The National Energy Technology Laboratory, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is pleased to announce the following selections for solid-state lighting (SSL) funding opportunities under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Seventeen projects were chosen in response to Core Technology (Round 6), Product Development (Round 6), and U.S. Manufacturing (Round 1) Funding Opportunity Announcements. These selections are anticipated to significantly contribute to the goal of the SSL program:



By 2025, develop advanced solid-state lighting technologies that, compared to conventional lighting technologies, are much more energy efficient, longer lasting, and cost competitive by targeting a product system efficiency of 50 percent with lighting that accurately reproduces sunlight spectrum.



Three selections have been made in response to Core Technology Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0000082. These selections are expected to fill key technology gaps, provide enabling knowledge or data, and represent a significant advancement in the SSL technology base. The total value of selections for Core Technology Research is $4.0 million; the performers of cooperative agreements will provide an average of 23 percent as cost-share.



Six selections have been made in response to Product Development FOA DE-FOA-0000055. These selections are focused on the development or improvement of commercially viable materials, devices, or systems. Technical activities are focused on a targeted market application with fully defined price, efficacy, and other performance parameters necessary for success of the proposed product. The total value of Product Development selections is $10.3 million; the performers will provide an average of 23 percent as cost-share.



Eight selections have been made in response to U.S. Manufacturing FOA DE-FOA-0000057. These selections are focused on achieving significant cost reductions and enhancing quality through improvements in manufacturing equipment, processes, or monitoring techniques. Projects address the technical challenges that must be overcome before prices fall to a level where solid-state lighting will be competitive with existing lighting on a first-cost basis. The total value of manufacturing selections is $23.5 million; the performers will provide an average of 51 percent as cost-share.



A major DOE objective in funding these projects is to develop, establish, and/or maintain the solid-state lighting technology and manufacturing base within the U.S., which will create jobs and promote our nation's role as a leader in the field.



The nine selections that fall under core technology and product development are covered under the Exceptional Circumstances Determination (PDF 5 KB) issued by DOE in June 2004. All of the selections are listed below (subject to negotiation). Download Adobe Reader.



Core Technology Research Selections



Recipient: Cambrios



Title: Solution-Processable Transparent Conductive Hole Injection Electrode for Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) SSL



Team Members: Plextronics Inc.



Summary: This project seeks to develop a replacement for the combination of a sputtered ITO electrode and hole injection layer. Solution-processable transparent conductors offer the potential to significantly reduce the cost of manufacture of the anode layer for OLED lighting devices.



Recipient: University of Rochester



Title: Development and Utilization of Host Materials for White Phosphorescent OLEDs



Summary: This project seeks to produce white OLEDs with >100 lm/W efficiency after light extraction enhancement and >10,000 hour operating time, by making a new class of emissive materials.



Recipient: WhiteOptics LLC



Title: Low-Cost, Highly Lambertian Reflector Composite for Improved LED Fixture Efficiency and Lifetime



Team Members: University of Delaware, The Crowell Corporation



Summary: This project seeks to demonstrate a highly reflective, highly diffuse, low-cost composite material that is able to withstand at least 50,000 hours of luminaire operation.



Product Development Selections



Recipient: Cree Inc.



Title: Ultra-Compact High-Efficiency Luminaire for General Illumination



Summary: This project seeks to create an ultra-compact 80-lm/W SSL luminaire that emits at a color temperature of 3000 K with a Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 90. The project will involve synergetic LED component, optic, thermal management, and driver developments to enable the specified luminaire performance. This integrated approach will establish a technology platform capable of providing high-efficiency LED components that can be adopted across a variety of SSL applications.



Recipient: General Electric



Title: Optimized Phosphors for Warm-White LED Light Engines



Team Members: University of Georgia (UGA)



Summary: GE Global Research, in collaboration with GE Lumination and the University of Georgia, seeks to develop optimized phosphor systems and packaging for LED down-conversion. This program will build upon the materials and understanding developed in prior DOE programs between GE and UGA that have led to new phosphors and light engine prototypes with ~70 lm/W steady-state efficacy at Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) ~3100 K and CRI ~90.



Recipient: Lightscape Materials Inc.



Title: Nitride- and Oxynitride-Based Phosphors for SSL



Summary: This project seeks to develop a set of high-efficiency, novel nitride- and oxynitride-based phosphor products. The performance goals for the phosphors are: quantum yield >90%, thermal quenching