sharp's LED technologies have very high performance levels. The consumer electronics and solar cell manufacturer’s move is an obvious complement to its LCD television business, where LED backlit LCD sets are a growing share of the market. Large production volumes should enable Sharp to drive down manufacturing costs in both product lines overtime. The company declined to release its expected pricing or to provide details about the products and bulbs it hopes to sell. It anticipates launching the products in March, with its first bulbs boasting 80 percent greater energy efficient than compact fluorescents. They will target the commercial market. Overtime, Sharp expects to address indoor and outdoor uses in both commercial and residential applications. It even plans solar powered LED lights. http://techpulse360.com/2010/01/07/sharp-to-enter-led-lighting-market/ and http://www.twice.com/article/443349-Sharp_s_Katayama_Looks_To_Reclaim_Lost_Market_Share.php
A little humor:
An optometrist was instructing a new employee on how to charge a customer. “As you are fitting their glasses, if they ask how much they will cost, you say ‘$150.’ “If their eyes don’t flutter, say, ‘For the frames, the lenses will be $100.’ “If their eyes still don’t flutter, you add, ‘Each.’”
News & observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets:
Opinion:
Doubt the conventional wisdom unless you can verify it with reason and experiment. - Steve Albini
Conventional wisdom of the ages: The world is flat, the earth is the center of the universe and no one will buy $70 LED light bulbs…
I was on a flight recently and the guy seating next to me was one of those very talkative fellows. Turns out he was ex military and now works as a weapons consultant but more importantly for me, he was also an early adaptor of LED lighting. He had recently purchased several high end LED light bulbs at a big box DIY retailer. How did he know about LED lighting? Turns out that his weapons background also included military flashlights and those high end units had already been converted to LEDs. His positive experience with LEDs in his work gave him the confidence to buy several of the new $70 LED retro-fit lamps for his kitchen. While he liked them overall, his wife was somewhat disappointment in the limited beam angle and the lack of a uniform fall off from the center of the beam to the outer edges, which is what she had come to expect from standard halogen PAR lamps. Would he buy them again? Yes, but only for specific “difficult to re-lamp” fixtures.
This got me to thinking about the other local / personal inputs I was getting on LED lighting and lamps… My local Wal-Mart once again completely sold out of LED Christmas lights before Christmas. My next door neighbor (he knows what I do for a living and he is still willing to talk to me) said that he would most likely buy a $50 LED retrofit lamp for at least one “difficult to relamp” fixture in his home (he is semi-retired and works part time at a big box DIY retailer). Sharp announced at CES that they have already produced over 1 million A19 LED lamps for the Japanese market at ~ 4,000 yen (~$45) each since this product launched in June 2009.
Is there pent up demand for LED retrofit lamps and fixtures at the consumer level? I believe that all of the signs are there… but the consumer’s first real LED lighting “experience” needs to build their confidence in using LED Lighting products. This confidence in the product and its performance will determine if they will buy more or hold off indefinitely, should it prove to be significantly lacking. The US-DOE Energy Star for SSL programs will help build this confidence but these are not mandated programs and anyone can still make anything with any type of LEDs and try to sell it into the US market. Hopefully we will see a shift from a market that currently has a track record of 97% poor / junk LED lighting products towards one that offers high quality products that utilize the US-DOE Energy Star performance specifications as their goal. Stay tuned, 2010 will be a significant year for LED Lamps.
Speaking of the US-DOE, they announced $37 million in funding for several OLED, LED and phosphor programs this month as well (http://www.energy.gov/news2009/documents2009/SSL_Selections_011510.pdf). The interesting thing here is that the winners of these awards were already in the process of developing these products or process innovations. Hopefully this money will accelerate these efforts and allow us to realize the next generation of SSL solutions faster than what the normal market development cycle would allow.
News:
A Boost for LED Lighting Development - The government is awarding $37 million for more research into LED lighting development. As part of the government’s aggressive push for more energy efficient lighting options, the Department of Energy announced Friday it had awarded more than $37 million in stimulus funds for research and development projects that will help advance the market for products that use light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. A significant portion of the 17 projects selected to receive money were proposed by well-known lighting companies, including General Electric, Osram Sylvania, Philips and Cree. The awardees have promised to pony up an additional $28.5 million in private-industry matching funds for the projects, and to spend the money in the United States. According to the department, the focus on manufacturing is part of a new initiative to accelerate adoption of LEDs by improving quality and cost – while also encouraging production in the United States. A considerable amount of LED manufacturing occurs in Asia, according to the department’s solid-state lighting research and development plan. The plan states that developing advanced automation methods could improve product consistency, reduce labor content and potentially make domestic production “a more attractive option than it is today.” http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/18/a-boost-for-led-lighting-development/
Sharp To Enter LED Lighting Market - Sharp said it will enter the LED lighting market for the first time with energy efficient products targeting high end uses. Despite being a newcomer to the market, Sharp was able to take 60 percent share of the LED lighting market in Japan, where companies including Panasonic, Toshiba and Hitachi have been working on lighting for years, he said. "Our plan is to launch an LED lighting business to supply the United States and Europe by the end of this year," said Sharp Electronics' global president and COO Mikio Katayama. He acknowledged that breaking into the U.S. lighting market presents a significant challenge, but Sharp's LED technologies have very high performance levels. The consumer electronics and solar cell manufacturer’s move is an obvious complement to its LCD television business, where LED backlit LCD sets are a growing share of the market. Large production volumes should enable Sharp to drive down manufacturing costs in both product lines overtime. The company declined to release its expected pricing or to provide details about the products and bulbs it hopes to sell. It anticipates launching the products in March, with its first bulbs boasting 80 percent greater energy efficient than compact fluorescents. They will target the commercial market. Overtime, Sharp expects to address indoor and outdoor uses in both commercial and residential applications. It even plans solar powered LED lights. http://techpulse360.com/2010/01/07/sharp-to-enter-led-lighting-market/ and http://www.twice.com/article/443349-Sharp_s_Katayama_Looks_To_Reclaim_Lost_Market_Share.php
Sunday, January 3, 2010
"High Lights from the Heartland" 1-3-10
Welcome to "High Lights from the Heartland". A little humor plus news and observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets for your enjoyment. Feel free to share this with your friends!
A little humor:
A doctor got a phone call from one of his colleagues. “We need a fourth for poker,” the voice on the phone said. “I’ll be right over,” replied the doctor. As he was putting on his overcoat, his wife asked, “Is it serious?” “Oh yes, quite serious,” he said gravely. “They’ve had to call in three other doctors as well.”
News & observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets:
Opinion: Another year has come to a close and we all have many things to be thankful for, family, friends, our jobs (if you are working) or the prospect that the job market will be improving in 2010 (if you are not yet working)… see the story at the end of the newsletter for some hopeful signs!
It is interesting that human beings divide up our lives into time based segments. We mark the progression of our lives in the passing of years (hopefully we mark the meaning of our lives by the progress we make towards becoming good, decent, caring human beings). We “keep time” to help co-ordinate our activities with others and we use the week, month and quarter to work towards specific short term goals but our longer term goals usually do not fit easily into 12 month segments. LED Lighting is not a 12 month goal, it is an effort that will be measured in decades. Yes, there will be short term goals and niche markets that will engage on a Total Cost of Ownership basis first. But these first niche users are like gems that have to be mined out of the entire lighting market, a market that is measured in the tens of billions of dollars in the USA alone. This is not a job for a just a handful of people, it is an effort for an entire industry. The US-DOE has taken the very long term view on energy efficient lighting, both for CFL and LED and they are to be commended on their efforts. If you have not yet been involved in a US-DOE LED Lighting event or workshop, I encourage you to plan to attend one or two in 2010. Even if they cannot help you meet your short term business goals, their work will impact your long term success and direction within this market.
Finally, OLED lighting is an interesting technology that holds great promise but still has inherent problems that will take more time and much more money to resolve (where are all of the great OLED TVs?) However, even if OLED lighting was possible today, no one is going to replace a 2x4 FL troffer with an $8,000.00 OLED light panel in the average office environment. There is no TCO model (other than the ultra “cool” factor) for OLEDs that a CFO would approve. OLED lighting would also need to fit into the existing form factures in place today if it wants to be a viable lighting solution. OLED wallpaper would be great for displays, but there is a reason why our light sources are nearly all over head! The lighting environments today utilize florescent tubes, incandescent lamps and the existing ballasts and fixtures. Until you can make 60W light bulbs that operate on 120VAC and fit into existing fixtures with OLEDs, they will remain an interesting and expensive lighting curiosity.
News:
Revolutionary 'light emitting wallpaper' could soon replace light bulbs - A company developing ultra-efficient organic LED (OLED) lighting technology has been awarded a £454k grant by the Carbon Trust. The OLED materials, being pioneered by LOMOX, have a wide variety of potential applications and when coated onto a film could be used to cover walls creating a light-emitting wallpaper which replaces the need for traditional light bulbs. As well as being flexible, OLED film will require a very low operating voltage (between 3 to 5 volts) so it can be powered by solar panels and batteries making it ideal for applications where mains power is not available such as roadside traffic warning signs. The Welsh company aims to have the first lighting products using its technology available in 2012 and also plans to use the same technology to create more energy efficient television screens. Ken Lacey, Chief Executive of LOMOX, said: "LOMOX is an OLED Innovation and Development Company. OLEDs are new light emitting devices for low energy lighting and flat panel display applications. LOMOX OLEDs are more efficient, cost effective to produce and do not suffer from the oxidation defect of other polymer OLEDs, providing substantially longer lifetimes. Operating lifetime has traditionally been a problem with OLED technology, but LOMOX has found a way to achieve significantly longer lifetimes than fluorescent lamps. The technology will also be more efficient (producing 150 lumens/watt) as it only emits light along one axis. OLEDs can produce a more natural looking light than other forms of lighting. The Carbon Trust is currently on the lookout for other technologies with significant carbon saving potential to receive up to £500k of grant funding through its Applied Research scheme. It has recently launched an open call for applications which will close on 18th February 2010. Applications can be made at www.carbontrust.co.uk/appliedresearch. The Carbon Trust's Applied Research grant scheme has supported 164 projects from around 1900 applications and committed a total of £23m towards research worth around £55m. Approximately 65% of completed projects have, or are in the process of generating new patents, making commercial sales or receiving further investment into the development of the technology. http://www.clickgreen.org.uk/news/national-news/121005-revolutionary-light-emitting-wallpaper-could-soon-replace-light-bulbs.html
Uptick in Executive Jobs Seen for 2010 - Recruiters are bullish on the outlook for executive-level job hunters in 2010. Slightly more than half of 153 recruiters surveyed earlier this month said they expect a 19% rise in executive-search assignments during the first half of 2010, reports ExecuNet, a networking organization for recruiters and executives. That's the largest percentage increase since early 2008. Some 54% of recruiters surveyed in December said they are confident the executive employment market will improve in the next six months. "The economy is recovering and companies that deferred hiring and froze work forces are now searching for the talent they need to grow," says Mark Anderson, president and chief economist for ExecuNet based in Norwalk, Conn. Industries where recruiting activity is expected to be strongest in 2010 include health care, clean energy, pharmaceuticals and high technology, he adds. Predictions made by ExecuNet survey participants have proved accurate in the past. For example, in the second half of 2003, recruiter confidence increased by more than 40% and "the economy started to recover about six months later," says Mr. Anderson. "We're seeing that same change now." John Wood, vice chairman of Heidrick & Struggles International Inc., says the latest findings mirror activity occurring at the Chicago-based search firm. "We are definitely seeing a resurgence in board and CEO recruitment and would expect that to continue in 2010," he says. One reason for the turnaround, says Mr. Wood, is that many executives who had put off retirement are finally getting ready to step down. "As equity markets return and stocks trade up, people are now in a position to execute their retirement plans," he says. Similarly, board directors are feeling less pressured to stick around. "They didn't want to make changes in the boardroom during a period of turmoil or difficulty," he says. "There's really the abatement of the siege mentality now. Things are starting to sort themselves out a bit, so people are saying, 'I can step off.'" Another possible indicator the executive job market is improving: There are roughly 2,500 executive-level jobs listed on ExecuNet's Web site today, 20% more than in July, according to Mr. Anderson. Meanwhile, a newly released CareerBuilder.com survey of more than 2,700 hiring managers and human-resources professionals suggests recruiting activity for positions lower down the corporate ladder also is increasing. The survey's findings indicate that 20% of employers plan to add full-time employees in 2010, up from 14% in 2009. Of the respondents, 61% don't plan to change staff levels and just 9% expect to trim their work forces, down from 16% last year. Industries where hiring is expected to increase the most in 2010, according to CareerBuilder, are information technology, manufacturing, financial services, professional and business services and sales. One-third of respondents said they plan to add technology staff and 28% indicated they intend to beef up hiring in customer service. Other job functions where employers expect to add staff include sales, research and development, finance and marketing, CareerBuilder reports. In October, consulting firm Watson Wyatt surveyed human-resources executives at 201 U.S. companies, 96% of whom said they'd extended job offers to candidates in the prior three months; 93% said they planned to make additional offers over the next three months. Further, 49% said they planned to reverse hiring freezes by April 2010. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703510304574626520608903030.html?mod=rss_careers
A little humor:
A doctor got a phone call from one of his colleagues. “We need a fourth for poker,” the voice on the phone said. “I’ll be right over,” replied the doctor. As he was putting on his overcoat, his wife asked, “Is it serious?” “Oh yes, quite serious,” he said gravely. “They’ve had to call in three other doctors as well.”
News & observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets:
Opinion: Another year has come to a close and we all have many things to be thankful for, family, friends, our jobs (if you are working) or the prospect that the job market will be improving in 2010 (if you are not yet working)… see the story at the end of the newsletter for some hopeful signs!
It is interesting that human beings divide up our lives into time based segments. We mark the progression of our lives in the passing of years (hopefully we mark the meaning of our lives by the progress we make towards becoming good, decent, caring human beings). We “keep time” to help co-ordinate our activities with others and we use the week, month and quarter to work towards specific short term goals but our longer term goals usually do not fit easily into 12 month segments. LED Lighting is not a 12 month goal, it is an effort that will be measured in decades. Yes, there will be short term goals and niche markets that will engage on a Total Cost of Ownership basis first. But these first niche users are like gems that have to be mined out of the entire lighting market, a market that is measured in the tens of billions of dollars in the USA alone. This is not a job for a just a handful of people, it is an effort for an entire industry. The US-DOE has taken the very long term view on energy efficient lighting, both for CFL and LED and they are to be commended on their efforts. If you have not yet been involved in a US-DOE LED Lighting event or workshop, I encourage you to plan to attend one or two in 2010. Even if they cannot help you meet your short term business goals, their work will impact your long term success and direction within this market.
Finally, OLED lighting is an interesting technology that holds great promise but still has inherent problems that will take more time and much more money to resolve (where are all of the great OLED TVs?) However, even if OLED lighting was possible today, no one is going to replace a 2x4 FL troffer with an $8,000.00 OLED light panel in the average office environment. There is no TCO model (other than the ultra “cool” factor) for OLEDs that a CFO would approve. OLED lighting would also need to fit into the existing form factures in place today if it wants to be a viable lighting solution. OLED wallpaper would be great for displays, but there is a reason why our light sources are nearly all over head! The lighting environments today utilize florescent tubes, incandescent lamps and the existing ballasts and fixtures. Until you can make 60W light bulbs that operate on 120VAC and fit into existing fixtures with OLEDs, they will remain an interesting and expensive lighting curiosity.
News:
Revolutionary 'light emitting wallpaper' could soon replace light bulbs - A company developing ultra-efficient organic LED (OLED) lighting technology has been awarded a £454k grant by the Carbon Trust. The OLED materials, being pioneered by LOMOX, have a wide variety of potential applications and when coated onto a film could be used to cover walls creating a light-emitting wallpaper which replaces the need for traditional light bulbs. As well as being flexible, OLED film will require a very low operating voltage (between 3 to 5 volts) so it can be powered by solar panels and batteries making it ideal for applications where mains power is not available such as roadside traffic warning signs. The Welsh company aims to have the first lighting products using its technology available in 2012 and also plans to use the same technology to create more energy efficient television screens. Ken Lacey, Chief Executive of LOMOX, said: "LOMOX is an OLED Innovation and Development Company. OLEDs are new light emitting devices for low energy lighting and flat panel display applications. LOMOX OLEDs are more efficient, cost effective to produce and do not suffer from the oxidation defect of other polymer OLEDs, providing substantially longer lifetimes. Operating lifetime has traditionally been a problem with OLED technology, but LOMOX has found a way to achieve significantly longer lifetimes than fluorescent lamps. The technology will also be more efficient (producing 150 lumens/watt) as it only emits light along one axis. OLEDs can produce a more natural looking light than other forms of lighting. The Carbon Trust is currently on the lookout for other technologies with significant carbon saving potential to receive up to £500k of grant funding through its Applied Research scheme. It has recently launched an open call for applications which will close on 18th February 2010. Applications can be made at www.carbontrust.co.uk/appliedresearch. The Carbon Trust's Applied Research grant scheme has supported 164 projects from around 1900 applications and committed a total of £23m towards research worth around £55m. Approximately 65% of completed projects have, or are in the process of generating new patents, making commercial sales or receiving further investment into the development of the technology. http://www.clickgreen.org.uk/news/national-news/121005-revolutionary-light-emitting-wallpaper-could-soon-replace-light-bulbs.html
Uptick in Executive Jobs Seen for 2010 - Recruiters are bullish on the outlook for executive-level job hunters in 2010. Slightly more than half of 153 recruiters surveyed earlier this month said they expect a 19% rise in executive-search assignments during the first half of 2010, reports ExecuNet, a networking organization for recruiters and executives. That's the largest percentage increase since early 2008. Some 54% of recruiters surveyed in December said they are confident the executive employment market will improve in the next six months. "The economy is recovering and companies that deferred hiring and froze work forces are now searching for the talent they need to grow," says Mark Anderson, president and chief economist for ExecuNet based in Norwalk, Conn. Industries where recruiting activity is expected to be strongest in 2010 include health care, clean energy, pharmaceuticals and high technology, he adds. Predictions made by ExecuNet survey participants have proved accurate in the past. For example, in the second half of 2003, recruiter confidence increased by more than 40% and "the economy started to recover about six months later," says Mr. Anderson. "We're seeing that same change now." John Wood, vice chairman of Heidrick & Struggles International Inc., says the latest findings mirror activity occurring at the Chicago-based search firm. "We are definitely seeing a resurgence in board and CEO recruitment and would expect that to continue in 2010," he says. One reason for the turnaround, says Mr. Wood, is that many executives who had put off retirement are finally getting ready to step down. "As equity markets return and stocks trade up, people are now in a position to execute their retirement plans," he says. Similarly, board directors are feeling less pressured to stick around. "They didn't want to make changes in the boardroom during a period of turmoil or difficulty," he says. "There's really the abatement of the siege mentality now. Things are starting to sort themselves out a bit, so people are saying, 'I can step off.'" Another possible indicator the executive job market is improving: There are roughly 2,500 executive-level jobs listed on ExecuNet's Web site today, 20% more than in July, according to Mr. Anderson. Meanwhile, a newly released CareerBuilder.com survey of more than 2,700 hiring managers and human-resources professionals suggests recruiting activity for positions lower down the corporate ladder also is increasing. The survey's findings indicate that 20% of employers plan to add full-time employees in 2010, up from 14% in 2009. Of the respondents, 61% don't plan to change staff levels and just 9% expect to trim their work forces, down from 16% last year. Industries where hiring is expected to increase the most in 2010, according to CareerBuilder, are information technology, manufacturing, financial services, professional and business services and sales. One-third of respondents said they plan to add technology staff and 28% indicated they intend to beef up hiring in customer service. Other job functions where employers expect to add staff include sales, research and development, finance and marketing, CareerBuilder reports. In October, consulting firm Watson Wyatt surveyed human-resources executives at 201 U.S. companies, 96% of whom said they'd extended job offers to candidates in the prior three months; 93% said they planned to make additional offers over the next three months. Further, 49% said they planned to reverse hiring freezes by April 2010. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703510304574626520608903030.html?mod=rss_careers
Sunday, December 6, 2009
"High Lights from the Heartland" 12-6-09
A little humor:
What's the difference between a car and a golf ball? Tiger Woods can drive a ball 400 yards.
What were Tiger Woods and his wife doing out at 2.30 in the morning? They went clubbing
Tiger Woods crashed into a fire hydrant and a tree. He couldn’t decide between a wood and an iron.
News & observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets:
Opinion: Is your LED glass half empty or half full? That depends on what you have to sell… if you have an extensive line of glass lamp technology that is leading edge for it’s capabilities, like Osram, your LED glass is half empty per their news story below. While CFL and LFL is very energy efficient in terms of lumens per watt, it does have its limitations and the current state of the art is ~120 lm/w. Osram also has some great LED technology but they have been more focused on developing LED packages that support their current non-lighting customers, which has in turn slowed their development of LED lighting solutions. If you are GE (story also below), it looks like your LED glass is half full, by promoting a series of low output LED lamps. However they are putting a positive spin on these under performing products and they have won commercial business lamp sockets with these products. It does look like they are focused on selling LED lamps and modules moving forward. If you are Cree, and everything you do is about LEDs, your LED glass is always full and perhaps overflowing… not only are they at production capacity on existing products, they are once again pushing the limits of the lm/w for white LEDs per their press release below.
So, is your LED glass half empty, half full or over flowing?
News:
LED lighting still too costly: Osram CEO - Demand for super-efficient LED lighting and other energy-saving lights will grow next year as both consumer awareness and the U.S. stimulus package spark sales, the head of Siemens AG-owned Osram Sylvania said on Wednesday. While Osram Chief Executive Rick Leaman expects it will take five to 10 years for LEDs to take off, he sees growth in 2010 for "bridge technologies," such as halogen and compact fluorescent products, to help with the transition from traditional lighting and its phase-out starting in 2012. "The incandescent bulb has been around for over 100 years. Consumers have become very familiar with that light bulb, with the shape, with the feel, with the lighting," Leaman said in an interview. "We believe it's important to provide the consumer with choices." The unit of the German conglomerate that he runs is the world's second-biggest LED producer by sales. In 2008, Osram saw 12 percent of its global sales from LED products, or about 552 million euros. Despite the clear benefits of LEDs, the technology is still too expensive, which would prevent a widespread take-off of the market for another five to 10 years, he said. "The value proposition doesn't add up. It's an expensive product today .... The 40 watt (LED) replacement that we have on the market today -- $35," Leaman said. "We need to target a number of around, I would suggest, $10 for an LED replacement," he added. "At that point you can, to some degree, justify the value of the product versus a standard incandescent product." The company racks up about 60 percent of its sales from energy-efficient products and plans to increase that to 80 percent by 2012. Its sales of energy-efficient products in 2010 could increase 5 percent to 10 percent, Leaman said. The executive sees incentives in the U.S. stimulus package for commercial buildings, school districts, colleges and other groups to invest in lighting as a "jump start to more installations for energy-saving lighting." Osram hopes to capture about $100 million in sales from the stimulus package, Leaman said. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5B15OP20091202
GE LED Light Bulbs Now Available for Homes, Small Offices - Home-based workers, businesses, and small offices can now take advantage of the newest energy-efficient way to illuminate interiors and exteriors: light-emitting diodes. GE has created Energy Smart LED bulbs that are available for use in the home, as well as in commercial settings. LEDs are vastly different from traditional incandescent, fluorescent, and neon light sources, says GE. They use significantly less energy both directly via power consumption and indirectly through reduced heat load while giving off a cool, white light that’s perfect for accenting artwork or highlighting interesting architectural details like coves or archways. LED bulbs also are great for areas that need accent illumination such as stairways. The 10 watt GE Energy Smart LED lamp produces 340 lumens and offers up to 80 percent energy savings compared with 45 watt standard incandescent R30 bulbs (485 lumens) or 50 watt halogen PAR30 bulbs (630 lumens). The seven watt GE Energy Smart LED lamp produces 200 lumens and reduces energy consumption by 77 percent when compared with standard 30 watt incandescent R20 reflectors (200 lumens). If a user can reduce light levels, the seven-watt LED lamps could replace halogen 50 watt PAR20 bulbs (570 lumens); they both feature a 20,000–hour rated life. The LED units have other benefits. They are durable solid–state devices, meaning there is no filament to break. The longer rated life of LEDs minimizes maintenance hassles and costs. GE is also giving existing LED lighting in commercial and residential settings the same twist convenience. It has come up with a small puck–shaped LED module that provides a one of a kind ease of installation, which is a clockwise twist motion into its socket that makes the necessary thermal and electrical connections. This contrasts sharply with current integrated LED luminaires and modules that are not easily replaceable because they require mechanical fasteners to couple the LED package to a heat sink, and a plug to make the electrical connection. GE‘s replaceable LED module allows fixture makers to remain current with the latest LED performance. “It is as easy as changing a light bulb,” said Steven J. Briggs, vice president of marketing and global product management with GE Consumer & Industrial‘s LED business, Lumination, LLC. “Leading lighting designers and architects are on the record with concerns about integrated LED fixture upgradeability and serviceability. Some won‘t specify an integrated LED fixture. This is GE‘s answer. It‘s future-proof and market-ready.”
http://call-center-software.tmcnet.com/topics/call-center-solutions/articles/69931-ge-led-light-bulbs-now-available-homes-small.htm
Cree Achieves 186 Lumens per Watt from a High-Power LED - High-performance chip and R&D package combine for record-setting efficacy Cree announces it has achieved industry-best reported R&D results of 186 lumens per watt for a white power LED. This result demonstrates Cree’s continued focus on pushing the performance of its LEDs. Cree’s tests confirmed that the LED produced 197 lumens of light output and achieved 186 lumens per watt efficacy at a correlated color temperature of 4577K. The tests were conducted under standard LED test conditions at a drive current of 350mA, at room temperature. “This result is a testament to the tremendous progress Cree has made this year,” said John Edmond, Cree co-founder and director of advanced optoelectronics. “As energy efficiency becomes increasingly important in addressing our nation’s energy challenges, Cree is doing its best to deliver the most energy-efficient LED technology possible.” While this level of performance is not yet available in Cree’s production LEDs, Cree continues to offer volume quantities of the industry’s broadest family of 100+ lumen LEDs. http://www.cree.com/press/press_detail.asp?i=1259701233981
What's the difference between a car and a golf ball? Tiger Woods can drive a ball 400 yards.
What were Tiger Woods and his wife doing out at 2.30 in the morning? They went clubbing
Tiger Woods crashed into a fire hydrant and a tree. He couldn’t decide between a wood and an iron.
News & observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets:
Opinion: Is your LED glass half empty or half full? That depends on what you have to sell… if you have an extensive line of glass lamp technology that is leading edge for it’s capabilities, like Osram, your LED glass is half empty per their news story below. While CFL and LFL is very energy efficient in terms of lumens per watt, it does have its limitations and the current state of the art is ~120 lm/w. Osram also has some great LED technology but they have been more focused on developing LED packages that support their current non-lighting customers, which has in turn slowed their development of LED lighting solutions. If you are GE (story also below), it looks like your LED glass is half full, by promoting a series of low output LED lamps. However they are putting a positive spin on these under performing products and they have won commercial business lamp sockets with these products. It does look like they are focused on selling LED lamps and modules moving forward. If you are Cree, and everything you do is about LEDs, your LED glass is always full and perhaps overflowing… not only are they at production capacity on existing products, they are once again pushing the limits of the lm/w for white LEDs per their press release below.
So, is your LED glass half empty, half full or over flowing?
News:
LED lighting still too costly: Osram CEO - Demand for super-efficient LED lighting and other energy-saving lights will grow next year as both consumer awareness and the U.S. stimulus package spark sales, the head of Siemens AG-owned Osram Sylvania said on Wednesday. While Osram Chief Executive Rick Leaman expects it will take five to 10 years for LEDs to take off, he sees growth in 2010 for "bridge technologies," such as halogen and compact fluorescent products, to help with the transition from traditional lighting and its phase-out starting in 2012. "The incandescent bulb has been around for over 100 years. Consumers have become very familiar with that light bulb, with the shape, with the feel, with the lighting," Leaman said in an interview. "We believe it's important to provide the consumer with choices." The unit of the German conglomerate that he runs is the world's second-biggest LED producer by sales. In 2008, Osram saw 12 percent of its global sales from LED products, or about 552 million euros. Despite the clear benefits of LEDs, the technology is still too expensive, which would prevent a widespread take-off of the market for another five to 10 years, he said. "The value proposition doesn't add up. It's an expensive product today .... The 40 watt (LED) replacement that we have on the market today -- $35," Leaman said. "We need to target a number of around, I would suggest, $10 for an LED replacement," he added. "At that point you can, to some degree, justify the value of the product versus a standard incandescent product." The company racks up about 60 percent of its sales from energy-efficient products and plans to increase that to 80 percent by 2012. Its sales of energy-efficient products in 2010 could increase 5 percent to 10 percent, Leaman said. The executive sees incentives in the U.S. stimulus package for commercial buildings, school districts, colleges and other groups to invest in lighting as a "jump start to more installations for energy-saving lighting." Osram hopes to capture about $100 million in sales from the stimulus package, Leaman said. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5B15OP20091202
GE LED Light Bulbs Now Available for Homes, Small Offices - Home-based workers, businesses, and small offices can now take advantage of the newest energy-efficient way to illuminate interiors and exteriors: light-emitting diodes. GE has created Energy Smart LED bulbs that are available for use in the home, as well as in commercial settings. LEDs are vastly different from traditional incandescent, fluorescent, and neon light sources, says GE. They use significantly less energy both directly via power consumption and indirectly through reduced heat load while giving off a cool, white light that’s perfect for accenting artwork or highlighting interesting architectural details like coves or archways. LED bulbs also are great for areas that need accent illumination such as stairways. The 10 watt GE Energy Smart LED lamp produces 340 lumens and offers up to 80 percent energy savings compared with 45 watt standard incandescent R30 bulbs (485 lumens) or 50 watt halogen PAR30 bulbs (630 lumens). The seven watt GE Energy Smart LED lamp produces 200 lumens and reduces energy consumption by 77 percent when compared with standard 30 watt incandescent R20 reflectors (200 lumens). If a user can reduce light levels, the seven-watt LED lamps could replace halogen 50 watt PAR20 bulbs (570 lumens); they both feature a 20,000–hour rated life. The LED units have other benefits. They are durable solid–state devices, meaning there is no filament to break. The longer rated life of LEDs minimizes maintenance hassles and costs. GE is also giving existing LED lighting in commercial and residential settings the same twist convenience. It has come up with a small puck–shaped LED module that provides a one of a kind ease of installation, which is a clockwise twist motion into its socket that makes the necessary thermal and electrical connections. This contrasts sharply with current integrated LED luminaires and modules that are not easily replaceable because they require mechanical fasteners to couple the LED package to a heat sink, and a plug to make the electrical connection. GE‘s replaceable LED module allows fixture makers to remain current with the latest LED performance. “It is as easy as changing a light bulb,” said Steven J. Briggs, vice president of marketing and global product management with GE Consumer & Industrial‘s LED business, Lumination, LLC. “Leading lighting designers and architects are on the record with concerns about integrated LED fixture upgradeability and serviceability. Some won‘t specify an integrated LED fixture. This is GE‘s answer. It‘s future-proof and market-ready.”
http://call-center-software.tmcnet.com/topics/call-center-solutions/articles/69931-ge-led-light-bulbs-now-available-homes-small.htm
Cree Achieves 186 Lumens per Watt from a High-Power LED - High-performance chip and R&D package combine for record-setting efficacy Cree announces it has achieved industry-best reported R&D results of 186 lumens per watt for a white power LED. This result demonstrates Cree’s continued focus on pushing the performance of its LEDs. Cree’s tests confirmed that the LED produced 197 lumens of light output and achieved 186 lumens per watt efficacy at a correlated color temperature of 4577K. The tests were conducted under standard LED test conditions at a drive current of 350mA, at room temperature. “This result is a testament to the tremendous progress Cree has made this year,” said John Edmond, Cree co-founder and director of advanced optoelectronics. “As energy efficiency becomes increasingly important in addressing our nation’s energy challenges, Cree is doing its best to deliver the most energy-efficient LED technology possible.” While this level of performance is not yet available in Cree’s production LEDs, Cree continues to offer volume quantities of the industry’s broadest family of 100+ lumen LEDs. http://www.cree.com/press/press_detail.asp?i=1259701233981
Sunday, November 15, 2009
High lights from the Heartland, 11-15-09
Welcome to "High Lights from the Heartland". A little humor plus news and observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets for your enjoyment. Feel free to share this with your friends!
A little humor: A man goes to his doctor and says, “I don’t think my wife’s hearing is as good as it used to be. What should I do?” The doctor replies, “Try this test to find out for sure. When your wife is in the kitchen doing dishes, stand 15 feet behind her and ask her a question, if she doesn’t respond keep moving closer and asking the question until she hears you.” The man goes home and sees his wife preparing dinner. He stands 15 feet behind her and says, “What’s for dinner, honey?” He gets no response, so he moves to 10 feet behind her and asks again. Still no response, so he moves to five feet–still no answer. Finally he stands directly behind her and says, “Honey, what’s for dinner?” She replies, “For the fourth time, I SAID CHICKEN!”
News & observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets:
Opinion: Just when you thought you had all of the significant LED die and component suppliers sorted out another one may pop up. TSMC, one of the world’s largest contract semiconductor die fabs, is looking at both LED die and solar cell programs. Spending $46 million on LED fab equipment may be a small project for TSMC but it is the more than what some LED lighting start-up companies have to spend over their 1st five years of operation. Toss in another $50 million for “possible” solar related products… this is a company that needs to be watched closely if you are in the LED or solar related industries.
In a separate news item, Cree has demo’ed a 969 lumen A19 at 9.5 watts. This would make them the 2nd company that could apply for the L prize but their lamp is still in the prototype stage. I would expect them to be in the running soon. That would leave another 3 unconfirmed suppliers (out of 5) that Jim Broderick at the DOE has mentioned in his e-mail newsletter as discussing interest in applying for the prize.
News:
TSMC looks at solid state lighting market - Silicon foundry giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) has taken a big step in the LED arena when they approved capital appropriations of $46 million to set up a production line and product development lab for solid state lighting. This implies that it is looking at LED production. It is unclear if TSMC (Hsinchu) will devise LEDs on a foundry basis. The company did not elaborate on its intentions. The company is looking at the energy sector for good reason. In August, TSMC approved the appropriation of $50 million for ''possible use'' in investment in solar energy-related areas. On Tuesday, TSMC approved capital appropriations of US$2.240 billion to expand advanced technology capacity for 300-mm wafer fabs, and increase 300-mm capacity for wafer level chip scale packaging process. It also approved capital appropriations of $254.6 million to expand 300-mm wafer fab facilities. http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=221601052
Cree Demonstrates Record-Breaking LED Light Bulb - At the annual Cree shareholder meeting, Cree CEO Chuck Swoboda demonstrated an A-lamp LED light bulb with the highest lumen output and efficacy reported in the industry. The bulb produces 969 lumens at an impressive 102 lumens per watt, which is the light output equivalent to a 65-watt incandescent bulb, yet it uses only 9.5 watts. The demonstration A-19-style bulb featured XP-G LEDs and TrueWhite Technology, a patented method of delivering warm-white light with superior color rendering and efficiency. It delivers a 2800 K warm-white light with a 91 CRI. All data was verified by third-party testing under steady-state operating conditions. "We are pushing the industry by demonstrating what's possible," said Swoboda. "With every improvement in LED components, new applications become achievable. We are excited to show the world not only what can be done, but what they should expect in an LED light bulb." http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=176929
Cree to Light Up 650 Wal-Mart Stores' Aisles With LEDs - Attention Wal-Mart shoppers: Cree LEDs will soon be lighting up the retail giant's stores in various aisles. Cree said that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. signed a deal with the company to buy two kinds of its LED lights, which the retailer will install in 650 of its stores in the first year. Although the companies wouldn't disclose the value of this deal for Cree, or exactly how many lights Wal-Mart bought, this move has larger implications for the LED lighting industry and Cree. "I think it's an important milestone in what we've been calling the LED lighting revolution," said Cree Chief Executive Chuck Swoboda in an interview with Clean Technology Insight. "It demonstrates that LED lighting really works in commercial lighting applications." Swoboda called this deal an "initial roll out," but he wouldn't say whether Wal-Mart has expressed interest in buying more LED lights. The adoption of LED technology, and Cree's products specifically, by the retail giant could soon bring other retailers knocking at their door. Swoboda said that once some municipalities started using outdoor LED lighting, others soon followed suit. The retail arena should be similar, Swoboda said he hopes, because he thinks that once some companies try LED lights and can show some positive results, others will be less gun-shy about switching to the technology. Wal-Mart bought Cree's LRP-38s, a spot light, to illuminate some of its products. This light lasts 50,000 hours, consumes 82% less energy than the 70-watt ceramic metal-halide bulbs it replaces and can last more than five years when kept on all the time. These lights also make products displayed under them look more vivid and they don't radiate heat down, helping delay product spoilage, as the company demonstrated at the Lightfair in May in New York. The deal also includes use of Cree's LR6 recessed can lights in some Wal-Mart new construction, but the companies wouldn't give further details on how many or where they will be used. The LR6 has similar specifications to the LRP-38, but it is a more general-purpose light, rather than a spot light. Theo O'Neill, an analyst with Kaufman Bros. LP, said in an interview that this initial roll out brings Cree about $4 million to $8 million in revenue. "It's obviously a plus for Cree," O'Neill said. "Plus it will help with industrial expansion of this business. There are five billion light bulbs in the U.S. and they are all going to convert to solid-state lights eventually. "It's also great to see Wal-Mart transition to solid-state lighting, as they did with refrigeration. Typically, they lead the market by one to two years." Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart has already installed LED lights in its refrigerator and freezer cases and is considering using LED parking lot lights, it said recently. http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20091105-721567.html
Texas A&M selects Infinilux Solid State Low Bay light for parking structure - Solid State Lighting Design LED Lighting News / Company News Releases November 8, 2009: Texas A&M selected Infinilux, Inc.’s new LED low bay light for the university’s first SSL feasibility demonstration. The trial installation of the LB36 was selected to help Texas A&M meet energy conservation goals and lower the environmental impact of the campus-parking program. The demo installation is drawing less than 0.1W/sq-ft max, 68% below the ASHRAE target of 0.3W/sq-ft, and will provide a reduction in overall power consumption of over 65%. The improvement in lighting quality will increase driver and pedestrian safety by lowering glare and providing a more uniform light distribution over the legacy 150W HPS lights. The reduction in maintenance cycles will also provide a tangible savings for the university as the Infinilux LED low bay units have an expected maintenance cycle exceeding 50,000 hours (70,000 hours to L70 at Ta=25°c). The driver section is UL listed and has integrated, auto-recovery over-voltage, transient (ANSI C62.41 Class A) and short/overload protection. The entire driver section of the LB36 is “plug and play” serviceable, and requires no special tools or fixtures for field service. “We are very pleased with what we are seeing so far in the demo-installation,” said Doug Williams, Associate Director, Transportation Services. “The installation took less than two hours, and the difference was immediate and clear with much better light quality and uniformity.” http://www.solidstatelightingdesign.com/documents/view/cldoc.php?id=118386#top
A little humor: A man goes to his doctor and says, “I don’t think my wife’s hearing is as good as it used to be. What should I do?” The doctor replies, “Try this test to find out for sure. When your wife is in the kitchen doing dishes, stand 15 feet behind her and ask her a question, if she doesn’t respond keep moving closer and asking the question until she hears you.” The man goes home and sees his wife preparing dinner. He stands 15 feet behind her and says, “What’s for dinner, honey?” He gets no response, so he moves to 10 feet behind her and asks again. Still no response, so he moves to five feet–still no answer. Finally he stands directly behind her and says, “Honey, what’s for dinner?” She replies, “For the fourth time, I SAID CHICKEN!”
News & observations on the LED / Solid State Lighting markets:
Opinion: Just when you thought you had all of the significant LED die and component suppliers sorted out another one may pop up. TSMC, one of the world’s largest contract semiconductor die fabs, is looking at both LED die and solar cell programs. Spending $46 million on LED fab equipment may be a small project for TSMC but it is the more than what some LED lighting start-up companies have to spend over their 1st five years of operation. Toss in another $50 million for “possible” solar related products… this is a company that needs to be watched closely if you are in the LED or solar related industries.
In a separate news item, Cree has demo’ed a 969 lumen A19 at 9.5 watts. This would make them the 2nd company that could apply for the L prize but their lamp is still in the prototype stage. I would expect them to be in the running soon. That would leave another 3 unconfirmed suppliers (out of 5) that Jim Broderick at the DOE has mentioned in his e-mail newsletter as discussing interest in applying for the prize.
News:
TSMC looks at solid state lighting market - Silicon foundry giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) has taken a big step in the LED arena when they approved capital appropriations of $46 million to set up a production line and product development lab for solid state lighting. This implies that it is looking at LED production. It is unclear if TSMC (Hsinchu) will devise LEDs on a foundry basis. The company did not elaborate on its intentions. The company is looking at the energy sector for good reason. In August, TSMC approved the appropriation of $50 million for ''possible use'' in investment in solar energy-related areas. On Tuesday, TSMC approved capital appropriations of US$2.240 billion to expand advanced technology capacity for 300-mm wafer fabs, and increase 300-mm capacity for wafer level chip scale packaging process. It also approved capital appropriations of $254.6 million to expand 300-mm wafer fab facilities. http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=221601052
Cree Demonstrates Record-Breaking LED Light Bulb - At the annual Cree shareholder meeting, Cree CEO Chuck Swoboda demonstrated an A-lamp LED light bulb with the highest lumen output and efficacy reported in the industry. The bulb produces 969 lumens at an impressive 102 lumens per watt, which is the light output equivalent to a 65-watt incandescent bulb, yet it uses only 9.5 watts. The demonstration A-19-style bulb featured XP-G LEDs and TrueWhite Technology, a patented method of delivering warm-white light with superior color rendering and efficiency. It delivers a 2800 K warm-white light with a 91 CRI. All data was verified by third-party testing under steady-state operating conditions. "We are pushing the industry by demonstrating what's possible," said Swoboda. "With every improvement in LED components, new applications become achievable. We are excited to show the world not only what can be done, but what they should expect in an LED light bulb." http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=176929
Cree to Light Up 650 Wal-Mart Stores' Aisles With LEDs - Attention Wal-Mart shoppers: Cree LEDs will soon be lighting up the retail giant's stores in various aisles. Cree said that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. signed a deal with the company to buy two kinds of its LED lights, which the retailer will install in 650 of its stores in the first year. Although the companies wouldn't disclose the value of this deal for Cree, or exactly how many lights Wal-Mart bought, this move has larger implications for the LED lighting industry and Cree. "I think it's an important milestone in what we've been calling the LED lighting revolution," said Cree Chief Executive Chuck Swoboda in an interview with Clean Technology Insight. "It demonstrates that LED lighting really works in commercial lighting applications." Swoboda called this deal an "initial roll out," but he wouldn't say whether Wal-Mart has expressed interest in buying more LED lights. The adoption of LED technology, and Cree's products specifically, by the retail giant could soon bring other retailers knocking at their door. Swoboda said that once some municipalities started using outdoor LED lighting, others soon followed suit. The retail arena should be similar, Swoboda said he hopes, because he thinks that once some companies try LED lights and can show some positive results, others will be less gun-shy about switching to the technology. Wal-Mart bought Cree's LRP-38s, a spot light, to illuminate some of its products. This light lasts 50,000 hours, consumes 82% less energy than the 70-watt ceramic metal-halide bulbs it replaces and can last more than five years when kept on all the time. These lights also make products displayed under them look more vivid and they don't radiate heat down, helping delay product spoilage, as the company demonstrated at the Lightfair in May in New York. The deal also includes use of Cree's LR6 recessed can lights in some Wal-Mart new construction, but the companies wouldn't give further details on how many or where they will be used. The LR6 has similar specifications to the LRP-38, but it is a more general-purpose light, rather than a spot light. Theo O'Neill, an analyst with Kaufman Bros. LP, said in an interview that this initial roll out brings Cree about $4 million to $8 million in revenue. "It's obviously a plus for Cree," O'Neill said. "Plus it will help with industrial expansion of this business. There are five billion light bulbs in the U.S. and they are all going to convert to solid-state lights eventually. "It's also great to see Wal-Mart transition to solid-state lighting, as they did with refrigeration. Typically, they lead the market by one to two years." Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart has already installed LED lights in its refrigerator and freezer cases and is considering using LED parking lot lights, it said recently. http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20091105-721567.html
Texas A&M selects Infinilux Solid State Low Bay light for parking structure - Solid State Lighting Design LED Lighting News / Company News Releases November 8, 2009: Texas A&M selected Infinilux, Inc.’s new LED low bay light for the university’s first SSL feasibility demonstration. The trial installation of the LB36 was selected to help Texas A&M meet energy conservation goals and lower the environmental impact of the campus-parking program. The demo installation is drawing less than 0.1W/sq-ft max, 68% below the ASHRAE target of 0.3W/sq-ft, and will provide a reduction in overall power consumption of over 65%. The improvement in lighting quality will increase driver and pedestrian safety by lowering glare and providing a more uniform light distribution over the legacy 150W HPS lights. The reduction in maintenance cycles will also provide a tangible savings for the university as the Infinilux LED low bay units have an expected maintenance cycle exceeding 50,000 hours (70,000 hours to L70 at Ta=25°c). The driver section is UL listed and has integrated, auto-recovery over-voltage, transient (ANSI C62.41 Class A) and short/overload protection. The entire driver section of the LB36 is “plug and play” serviceable, and requires no special tools or fixtures for field service. “We are very pleased with what we are seeing so far in the demo-installation,” said Doug Williams, Associate Director, Transportation Services. “The installation took less than two hours, and the difference was immediate and clear with much better light quality and uniformity.” http://www.solidstatelightingdesign.com/documents/view/cldoc.php?id=118386#top
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