2013 DOE Solid-State Lighting Manufacturing R&D Workshop
June 5–6, 2013

The U.S. Department of Energy Solid-State Lighting Manufacturing R&D Workshop will take place in Boston on June 5-6. This is a “roll-up-your-sleeves” event, where DOE seeks input from industry to help shape the DOE SSL Manufacturing Roadmap, which has become an important reference for the lighting industry everywhere. Would it be possible for add this to your event calendar? U.S. DOE SSL Manufacturing R&D Workshop Hyatt Harborside Hotel, Boston June 5-6, 2013

To realize the full energy-saving potential of SSL, market adoption will need to accelerate rapidly in the next few years, which will require a corresponding ramp-up in production. But do we have the right tools and manufacturing methods to make this happen? What will the SSL manufacturing landscape look like in five years, and what are the implications for a U.S. role?

Join DOE—and lighting industry experts representing the entire breadth of the SSL supply chain—at the fifth annual SSL Manufacturing R&D Workshop. Gain cutting-edge perspective on manufacturing issues related to LED and OLED lighting, as leading experts share insights on global manufacturing trends and strategies for reducing costs, improving quality, and increasing volumes. Re-examine roadmap priorities, and propose changes or updates. Learn about federal funding opportunities, and network with our nation's leading manufacturing experts.

DOE is keeping a close watch on solid-state lighting, in both the lab and the marketplace, to make sure it doesn't run into the same roadblocks that slowed market acceptance of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) back in the 1990s. Accelerating the pace of commercialization for SSL will hinge on improving cost competitiveness and quality.

•Improving cost competitiveness. One major roadblock for SSL is cost. Today, the purchase price of LED lighting products is generally higher than that of their conventional counterparts, often by a long shot, and the energy savings often aren't enough to offset the difference within an attractive payback period. However, DOE's program is intended to drive aggressive cost reduction, and the current rate of cost decline in LED lighting systems is about 20 percent a year. Prices will continue to drop before starting to level off.
•Improving quality. DOE watches closely for problems with poor-performing SSL products that are not yet ready to compete with incumbent technologies, including products that fail to meet manufacturers' performance claims. A significant part of DOE's function is to educate consumers as well as the lighting community about those claims and other pitfalls in the SSL marketplace. As a government agency serving all U.S. citizens, DOE brings a "just the facts" attitude and an independent, vendor-neutral perspective to solid-state lighting, which is why so many people look to DOE for honest, reliable information.
There's little doubt that solid-state lighting ultimately will emerge as the technology of choice for an unparalleled variety of applications, because, all things being equal, everyone—building owners included—wants to save energy and protect the environment. Meanwhile, all things are not equal, which is why DOE repeatedly emphasizes that SSL is right for some applications but not for others—and why education and due diligence should be key elements in any lighting specification and purchasing process.

Contact us
Name Diane Allard
Company Akoya for DOE
Email diane@akoyaonline.com
Phone 703-536-7260