DoE Announces 'L Prize' For Solid-State Lighting 220
erikaaboe notes that the US Department of Energy has announced a competition to develop efficient solid-state lighting technology. The "L Prize" program will allocate as much as $20 million in cash prizes for innovations to replace the common light bulb. Further details are available at the L Prize website. From the press release:
"Lighting products meeting the competition requirements would consume just 17% of the energy used by most incandescent lamps in use today. The plan also includes a rigorous evaluation process, including testing of proposed products by independent laboratories (conducted through DOE's CALiPER test program), as well as field evaluations by DOE and utility partners to assess products in real world conditions. Four major California utilities ... have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with DOE, agreeing to work cooperatively to promote high-efficiency solid-state lighting technologies."
Re:Solid-state? (Score:3, Interesting)
Why not fluorescents? (Score:4, Interesting)
It reminds me of the old UK cycle-lighting regulations, which basically stated you had to have a light bulb conforming to one of about 3 standards, all incandescent. Once efficient red LEDs came along, it was ages before the regulations changed to make them technically legal - long after everyone in their right mind stopped using the legal versions.
Re:Why not fluorescents? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Sooo..... (Score:3, Interesting)
If FermiLab (or a single organization/company) was designated as "you do this, no one else" then you would end up with basically a monopoly, FermiLab (or whatever) sells/gives the patents, etc to a few major or maybe only one major company (GE or whatever) done deal.
The "L Prize" means that quite a few companies are aiming for that star, one will get the prize, thus funding, and other benifits, but, the second third and probably even further down on the list get recognition they may not have gotten otherwise, which could potentially create alternatives, if not in America, then in another country.
Granted, this could (is) all happen(ing) without the DoE, but its mainly about getting people to pay attention than it is trying to figure out a problem that doesnt really exists (Solid-State lighting is already fairly common, at least in Canada)
Re:Significantly bright LEDs are very expensive (Score:5, Interesting)
How many people do you think send their watch batteries to the toxic waste disposal centre?
The hazards of mercury in CFLs is vastly overblown by the media looking for a story.
Re:Sooo..... (Score:2, Interesting)
Lasers (Score:4, Interesting)
Of course, getting cost down is another thing entirely.
Re:Sooo..... (Score:3, Interesting)
I know what they are, and by "fairly common" I didnt mean in half the house-holds, BMW's are fairly common too.
You can also buy them in pretty much any lighting department of a decent size.
But then again, im on the opposite side of the country.
Re:Significantly bright LEDs are very expensive (Score:3, Interesting)
The 60 LEDs are split into two (wiring wise), 18 in the middle and the other 42 around them, the end result is that with a switch on the handlebars I can flick between low/off/high with an extra momentary button for hi-beaming cars/people. Cycling along unlit roads/cycle paths is amazing, you can see *everything* when all 60 front LEDs are on, what helps is that the 3mm LEDs produce a very nice beam spread - the brightness gradient from the center outwards is very smooth, far better than most 5mm LEDs.