The latest funding opportunity from the DOE is for round 4 of the SSL Manufacturing program, supporting efforts to develop LED and OLED manufacturing strength in the US.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) is offering up to $11 million in funding through its solid-state lighting (SSL) program to support the existing Manufacturing Research and Development effort. Successful projects will help achieve the program’s goal to establish the US as a global SSL manufacturing leader.
This will mark the fourth round of funding for SSL manufacturing; the recipients of round-3 funding, including Cree, KLA Tencor and k-Space Associates, were announced in June 2012.
The manufacturing part of the SSL program is directed by the SSL Manufacturing R&D roadmap, which was updated in August this year.
Under the current funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0000792), DOE seeks applications for SSL manufacturing R&D projects that will achieve significant cost reductions through improvements in manufacturing equipment, processes, or monitoring techniques.
Projects should address the technical challenges that must be overcome before prices fall to a level where SSL will become competitive with existing lighting on a first-cost basis.
By advancing these activities, the DOE says that it can “accelerate progress toward creating a US-led market for high-efficiency light sources that save more energy, reduce costs, and have less environmental impact than conventional light sources.”
The department will select up to six projects in the following areas:
• LED luminaire/module manufacturing
• LED test and inspection equipment
• OLED deposition equipment
• OLED materials manufacturing.
