City’s streets could be lit with LED Systems by 2012

San Francisco’s streets could all be basking in the glow of highly-efficient light-emitting diodes within several years.

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission staff members are proposing spending $16 million over the next two fiscal years to replace all of the energy-hungry high pressure sodium vapor bulbs in The City’s cobra-head street lights with Led systems.
Over the same period, staff proposed spending an additional $2.1 million for various streetlight improvement efforts.
The SFPUC owns and operates an estimated 17,600 street lights and a part of the project will involve identifying and counting street lights owned by other city departments, according to power official Barbara Hale.
The proposal was included in draft budget documents that have not yet been approved by commissioners.

Gulf Power and Pensacola try LED street lights

Gulf Power is teaming up with the City of Pensacola to test a new Lighting technology for streets and selected downtown areas.

The two-year test, which also involves the Electric Power Research Institute, will analyze Light Emitting Diode (Led) lights for energy savings and maintenance costs and serve as a research database for utilities and municipalities for evaluating LED technology for more uses.

“Led lighting is already being used in many cities around the US and the world,” said Sandy Sims, Gulf Power’s Public Affairs manager. “LEDs may represent a considerable savings over traditional forms of lighting, not just with energy purchases, but also with reduced maintenance costs.”

The DOE (Department of Energy) calls ENERGY STAR Qualified led lighting“an unprecedented opportunity to save energy and maintenance costs.” According to the agency, LEDs use at least 75 percent less energy than traditional lighting, last 3 to 5 times longer, and are very durable.

“Not only do these bulbs last longer,” said Sims, “They’re very durable — the bulbs won’t break like typical lighting can. LED is an exciting technology that has the potential to change the outdoor lighting business.”

Twenty-eight were lights installed near Gulf Power’s downtown office along 9th and 10th avenues, Salamanca, Romana and E. Colfax Street.

In addition, the light fixtures that have been installed have a feature called “Dark Sky Friendly,” meaning the light is controlled to shine down only, with very little light escaping upward. This is a very popular trend that reduces light “pollution” and beautifies the night as more and more areas install lighting.

Pensacola City Councilwoman Megan Pratt is pleased with the steps the city is taking to become more “green.”

“Not only do LED lights reduce our carbon footprint by using less electricity,” Pratt said, “ it means less money that the city needs to spend on electricity. With a $730,000 annual budget for street light electricity, installing LED lights city-wide would save significant money.”

Market Cultivation, The First step to LED home lighting populirization

At present, LED light source account for only a minimum market share in a real home as primary lighting source. At the same time, few enterprises have been pursuing the marketing in these areas. As LED is still fairly new and not perfect from technology point of view, coupled with huge initial cost, product line shortage, companies invested in this area are doomed to spend more efforts.

After visiting the market and evaluating the situation, I found that some major companies have already embarked on LED home lighting R&D and market development. Most of them are optimistic in the market prospect of LED home lighting application. “Now everyone have the opportunity to enter the field, but perhaps only after 5 years, there will be no chance at all.” This is the universal mindset from the LED lighting companies at present.

Depressive domestic market

LED Lighting land-rushed on home lighting area in the year of 2008, but because of high prices and market acceptance, there are few enterprises that are specializing in the field and few options for customers. Most enterprises just demonstrated them in large-scale exhibition instead of mass production and target-oriented marketing. Based on the advantages of LED Lights, domestic enterprises has been increasing in their research and development efforts.”Right now, home lighting companies usually invest in LED R&D for future technical reserve.” Said Liu Yun, a General Manager of Tiansili Lighting Co., Ltd. So at present the vast majority of companies will not push it as the mainstream product.

Liu also noted that LED home lighting shares only a proportion of less than 5%. “So from this point, LED home lighting is still considered as high-end, while from the market point, it belongs to the low-end. Currently, we are not devote major efforts to promote LED lighting in house or residential marketing, we do it for technique storage.”

Lee Hao-Yuan, a marketing manager also pointed out that LED home lighting products still need time to be more attractive and competitive.” At present, everyone knows how prospective LED home lights will be. So many traditional lighting enterprises are using the LED source, but will not regard it as the main light source for the incredible market future.

Guo Jie Wen-chuan, director of domestic sales from Guozhi LED Lighting have different views on LED home lighting in domestic market. He believes that: With the increase of consuming capacity, there are great potential demands in China, local consumers would be more and more acknowledged with the expansion of marketing and reduction of cost. WEN Guo-Jie forecasts, LED home lighting lighting is a trend in the next 5-10 years which may become the mainstream of home lighting products.

Increasing trend of foreign sales

Compared to the depression of domestic market, foreign market acceptance of LED home lighting is totally different. Dazhi Yi said that during the last 3 years, LED Light is gradually used in household lighting, but mostly as secondary source. At present, most of the LED home lighting products are exported to overseas market. Now there are a great deal of house and residential lamps and lanterns which are applying LED as main light source. And moreover, warm white LED are the favorite option of occidental customers. “I believe the next three years, there will be great change in the LED Lighting market. Customers from Europe and the United States would gradually accept it as the main household lighting source.”

Market cultivation, the hard and long way to go

Current LED home lighting is still in the early stage of growth, although there is great potential to develop, but it still needs a lengthy period of time and requires a relatively mature market environment.

“I think that LED home lighting promotion in China is tightly related to the national policies. Same as the experience of energy-saving lamps, with the wide promotion from government, consumers will generally accept for the seek of their own benefit. Although the initial price is not attractive, from a long-term point of view, it does save money, but consumers are generally consider their short-term interests.” Said Liu Yun, Tiansili Lighting.
“I think that LED home lighting development and national policies have a certain relationship can be developed fast and slow, and the Government also has a lot to like, like the government to push energy-saving lamps. Consumers will, generally, self-interest stand point, from the interests of visible thinking. LED home lighting as the main lighting in the market more difficult, it is difficult in the consumer price acceptance. From a long-term point of view, it does save money, but consumers are generally short-term interests to consider “, TNV days Lishi Lighting Business Unit General Manager Liu that the current LED home lighting market development at an early stage of cultivation.
The other important history from energy saving-lamps, although the current LED home lighting is expensive for consumers, but with well-developed LED technology, and with the competition of more and more companies entering this field, its price will fall sharply, just as the development of energy-saving lamps. energy-saving lamps first appeared in the market at the price of 10~20 dollars, and now the prices are much lower, the public would generally accept it. “

China Innovation: The Three New Industries to be focused

China Innovation (CII) claimed it focus on “Three-New Industry” (“New Energy Sources, New Lighting Sources and New Material“), to promote the high-tech environment-friendly products from military applications to the civil market.

In the field of “New Lighting Resources”, CII will invest in Dooda Innovation Limited whose main business is designing LED new lighting products. After reorganization, Dooda will be able to research, manufacture and sale dual-use Led lighting products applying led back light and lighting technology. Besides, CII invested in Hefei Jingda Guangdian Limited that obtained the patents for led chip production and is able to produce in a large scale.

In the field of “New Material”, CII invested in C-Micro Circuit Corporation and Zhenjiang Fujieda Copper Foil Company Limited respectively. C-Micro Circuit Corporation has the technology in manufacturing LTCC (Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic) products, such as telecommunication, the e-money and the electronic automobile, which have been widely applied to the military and civil market. Zhenjiang Fujieda Copper Foil Company Limited, as the core upstream supplier with advanced technology in the field of “New Energy Resources” and “New Lighting Resources”, is mainly engaged in producing dual-use copper foil material.

In the field of “New Energy Resource”, CII will invest in Topsun Creation Limited that researches and manufactures high capacity power storage system with the characteristics of high capacity, fully sealed and maintenance-free, which were substantially used in tanks, submarines and barracks as well as civil vehicles and construction.

LED Emergency Light Combines Four Lights in One Elegant Solution for Smarter Living

Energy conscious consumers seeking an affordably priced, ecologically advanced way to meet more of their household Lighting needs should immediately visit datexx and check out the new energy-saving Sentina? Led-92M LED emergency light from Datexx.

Available now for immediate delivery from Datexx, the new Sentina LED-92M four-way emergency light is just that: four lights in one unit that has a retail price of $30.00. Fully charged to support motion, darkness, and power outage sensors, the Sentina LED-92M light simply plugs into any standard AC outlet and performs for one penny per day. The upper light activates only when approached, in darkness, or in a power outage. When disconnected from the socket, the light will also perform as an emergency flash light for up to eight hours.

The Sentina LED-92M is perfect for use in kitchens, hallways, bedrooms, and bathrooms — literally any place where emergency lighting may become necessary on a moment’s notice. No other emergency led light comes close to delivering this level of performance reliability — and peace of mind security — at any price!

The Sentina LED-92M is part of a complete line of Green Home lighting products available at www.datexx.com. Each Led lighting solution is remarkable for its unique mix of features. Available in models for kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, bedrooms, and patios, all Sentina LED lights are designed to perform when needed in the most energy efficient ways and at retail prices under $45.00.

Headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey, Datexx is a leading manufacturer and marketer of innovatively designed, affordably priced consumer and business LED lighting solutions, household, travel, mobility, and executive products that are both energy and cost efficient. For more than 15 years, the company has proudly met the needs of smart consumers seeking smarter living solutions. To date, more than 20-million consumers have joined the Datexx family of satisfied customers.

SOURCE earthtimes.org

Energy efficiency: Need of the Era

This is an era where everyone is talking about savings and looking for the most efficient ways to use the available resources so that maximum benefits can be achieved. The scope is not limited to a particular field but we try to achieve the best in all the thing we choose and use, to get the maximum benefit of money and also to make our life easier. Now this is limited to an individual but when it comes to nation or the world as a whole, bigger issues come to light. Using of limited natural resources to the optimum and saving for the nation is a big thing. In today’s green-centric world, designers and manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to improve energy efficiency in their products. From cell phone manufacturers to PC makers, new industry standards are emerging that will significantly impact the rate of power consumption in electronic devices.

All industrialists big or small are striving hard for different thing like , making available the most unique product to the customers in the least pricing policies, cost cutting, earn carbon credit, cover a large market and using available energy in the most efficient way etc. Now where cost cutting is concern people have a lot of options open these days namely, use modern machines, use those parts which can replace the existing and are more efficient and are light on the pockets too.

A click on a switch at home can set a handful of light bulbs glow. Open the car door, or the refrigerator door, and a light comes on. The streets across the city are illuminated by street lights; stores brightly advertise their presence through light. Lighting accounts for if not major but quite a lot of all energy used in the entire country. All this light, however, comes at a cost; producing the electricity creates pollution from power plants and greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing, energy needs from lighting, even just by half could save billions and help wean us off our dependence on oil.

Growing electricity bills these days is a major problem to all big and small corporate houses, which increase overheads to intolerable heights. And each and every company is fighting hard to reduce these. Why talk of companies even the government is facing a problem to cope up with the increasing demand of electricity and thus they come up with load shedding programmes for every city and area. In the lighting industry, tremendous energy savings can also be realized with a change from incandescent or fluorescent technologies to LED lighting.

Many now see light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, as the potential solution to the problem. LED lighting is the solution for the government as well as all the corporate houses. LED’s all these years were considered as the decoration lights while festivals but now its scope and importance is beyond imagination. Everyone is now aware of these lights and also their importance to some extent. They are the best available lighting products and are termed as the next generation lights. They are the most energy efficient and also cost effective in a package.

Cheaper LED lights enter marketplace

Just when you were finally warming up to the idea of swapping out your old light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones, you may soon find a new alternative at your local hardware store.

Retailers are starting to carry bulbs built around light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. These bulbs promise to last longer and use less energy than even compact fluorescents (CFLs), which are much longer-lived and power-efficient than standard incandescent bulbs.

But you may want to hold off for now: LED bulbs are much pricier than CFLs, and the technology still has a way to go before it reaches its potential.

“LED light bulbs are great,” said Michael Kanellos, senior analyst at Greentech Media, a trade publication and research firm. But he adds, “No one’s going go to Home Depot and buy a bulb that costs as much as a BBQ.”

About 20% of the average household’s electric bill goes toward lighting cost, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates, and CFLs and potentially LEDs can help reduce that energy usage. To produce the same light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb, a CFL uses less than 25% of the electricity and an LED bulb potentially as little as 10%.

The Energy Department estimates that consumers can save $6 per bulb per year by switching out an incandescent for a CFL.

Europe’s Incandescent Light Bulb Ban Begins on Sep 2009

Source: http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/09/01/europes-incandescent-light-bulb-ban-begins-today/

Europe’s ban on incandescent light bulbs goes into effect on September 2009 in an attempt to enforce energy efficiency standards on lighting. As of today, retail stores are no longer allowed to purchase high wattage incandescent light bulbs to offer to customers. In fairness to shopowners, they are, however, allowed to continue to sell whatever they have in stock until supplies run out. While many hail this as a necessary restriction in order to advance efforts against climate change, others complain that the ban is an attack on personal preferences. We’re excited to see the change and look forward to when the US’s efficiency standards are elevated as well.

Lighting upgrades are the low hanging fruits of energy efficiency, and just one of a series of measures being put into effect towards the E.U. goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020. As you may already know, CFLs use 75% less energy than traditional incandescents, and it is for exactly this reason that the ban was initially proposed.

The EU will serve as a testing ground for how the ban plays out as well as an example for other nations to take action. The United States is also planning on phasing out incandescent bulbs but not until 2012.

Today’s bleak economic climes may also help to spur along the preference of CFLs to incandescents as switching can save homeowners upwards of $50 over the life of the bulb and will likely pay for itself in energy savings in less than 6 months. Those who feel that CFLs have inferior light quality compared to a standard incandescent can feel better knowing that ambiance and color in CFLs are quickly improving.

Extend LED lifespan with phase changing Thermal management

Honeywell is releasing a new family of phase changing thermal management material that improves the lifespan of light-emitting diode(LED) arrays used for backlight display and SSL. The material can transfer heat more efficently by chaning phase during use.

Named as Honeywell LTM6300-SP, the phase-changing material replaces traditional silicone-based pastes which pump out and degrade at high temperatures, with a polymer matrix embedded with thermally conductive metals.

“Honeywell’s new thermal management material enhances the performance of energy efficient LEDs–extending their lifetimes and making sure their colors do not become muted due to overheating,” said Brian Daniels, Chief Technology Officer for Honeywell Electronic Materials (HEM).

“Since they are semiconductors, high-power LED arrays require a thermal management material that actively responds to heat build up, which LTM6300-SP does by changing phase,” he said.

The new material is the first in a family of phase change materials being developed by HEM the growing Led lighting applications, including street lamps, automotive lighting, flat panel TV displays and computer monitors.

The key to HEM’s new family of thermal management materials is its controlled phase changing in response to heat from a solid to a softer liquid-like state, which enhances thermal conductivity as heat increases. As a result, damaging heat that could dim LEDs prematurely, shift their color spectrum or cause them to burn out, is conducted away from the semiconductors at a rate that increases as tempertures rise.

The LTM6300-SP polymer supports a matrix that is filled with thermally conducting metal particles in the micron range. Honeywell is not revealing their exact dimensions or range of sizes, though, in order to maintain the competitive advantage of their new family of thermal management materials.

The principle, however, is that as the material softens in response to heat, more of the metal particles are forced to directly contact the LED heat source, and to transfer that heat through the material, thereby enhancing thermal conductivity.

Honeywell’s LTM6300-SP phase change material is supplied in a screen-printable paste.

Anti-Fuse Element For LEDs developed by Murata

Murata Electronics North America, a world-leading innovator in electronics and the largest global supplier of ceramic passive components, recently introduced an anti-fuse element for light emitting diodes (Leds). Developed to control open defects in LEDs, Murata’s anti-fuse device prevents the lowering of power supply voltage, typically observed in Zener diodes, which results in higher energy efficiency. Other key benefits include a simple and economical circuit design, the reduction of color unevenness and small size.
Reduced power consumption is one of the main reasons Led lighting fixtures are in demand. However, LEDs are typically connected in series and therefore are at risk of failure if a single LED becomes open. The solution is to re-route current flow around the open LED. Murata’s new anti-fuse element is connected in parallel to a serial LED, allowing each LED to stay lit should one become open. This allows for uninterrupted and even light, reduced maintenance costs and increased energy efficiency. The company’s anti-fuse element can be used in all led lighting fixtures and is especially well suited for large outdoor lights that generally require more maintenance.

“Providing solutions for green technology, such as LEDs, is an important part of Murata’s vision,” said Gerry Hubers, product manager, for Murata Electronics North America. “Murata’s new anti-fuse element helps make energy conservation more obtainable.”

The anti-fuse element measures 1.0mm x 0.5mm x 0.5mm. However, 0.6mm x 0.3mm and 0.4mm x 0.2mm sizes are in development. The allowable current is 350mA with a nominal voltage of 4V and a trigger voltage of 20V. Before activation, the insulating resistance is 1MΩ and the resistance after activation is less than 3Ω. This new product is available in sample quantities for 40 cents and lead times are approximately eight to 10 weeks starting January 2010.

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