DOE Announces up to $10 Million in Funding to Support Research and Development to Improve Manufacturing of Energy-Saving Lighting
September 26, 2011
As part of the Obama Administration’s ongoing efforts to bolster U.S. competitiveness and 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 $10 million in funding for energy-saving lighting technologies. DOE will invest in projects to accelerate manufacturing research and development related to solid-state lighting (SSL) technologies—which use semiconductors to provide light in such devices as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs)—in order to strengthen America’s position as a global manufacturing leader and help create jobs here at home.
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.
DOE is seeking applications for research and development projects to drive down the cost and improve the quality of solid-state lighting products through manufacturing improvements. Between two and four projects will be selected to receive up to $10 million, and will focus on achieving significant cost reductions through improvements in manufacturing equipment, processes, or monitoring techniques. Selected projects will address the technical challenges that must be overcome before SSL can compete with existing lighting on a first-cost basis. By advancing these activities, DOE supports U.S. leadership in the market for high-efficiency light sources that save energy, reduce costs, and have less environmental impact than other conventional light sources.
This is the third round of funding directed toward this solid-state lighting research and development program area. Over the course of the program, the Manufacturing Research and Development area has been funded with $28.2 million in federal funding, and leveraged $36.8 million in funding from the private sector.
For more information on these funding opportunities, see DOE’s Funding Opportunity Exchange website. Applications will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 15, 2011. DOE anticipates notifying applicants selected for awards by the end of June 2012 and making awards no later than September 30, 2012.
DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy invests in clean energy technologies that strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and reduce dependence on foreign oil. Learn more about DOE's support of research and development of energy-efficient lighting, and visit our Energy Savers lighting choices website to start saving money by saving energy.
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