The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has recently released revised L Prize competition requirements. As the first government-sponsored technology competition, the L Prize is designed to accelerate development of high-quality, high-efficiency solid-state lighting products to replace the common light bulb.

The competition will award significant cash prizes, plus opportunities for federal purchasing agreements, utility programs, and other incentives for winning products.

The three revisions concern eligibility requirements and changes to correlated color temperature and PAR 38 minimum center beam candle power requirements:

• Revision to the eligibility requirements. As a result of industry/stakeholder feedback, current state-of-the-art of SSL technology, and lessons learned through practice of SSL products, the eligibility requirements for the competition have been revised. The change reflects current approaches available on the market and allows for greater participation in the L Prize competition.

From the revised requirements:
"In addition to meeting technical performance specifications discussed in Section IV, qualified entrants must meet one of the requirements from Section A and the requirement of Section B:

A1) A majority (≥75% by count) of the LED die or chip, defined as the solid-state semiconductor material that converts electrical energy directly into light, must be manufactured in the United States.

or
A2) The LED must be packaged in the United States.

or
A3) A majority (≥75% by subsystem and assembly cost) of the final product assembly/integration must be carried out within the United States.

and
B) In the case of a private entity, the entity shall be incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the United States; and in the case of an individual, (whether participating as a single individual or in a group), the individual shall be a citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the United States."

• Revision to correlated color temperature (CCT). In order to maintain the competition's intent for high quality light, the CCT specification has been complimented with a specification for chromaticity.

• Revision to the PAR 38 minimum center beam candle power (CBCP). Based on additional analysis of baseline technologies and benchmark testing through the DOE CALiPER program, the minimum CBCP specification has been revised for the PAR 38 category in order to more accurately reflect the products the L Prize is intended to replace.