Oct 11 2006
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman today announced the selection of seven projects, valued at nearly $5 million, for Solid State Lighting (SSL) research in nanotechnology. SSL has the potential to more than double the efficiency of general lighting systems, reducing overall U.S. energy consumption and saving consumers money. Sandia National Laboratory is expected to receive approximately $2.6 million of the total funding. This funding comes from DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
“Following the President’s call for new technology in the Advanced Energy Initiative, the research for Solid State Lighting represents not only the next generation of lighting but a focus on energy efficient technology that will change the way we power our nation,” Secretary Bodman said.
Secretary Bodman made the announcement while hosting a press conference with New Mexico Senators Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman, and Congresswoman Heather Wilson (NM-1st) at DOE’s Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque.
By 2025, DOE expects to develop advanced SSL technologies that are 50 percent more efficient, last longer, and are cost-competitive compared to conventional lighting technologies that accurately reproduce sunlight. This SSL nanotechnology research will include scientific efforts to gain more comprehensive knowledge and understanding of nanometer scale phenomena for the specific application of SSL.
Unlike incandescent and fluorescent lamps, solid-state lighting creates light without producing heat. A semi-conducting material converts electricity directly into light, which maximizes the light’s energy efficiency. Solid-state lighting includes a variety of light-producing semiconductor devices. SSL includes light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). LEDs are found in all kinds of devices; they form numbers on digital clocks, light up watches, and transmit information from remote controls. Consumers may also see LEDs in brake lights, traffic signals and exit signs. OLED technology is more commonly used commercially, for example in small screens for mobile phones, portable digital music players, and digital cameras.