2014: The End of the Beginning for SSL

Politics notwithstanding, US energy standards are making way for LED lighting in the home.

The incandescent light bulb continues its long exit, creating shelf space and mindshare for LED lighting in 2014. On January 1, standards from the Energy Independence and Security Act effectively banned manufacture and import of traditional 40W and 60W bulbs, as we discussed recently.

Even though the news media have pumped out many stories about the ban, I'm not convinced that American shoppers are playing close attention. This phase of the ban snuck up on a lot of people. An Osram Sylvania survey, conducted in November 2013, showed that 40 percent of the respondents hadn't heard of the latest ban.

It's not likely that we'll see the kind of hoarding that we did when the 100W bulbs were dropped from the market. At that time, CFLs were slow to brighten and rarely met the needs for area lighting. People liked their big, hot lights in the same way that they preferred their five-gallon flush toilets.

Conservatives, to no one's surprise, aren't keen on the ban. The New American sees something sinister in the ban, claiming that Philips Electronics (parent company of this site's sponsor) had already planned to discontinue production of incandescent bulbs and saw the ban as a way to reduce competition even further. Further, GE shuttered a US facility, eliminating 200 jobs, while other bulb manufacturing shifted to China.

In an end-around reminiscent of the SUV mileage exemption, New Jersey light bulb manufacturer Newcandescent has modified rough-service bulbs, which are exempt from the ban, and offers familiar-looking bulbs ranging from 25W to 300W. "The Legal Light Bulb" is manufactured in the US of A and meets the Department of Energy efficiency requirements.

The commentary from the right about LED lighting has been muted, but generally favorable. We haven't heard Glenn Beck threaten to fire employees who purchase LED bulbs for their offices, unlike his fury at fluorescents.

American Thinker brings it all together by tying the bulb ban to the failed launch of Obamacare.

And in 2014

We're not likely to see a big bump in LED sales until later in 2014. Lowe's and other retailers report that they have current inventory to last for another six months.

The 2012 McKinsey Report on the global LED market predicts that 2015 will be the breakthrough year when LED lamps become price-competitive with CFLs. By decade's end, LED bulbs could have 70 percent of the lighting market.

Predictions for new home construction in the US are modest for the coming year, with banks and builders still cautious after a five-year climb up from the 2008 crash. Some areas, such as Texas and the Southwest, look to have better than average growth.

Home centers will continue to remind consumers of the changes and show alternatives.

So, residential LED lighting has its best years ahead of it. The new year will be a good one as the competition narrows and prices come closer into line with consumers' expectations. The biggest impediment to growth will be the spare bulbs in cellar cupboards. As the old bulbs are used up and LED prices continue to fall, we'll be seeing more and more solid-state lighting in American homes. 2014 is the end of the beginning.

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Hot Picks of the Week Dec.30-Jan.3

Home > Industry Info > Hot Picks of the Week Dec.30-Jan.3

January.3, 2014 - 17:57 — judy.lin

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LED Stocks Soar as the US Incandescent Ban Goes into Effect

NEMA: U.S. Lighting Equipment Demand Slips During 3Q13

NEMA’s Lighting Systems Index subsided from a five year high posted in the previous quarter, decreasing by 1.6 percent on a quarter-to-quarter (q/q) basis during 2013Q3. However, demand remains robust compared to a year ago. On a year-over-year basis, lighting equipment shipments improved for the fourth consecutive quarter, increasing by 4.7 percent. Miniature lamps were the only component of the index in positive territory, while fixtures, emergency lighting, large lamps and ballasts declined q/q.

NEMA lighting system index shows U.S. lighting equipment demand slips during 3Q13. (LEDinside/ NEMA)

NEMA is the association of electrical equipment and medical imaging manufacturers, founded in 1926 and headquartered in Rosslyn, Virginia. Its 400-plus member companies manufacture a diverse set of products including power transmission and distribution equipment, lighting systems, factory automation and control systems, and medical diagnostic imaging systems. Total U.S. shipments for electroindustry products exceed US$100 billion annually.

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Bicom Optics - LED Blowing Bulbs

Bicom Optics is China’s largest LED optics company with its own mold equipment and engineering design team to service for the bulb mold design, tooling and production. We can complete the optical design within 3 days, and the prototype mold in 2 days.



For additional information, please visit www.bicomoptics.com or send an email to sales@bicomoptics.com



About Bicom Optics:

Bicom Optics is one of the first enterprises that engaged in the optical study, lens design and product development of the LED lens. The experienced optical and mold R & D team, ultra-precision mold manufacturing machine, injection machine and several over 3,000 square meters 10000-scale dust-free workshops allow us get an excellent production system with independent design, development, manufacturing and forming. Besides, we have also passed ISO9001 certification and ISO18001/14001 environmental certification. Our company has synthesized competitiveness. We can finish a new optical design within 3 days and the trial-mold samples in another 2 days. We can also develop over 60 new products monthly.

On the basis of the current trend of international energy emission reduction, saving and environment-friendly, we cooperated closely with Cree, Philips, Osram, Nichia, Seoul etc. on LED application, and offered them various lenses to match their LED to satisfy the requirement of LED lighting in all areas.

The National Lighting Bureau’s Board of Directors Share Insight on a Variety of Lighting Industry Topics

The National Lighting Bureau’s Board of Directors give an interview on topics including the role of market channels, the role of education, photopic/scotopic effect, perception of brightness and more.

To watch the rest of the interview, please follow this link: Looking for an Interview with the National Lighting Bureau Board of Directors?

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Skating on Light

Glo-Blades are a new skating accessory that easily attach to both inline and ice skates and brightly illuminate the surface beneath the skaters’ feet, providing for a unique, new effect of “Skating on Light !”™ The product utilizes super bright LED lights and patented wireless technology, with easy mounting that allows the skater to readily swap them back and forth between skates.

CEO and Founder Ralph Haney and his close-knit Executive and Product team are launching the KickStarter Campaign on January 1, 2014. The campaign will run for 60 days through March 1. The focus of the campaign is to provide seed funding for the initial production run of 5,000 units.

With this communication, the company, Glo-Blades International, Inc., launches its first pre-order campaign, as well as a new and improved logo, as showcased on the new website: http://www.globlades.com.

Wearable devices are clearly experiencing widespread adoption, innovation, and availability. There is a burgeoning, wearable technology market across the globe, and aesthetic clothing and accessories are now integrating computer and advanced electronic technologies. Glo-Blades will uniquely offer an unusual, personalized skating experience (filmable/postable and share-able) and be another compelling product entry to eventually garner domestic and worldwide acceptance in the wearable tech space.

This video is about GloBlades Kickstarter.

While the world will be watching as Sochi, Russia hosts the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in February, global viewers, and especially Americans, will center on the figure skating competition for pairs and individuals. Competition figure skating predictably and consistently draws in a global audience. The Glo-Blades team will also be watching intently, expecting that this KickStarter campaign, which runs concurrently during buildup to the Winter Games, and during the Olympic fortnight, to attract the attention of the global figure skating world. The campaign offers many pledge-based rewards ranging in price between US$ 1 to US$ 10,000, rewarding backers with everything from a simple name listing on the GBI website, to pre-ordering the first Glo-Blades, to private lessons with celebrity skaters who accompany them on a Napa Valley Winery Tour. Some KickStarter campaign contributors may even receive private skating sessions with former U.S. Olympic Team skaters from the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.

The campaign video reveals ‘Skating on Light’ ice footage featuring top skaters Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre (U.S. Championship medalists; Ice Theater of New York; America’s Got Talent; Glee) performing complicated choreography that is greatly enhanced by the effect of their Glo-Blades. Here is a preview of the new KickStarter Video (which will be “live” on 1/1/14): Glo-Blades KickStarter Preview.

U.S. professional ice skaters Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre demonstrate skating with Glo-blades. (Photo Courtesy of Glo-blades)

Utilizing a “capacitance touch technology model,” the first Glo-Blades in production feature a strip of conductive cloth as a switch. Using rechargeable lithium ion batteries, and fingertip touch control (eventually with an accompanying wireless glove), the LED’s are encased in super-strong, bulletproof polycarbonate tubing that is sealed to protect from moisture and dust. Ralph Haney proudly points out that:

“Glo-Blades were granted a full U.S. Patent in February of 2013 (#8,576,563) with a patent pending in Canada.”

Glo-Blades will utilize wireless remote control and will readily integrate with other wireless technologies. Haney continues:

“Glo-Blades will talk to each other (think of the game “light tag”), will link to smart phones, tablets, and other wireless devices, and will also integrate on a venue or arena basis with stage lighting and sound, Wi-Fi and the Internet, and even pair up with our very cool, patented wireless glove that provides skaters fingertip control of their own colors and lighting effects.”

Haney’s ongoing vision is that a centralized controller could collectively control all Glo-Blades on the rink, in sync with music and other lighting effects, allowing show performers to skate their scripted routines focused on their choreography instead of the technology and/or control. Similar centralized control will be deployed for “Night Hockey,” a revolutionary hockey experience featuring lighted pucks, goals and other lighted gear. The players’ Glo-Blades would be controlled automatically, allowing them to focus on their game skills.

Ice Skating Industry support thus far has been stellar, with the Glo-Blades concept garnering testimonials from notable skaters and letters of intent from premiere venues in the skating industry.

http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/62932/innovation-glo-blades-born-in-local-ice-arena/

LED Glo-bades upclose. (Photo Courtesy of Glo-blades)

Skippy Baxter, the esteemed, late coach emeritus, of The Figure Skating Hall of Fame, went on record saying:

"I can't imagine a skating show that wouldn't be interested in Glo-Blades."

Glo-Blades CEO and Founder Ralph Haney concludes:

"Equipment-wise, ice skating has lacked significant innovation over the past 20-30 years. Glo-Blades are the most revolutionary and exciting skating invention to appear in decades. People have been skating WITH light for a long time, wearing lighted jewelry and little LED blinkies on their skates, and the rinks provide varying degrees of theatrical lighting, disco balls, and popular music set to the mood. Glo-Blades, however, are the first opportunity to skate ON light, offering a whole new sensation and loads of fun."

And, Haney further states, “Skating outdoors at dusk in inline skates with Glo-Blades on is a real blast and much safer with the visibility of the LED’s. A skater wearing Glo-Blades can be seen over a quarter-mile away. Ice skating outdoors at night with Glo-Blades is simply magical, and far safer, too. In a rink, or outdoors, Skating on Light is a great way to get kids moving again.”

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Water Balloon LED Lights from Torafu Architects

Torafu Architects, a Japanese architect firm has created a bubbly LED bulb resembling a water balloon, according to a Spoon and Tamago report. The glass bulb which uses LEDs for lighting and is made from recycled fluorescent bulbs. The lights are diffused from the bubble structures within the bulb.

The bulb was created from 9lass project, a project that joins artisanal glass makers and creative designers. According to Spoon and Tamago, the products were on display during the IFFT trade show in Tokyo in Nov. 2013.

Torafu Architects Water Balloon LED bulb. (LEDinside/Torafu Architects)

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