Getting it Right ... the Second Time

September 10, 2008 - Sometimes, good intentions aren’t enough to transform a market from an old inefficient technology to a newer more efficient one in a reasonable amount of time.

The US DoE’s ENERGY STAR team learned that the hard way over the last decade or so with a less than enthusiastic market acceptance of compact fluorescent lamps (CFL). Introduced back in the 1970’s, CFLs had just 2% market share in 2006, due primarily to poor color, early burn-out, low light and size problems.

ENERGY STAR intends to get it right this time with solid state lighting (SSL). They hosted Mr. Green and a few hundred other interested stakeholders at a three day Market Introduction Workshop on Solid State Lighting in Portland, Oregon in July. (Most of us know it as LED lighting but US government legislation on lighting efficiency doesn’t include the term LED.) The workshop covered recent LED device and luminaire improvements, the new ENERGY STAR specification which becomes effective later this month (September 30th), and their strategy for market success. The specification covers both residential and commercial applications intended for general illumination.

A key difference in this spec is that it measures luminaire efficacy instead of system (light source) efficacy. Unlike system efficacy which includes only the light source and ballast measurements, luminaire efficacy takes into account that plus secondary optics and fixture losses, resulting in a truer representation of the effective light output. Luminaires sporting the ENERGY STAR logo must also carry a minimum three year warranty. Additionally, power supply specifications include 0 W no-load (except 0.5 W where integral controls are used) and a power factor of ≤0.7 for residential and ≤0.9 for commercial. A link to the complete program specification is shown below.

My take on this is that the DoE wants to use the spec as a way for consumers to differentiate between good products that will meet their expectations and the ever increasing number of poorly designed and performing LED-based products appearing on the market. The DoE’s approach consists of a first phase focusing on LED lighting applications and products where performance is currently equal to or better than traditional efficient lighting technologies based on light output, luminaire efficacy and cost. Products include undercabinet kitchen lighting, desk task lights, recessed downlights, and outdoor porch, step, and pathway lights. The second phase, in 2011, will tighten performance targets and cover all LED luminaires. Based on data presented at the workshop, I’m making a prediction that LED luminaires in street lights, parking lots and parking garages will start illuminating a lot of neighborhoods before the second phase kicks in.

It appears that the DoE has seen the light and they’re getting it right this time!

For a copy of the ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Solid State Lighting Luminaires v1.0, go to: http://www.netl.doe.gov/ssl/energy_star-criteria.html

P.S. For engineers who like contests, here’s your chance for fame and fortune. The L·PRIZE™ competition (authorized by the US government) is offering $10 million for an LED replacement to a 60-watt incandescent bulb. For more information, go to: http://www.lightingprize.org/