As part of the Obama Administration’s effort to cut energy waste and double energy productivity by 2030, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced solid-state lighting (SSL) research & development funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0001171, ‘Solid-State Lighting Advanced Technology R&D – 2015’), under which a total of up to $10m in funding will be directed toward all three existing DOE SSL R&D program areas:
Core Technology Research — the application of fundamental scientific concepts to SSL technology; Product Development — using the knowledge gained from basic or applied research to develop or improve commercially viable SSL materials, devices, or systems; US Manufacturing — accelerating SSL technology adoption through manufacturing innovations and improvements that reduce costs and enhance quality and consistency.
The funding aims to accelerate the development of high-quality light-emitting diode (LED) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) products with the potential to reduce lighting energy use for American families and businesses by one half and enhance US global competitiveness.
During the past 10 years, the DOE has helped to accelerate SSL technology deployment, yielding estimated energy savings of $1.8bn in 2013. The DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) aims to accelerate development and facilitates deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and market-based solutions that strengthen US energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality. Solid-state lighting technologies, which include both LED and OLED technologies, have the potential to save $26bn a year in energy costs in the USA by 2030, it is reckoned.
Currently available LED technology has luminous efficacy of about 150 lumens per watt. The DOE targets a 75% rise to 250lm/W. Higher-performing LEDs will help to reduce overall costs and increase lighting efficiency.
The DOE will select up to 10 projects from industry, academia, and national laboratories. Concept papers are due by 14 November, and applications are due by 15 January.
The National Energy Technology Laboratory is holding an informational webinar on the funding opportunity announcement (FOA) on 24 October at 1-3pm Eastern Time.
