As part of the Obama Administration’s ongoing efforts to help American families and businesses save money on their energy bills, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the availability of up to $12 million in funding for energy-saving lighting technologies. The Energy Department will invest in projects to accelerate research and development of solid-state lighting technologies – semiconductor devices such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).
With the promise of being more than ten times more efficient than incandescent lighting, LEDs and OLEDs will change the way we light our homes and businesses. By 2030, solid-state lighting could potentially reduce national lighting electricity use by one-fourth, which would save $15 billion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 21 million cars off the road. Now that’s a Green Lighting environmental program that is all about sustainability!!!!
DOE is seeking applications for solid-state lighting projects in the following categories:
- Core Technology – Between two and six projects to receive up to $6 million, will be selected to focus on applied research to develop lighting technologies that increase efficiency, improve performance, and reduce costs. Selected projects will fill technology gaps or provide enabling knowledge or data to drive these energy-saving technologies forward.
- Product Development – Between two and six projects to receive up to $6 million, will be selected to build on the knowledge gained from basic or applied research to move materials, devices, or systems in to the market faster. Selected projects will develop targeted, market-ready products with the competitive price, performance, and efficiency needed for successful commercialization.
This is the eighth round of funding directed toward these two well established solid-state lighting research and development program areas. Over the course of the program, the Core Technology area has been funded with $68.7 million and Product Development with $56.1 million for a total of $124.8 million in federal funding.
For more information on these funding opportunities, see DOE’s Funding Opportunity Exchange website. Applications will be accepted through 5 p.m. Eastern Time on November 3, 2011. DOE anticipates notifying applicants selected for award by the end of June 2012 and making awards by no later than September 30, 2012.
Source: USDOE and RemyC
