UI donates energy-efficient light bulbs to families

United Illuminating, a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc., donated 576 Energy Star LED light bulbs and weatherization services information to Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, according to a release.

The donation was delivered alongside a weekly contribution from the Connecticut Food Bank to the IRIS food pantry, as, in part of the Energize Connecticut Initiative, UI recently partnered with the Food Bank to hold energy-efficiency education events at UI service territory food pantries and encouraged residents to replace incandescent bulbs with Energy Star LED bulbs, the release said.

Four free LED bulbs were distributed to the 144 families who visited the pantry on Dec. 14, the release said, noting “Each family will reduce their energy consumption by roughly 1,250 kilowatt-hours (kWh) over the lifetime of each bulb or over $2,400 over the lifetime of the bulb. This event will generate an estimated total of $140,000 in energy cost savings over the lifetime of the bulbs.”

Chicago LED Streetlights Get Thumbs Down From Student Advocates

The City of Chicago is soliciting feedback on its new LED streetlights, being tested in seven neighborhoods, and a group of Amundsen High School students aren't holding back on their opinions. Terrible, they pronounced, after checking out the pilot lights in place on Jersey Avenue, between Bryn Mawr and Hollywood. The teens have spent the last year studying light pollution, taking their "Starry Chicago" presentation to the Aspen Ideas Festival. They met last spring with members of the Chicago Infrastructure Trust, which is overseeing the Smart Lighting Project, to argue against the LEDs.

German soccer stadium sees the light with upgrade to LEDs

The Volkswagen Arena, in Wolfsburg, Germany, is installing the Philips ArenaVision system for field illumination using an all-LED network. Compared to incandescent, halogen and metal halide high intensity discharge light systems, LEDs do not need a warming cycle to reach full illumination and do not emit the heat of conventional lighting networks. 

Global Motorcycle Lighting Market Will Grow at 13% CAGR Through 2021

Technavio analysts forecast the global motorcycle lighting market to grow at a CAGR of almost 13% during the forecast period, according to their latest report. The research study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global motorcycle lighting market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, Technavio analysts considered the sales revenue of motorcycle lighting units shipped across all regions.

The motorcycle lighting market is highly competitive as vendors are introducing many new innovative technologies to improve safety and performance and enhance the appeal of the motorcycle. The increased focus on motorcycle safety and the increased demand for better road illumination by customers are the major drivers of the market growth.

Global Tech LEDs Mini AC LED Lamp Just Got Better

Global Tech LED, a world leading manufacturer of USA made high output LED lighting products, has announced the release of the highly anticipated Switchit Mini AC Gen 2. Based on the same features and footprint of the original Mini AC, the Gen 2 is an internally driven LED lamp that runs off of line voltages of 120v-277v. The standard E27 (edison) screw in base orientation enables the Switchit Mini AC to seamlessly replace the existing lighting in most recessed can and track lighting fixtures. Operating at a max of 50W the Mini AC can replace up to 250W par38 or 175W HID lamps for an energy savings of up to 80%.

The USA made Switchit Mini AC Gen 2 comes in two versions; 120v-277v non-dimmable and 120v triac dimmable. Triac dimmability enables the Mini AC to be controlled with existing dimming systems in applications such as auditoriums, lobbies, churches, and the like. This feature saves the end user time and money by allowing for the use of the existing control system rather than requiring the install and rewiring for a new system like many competing products. Both the dimming and non-dimming versions have four color temperature options spanning from warm white to daylight white and three optical distribution options ranging from narrow flood to wide flood. Utilizing the available options the Mini AC can be customized to nearly any lighting application.

The Mini AC comes standard with a screw in E27 (edison) base, but is also available in a gimbal ring track fixture for easy installation into lighting tracks. Compatibility with track lighting fixtures makes the Mini AC the perfect LED lamp for use in retail and accent lighting environments.

Massachusetts Offers $11.4 Million to Help its Cities and Towns Convert to LED Streetlights

The state administration under Governor Charley Baker and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito of Massachusetts announced $11.4 million in grant funding to help Massachusetts cities and convert traditional streetlights to LEDs. Governor Baker recently signed an Executive Order that outlines a comprehensive approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and safeguarding residents, cities, and businesses from the impacts of climate change.

The state funding for the conversion is from the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) Rapid LED Streetlight Conversion Program. DOER has partnered with Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC), the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), Energy New England (ENE), and four Municipal Light Plant (MLP) communities to administer the grant funding to municipalities that currently own their traditional streetlights in hopes of accelerating streetlight conversions to LED-based luminaires.

Super Bright LEDs’ 100-Watt LED Canopy Light

The 100-Watt LED Canopy Light (part number: LS-CP100W) is part of Super Bright LEDs’ line of industrial lighting products. This DLC-Listed light available standard or with photocontrol option is suitable for applications such as security lighting, parking garage lighting, gas station lighting, low-bay warehouse lighting, and drive-thru lighting.super-bright-leds-100w-canopy-light-2. The 100-Watt LED Canopy Light fixtures use LEDs to emit 9,000 lumens of bright natural white light. They are equivalent replacements for 400-watt metal-halide (MH) fixtures but are designed to last three times longer.

The Evolution of the Light Bulb

The light bulb has come full circle. More than 150 years ago, the incandescent light bulb transformed the way we live—extending the workday, opening the door for new businesses, and altering the way we design homes and commercial buildings. While the technology evolved over the years, the light bulb became an everyday item, fading into the technological background. Then came the introduction of smart lighting, a catalyst that has taken the technology to a level that Edison could never have imagined, piquing the imagination and fascination of consumers and engineers alike. Lighting technology has evolved from the traditional incandescent light bulb to more energy-efficient technologies, such as halogen, fluorescent and light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs. Most recently, lighting technology has joined the Internet of Things (IoT), with bulbs incorporating sensing and communications to provide automated management, remote control and enhanced energy efficiency.

The story behind The Light Bulb Shop

Every time The Light Bulb Shop Manager Kelly McGary walks into a room, she said she notices the lights. Kelly runs the day-to-day operations of the Allandale shop her parents, Edwin and Traci McGary, have owned since she was 5 years old. The Light Bulb Shop sells everything from sewing machine bulbs to the fixtures that light The University of Texas tower. Edwin got into the light bulb business in the early 1980s as the owner of Lamar Wholesale Supply Inc. off North Burnet Road. As the demand for expert knowledge of lighting grew, so did the McGarys’ business, and they relocated several times, Kelly said.

Marysville to replace streetlights with LEDs

Lighting the night is about to get cheaper in Marysville. The city council recently approved a $211,801 contract with DTE Energy to install 646 LED streetlights in the city. DTE will be replacing 377 overhead-fed streetlights and 269 underground-fed streetlights with the LED lamps. “We allocated $250,000 for all-new streetlights in Marysville,” said City Manager Randy Fernandez, addressing the city council at its regular meeting on Nov. 28.

Wi-Fi smart lights let you set the mood or party down

While the most striking thing about Loftek-Sansi’s Wi-Fi Smart RGB LED bulb is that it changes colors in time to music, it also serves other purposes. Whether you have a fully connected smart home or just want to try a single bulb, this one can get you started.  Loftek-Sansi also makes a Wi-Fi Dual Color Temperature White Bulb if a full-color spectrum bulb with rhythm isn’t on your must-have list. The two lights share some characteristics and features. Both are 10-watt, 800 lumen LED bulbs suitable to replace 60-wattt incandescent light bulbs. Each has an E26 base — the standard size for most bulbs — and both are dimmable. The bulbs connect with and are controlled by an Android or iOS mobile app via Wi-Fi.

Lower cost of LEDs reduce profitability for manufacturing landscape

Although residential and commercial industries are widely adopting energy-efficient light emitting diodes (LEDs), the drop in LED prices is driving away manufacturers because of decreased profitability, dramatically dislocating and restructuring the solid-state lighting marketplace, says a new National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report.

Since the last Academies report in 2013 that assessed the state of solid-state lighting -- which uses diodes, a semiconductor technology, as an alternative light source to incandescent bulbs -- the annual residential installation of LED bulbs has increased sixfold between 2012 and 2014, from 13 million to 78 million. The report also cites the emergence of new applications for solid-state lighting that have the potential to create new markets and commercial opportunities for the industry, as well as add value to aspects related to quality of life. For example, product and lighting designers are exploring options that collect and process data from the illuminated environment and offer additional features to consumers.
Developing new products with multiple features that offer functions beyond illumination could promise higher margins for manufacturers, said the committee that conducted the study and wrote the new report.

The report warns that the successful proliferation of such applications would not focus on the reduction of energy consumption alone, but the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) should think of ways to continue to improve their efficiency, given their inevitable growth. The committee recommended developing strategies for supporting broader research that enables more efficient use of light across all applications, with attention to both the lighting design process and the design of lighting products.
With the possible emergence of new applications for solid state lighting, both consumers and industry need to be more fully educated about the transformative and broader implications of solid state lighting, the report highlights. To achieve this, DOE should partner with industry, states, and utility companies to develop and implement a public outreach program to deploy solid-state lighting.

Philips Hue vs. Lifx: Which color-changing smart bulb is best?

They're an expensive novelty, and a total smart home splurge with limited practicality beyond the sort of automated lighting control you can get from less expensive bulbs. And yet here we are, still inexplicably drawn to the things. There's just something charming about connected color control, a fun factor that you don't always see in the smart home category. And, if you're looking to buy in, you've got plenty of options at this point. Your top two: Philips Hue and Lifx. Both product lines are well-developed, with multiple generations of hardware under their belts, and both offer the sorts of color-changing smarts you're likely looking for.

LEDs Cut New York’s Christmas-Light Energy Needs by 35%

In December 1989, Clark Griswold’s impressive lighting display caused a peaking power plant to come on-line somewhere in Illinois. Fast-forward to 2016, however, and the Clark Griswolds of the world (or at least of New York state) have switched to LED string lights in droves. The technology revolution of this seasonal staple has resulted in a substantial drop in energy use. New York’s grid operator reported that holiday-light energy use has declined by about one-third from 2010, largely due to the switch to LEDs.

From Candles to Computers: A Brief History of Christmas Lights

It is difficult to talk about Christmas traditions without mentioning lights. Perhaps almost as difficult as it is to untangle the strings of bulbs that come out of your attic every December (or November if you are one of the more enthusiastic celebrators). However you might be surprised to learn that Christmas lights actually pre-date electricity. Long before the invention of the electric lightbulb, Christmas trees were glowing, and sometimes a little more than their owners intended. In England and Germany during the early 1800s, trees were decorated with wax candles attached to branches. As one might imagine, an open flame near dried-out wood inside the home did not make for the safest environment—a problem that was often remedied by simply placing buckets of sand and water around the tree to extinguish the occasional fire.

What You Need to Know About LED Bulbs

Just a few years ago, using energy efficient light bulbs meant, quite literally, going green—thanks to the ghoulish tint those spiral-shaped compact fluorescent bulbs cast. But with high tech LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs now selling at fairly affordable prices (about $6 to $10 per 75-watt equivalent bulb), you can easily lower your energy costs, help the environment, and illuminate your house with bright, white light. Still, buying the bulbs isn’t as simple as just shopping for the “watt equivalency” of the standard bulbs you’re replacing.

After complaints, Phoenix to install dimmer LED streetlights

After four years of installing LED streetlights, Phoenix responded recently to concerns that the harsh white lights could negatively affect human health, blind older drivers or block astronomers' views of the nighttime sky. These drawbacks have often overshadowed the environmental benefits as LEDs are expected to cut energy use in half. On Nov. 30, the City Council approved a contract with Ameresco, an energy-efficiency company, to install lower-intensity LED streetlights that shine a yellow or amber-looking light, rather than a jarring white or blueish stream

As dark streets get attention, plan calls for LEDs across Toledo

City leaders this month bemoaned the number of nonfunctioning streetlights residents fund through assessments, but a $10 million plan now in its infancy would change all the bulbs to modern LED fixtures, The Blade has learned. Paul Toth, Jr., president and chief executive officer of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, said the agency could finance switching the city’s 28,000 lights owned by Toledo Edison to LED.

Twist, a Smart Light Bulb that Combines AirPlay Audio and Transitional LED Lighting

Twist Home, a New York based company that set out to make the smart home simple, today announces the availability of the Twist Light, a biologically-correct LED light bulb that mimics the sun’s natural patterns, and the Twist Speaker, the first AirPlay controlled LED light bulb that also provides wireless audio. Twist is also pleased to be a launch partner of Thrive Global, a company founded by Arianna Huffington, whose mission is to end the epidemic of stress and burnout by offering companies and individuals sustainable, science-based solutions to enhance both well-being and performance.

Twist’s LED speaker and transitional light bulb combination makes the smart home attainable for everyone. Renters can finally enjoy the benefits of connected living and add an element of personalization without making any structural changes. Homeowners don’t need to make a significant financial investment to reap the benefits of a smart home. Twist’s simple, non-intrusive size doesn’t add any extra clutter to the home. With its wireless and installation-free design, Twist’s LED light bulb is compatible with standard light sockets, with no hub needed.

Getting Smart about Retail Lighting with LEDs

When it comes to retail operating costs, energy is one of the top three expenses. Lighting is of course a component of this, accounting for 50% of energy costs for non-food retailers. Each square foot of a typical retail store costs roughly $0.71/SF/year – a cost that quickly adds up at the store and chain level.1, 2, 3,. However, the lighting world has undergone a seismic shift in the past six years. LED technologies are now economically viable, and quickly replacing metal halide, fluorescent, and halogen technologies in many businesses. LEDs are five- to 10-times more efficient than halogen lighting, and LED fixtures can be 1.2- to 1.4-times more efficient than HID and fluorescent fixtures.

WAC Lighting Unveils Architecturally Scaled 4.5” Volta LED Downlight

WAC Lighting has unveiled an architecturally scaled family of luminaires engineered with precision that has resulted in sophisticated lighting designs. This high lumen family of fixtures enables lighting designers an advanced system for a clean, uncluttered ceilings with Invisible Trim options in high illuminance retail, hospitality and residential applications where comfortable ambiance is desired

LEDs to power flame on Gas Light Building

An iconic building in Milwaukee will shine just a bit brighter, thanks to improvements to its lighting. The owners of the Gas Light Building, 626 E. Wisconsin Ave., have equipped the flame-shaped light atop the 20-story office building with LED lighting. The lighting system will allow more “dynamic lighting schemes” to be projected on the building’s upper floors, according to a news release from Wangard Partners. The Milwaukee-based developer provides on-site management services for the property manager, Chicago-based M & J Wilkow.

Philips to sell majority interest in Lumileds

Royal Philips announced that it has signed an agreement to sell an 80.1% interest in Lumileds, a leading supplier of LED components and automotive lighting, to certain funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management. Philips will retain the remaining 19.9% interest in Lumileds. The transaction values Lumileds at an enterprise value of approximately USD 2 billion, including debt and debt-like items.

Philips expects to receive cash proceeds, before tax and transaction-related costs, of approximately USD 1.5 billion and participating preferred equity. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2017, subject to customary closing conditions, including the relevant regulatory approvals.

GE puts Amazon Alexa inside a funky table lamp

The C by GE LED Lamp is essentially a table lamp that will tell you the weather. It’s kind of like an Amazon Echo That also has a LED ring that arches over the top of the base/speaker. It’s still a prototype right now, but it should give you a pretty good idea of what the final version will look like.

Alipay expands across Europe

Another 930,000 European merchants will soon accept Alipay mobile payments at the point of sale, following partnerships between the company and some of Europe’s largest financial institutions and payment service providers. The Ant Financial-owned firm is collaborating with BNP Paribas, Barclays, UniCredit and SIX Payment Services to enable Chinese tourists to make payments using the Alipay barcode-scanning capability across the continent, providing its 450m users with “more opportunities to use its services across Europe”.

HB-LED Market to Reach $29 Billion by 2022

A new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, "HB-LED Market by Application and Geography-Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2014-2022," projects that the world HB-LED market would reach $29 billion by 2022 from $15 billion in 2015; growing at a CAGR of 10% from 2016 to 2022. In the year 2014, Asia-Pacific dominated the market and contributed more than 50% share of the overall market revenue, followed by North America. The presence of key market players in Asia-Pacific and rising HB-LED application, primarily in signs, display, and large screen backlighting have fueled the market growth.

Increasing HB-LED light applications in general lighting, cars, mobile, and large scale replacements of traditional lights as these are more cost-effective, energy-efficient, and offers longer life span drive the market growth. However, high initial investment could restrict the market growth. Moreover, it is anticipated that the rise in demand for lighting, coupled with rising government focus on energy conservation on photovoltaic technology would spur the global market growth.

In 2014, general lighting application segment dominated the global HB-LED market with over  46% share and is anticipated to maintain this lead in future as well. General lighting refers to the lighting systems that ensure the entire ambiance is lit correctly. This also includes the use of both artificial lightings such as lamps and light fixtures and natural illumination to reduce energy consumption. However, mobile application segment is anticipated to grow significantly and is expected to register a CAGR of 10.8% during the forecast period. This is due to various applications of HB-LED in mobile devices since it produces bright light with minimum electricity and instant responsiveness.

Lexus covered a car with 41,999 LEDs

How to have a brighter – and cheaper – Christmas with LED lights

Holiday lights surely brighten neighborhoods this time of year, but they can come with consequences – high energy bills. In an effort to cut the amount of electricity used to decorate homes and trees, a local energy consortium is offering to trade energy-efficient LED holiday lights for old, incandescent bulbs. LED lights, along with energy efficient starter kits, will be available at five community events over the next two weekends in Hemet, Murrieta, Canyon Lake, Wildomar and Norco.

Jake Dyson introduces hot new LED office lighting fixture

Jake has introduced a hotter, bigger fixture for the boardroom or office with the C-Beam fixture. It comes in two versions, a down-light that lays down a bright rectangle of light on the table, or an up-light version that casts a really bright wide pool of light. I checked it out at IIDEXCanada, the commercial interior show that is a shadow of its former self but still full of interesting things.

Create a Light Wall with These Magnetic and Modular LEDs

Stu Robarts at New Atlas profiles the Helios modular LED lighting system, which magnetically pieces together hexagonal LED light units on a wall. The individual lights can be turned on and off just by touching them. The modules measure 11 centimeters across and are .4 inches thick, and can be attached to the wall using either nails or adhesive pads. The magnets between each piece double as electrical connections, allowing power from one module plugged into an adapter to be relayed between up to 105 linked modules.

Phoenix City Council Replaces City Streetlights With LEDs

The Phoenix City Council voted unanimously last week to replace all of the city’s streetlights with energy efficient LEDs. The council approved a $30 million plan to convert 100,000 streetlights to LEDs over the next two years, according to a statement on the city’s website.

LED Christmas lights smart choice for saving energy

This is the time of year when many people are looking to decorate the house and trim the Christmas tree. If you like to decorate in a big way, you probably see a big spike in your electric bill this time of year, but with improvements in LED lighting technology recently, you can actually save a lot of money now. Those LED lights are right next to the incandescents on the store shelf, but they do cost more. News8 asked United Illuminating Program Administrator Lisa Sarubbi what LED lights actually give you for that extra money.

This LED Ring Light will make your photos look flawless

If you like photography, then you know there will always be more ways to up your game. Better lenses, camera bodies, and reflectors can make it so you don’t even need Photoshop at the end of the day. If you you don’t have much in your arsenal yet, this LimoStudio LED Ring Light should be able to help you out whether you’re doing portraits or product photography. It’s an LED circle light that will distribute the glow evenly so that every aspect of the subject matter is well illuminated. Faces appear flawless, products don’t have troubling shadows, and you can even dim the light if it’s a bit overkill.

US town converts 50,000 street lights to Cree LEDs

Hempstead in Nassau County, just east of New York City, is converting more than 50,000 high-pressure sodium fixtures to LED street lights from Cree. The project is expected to deliver two and a half-year payback with nearly $3 million in annual energy savings and $57 million in total lifetime savings. "The use of environmentally friendly technology is a win-win for the town," says Anthony Santino, Town of Hempstead supervisor. "The new LED luminaires generate significant energy savings that provide unprecedented environmental and fiscal benefits to benefit our town and residents."

More LED streetlights on the way

City Hall is expanding a pilot project that beefed up streetlights in six Sioux Falls neighborhoods with brighter and more efficient Light-emitting diode (LED) lamps last year. Of the 19,000 streetlights found throughout the city, only a few hundred of them are equipped with LED bulbs, which require about half as much electricity to run as traditional bulbs and have a life-span four times longer. But City Hall is looking to change that by setting aside about $350,000 in the 2017 budget to install up to 500 more of them next year.

With 28,000 LEDs, It’s Lights! Lights! Lights! Action!

Strung across the Metropolitan Opera’s stage on more than two dozen parallel strands, from the pit to the back wall, 28,000 colorful LEDs will create an ever-changing, sometimes tempestuous sea for the Met’s new production of the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho’s “L’Amour de Loin,” which opens on Thursday. The lights are the centerpiece of the staging by Robert Lepage, who runs the production company Ex Machina and has directed theater, films, circuses and the Met’s much-debated production of Wagner’s “Ring” cycle.

Early bulb and lamp designs feature in new book on light

The ‘lightbulb moment’ is an integral part of both artistic and scientific discovery. It’s fitting, then, that a series of images of some very early examples of these objects should feature in a new book examining how creative curiosity is at the heart of both art and science. In Findings On Light, the third title in the PARS Foundation’s ‘Atlas of Creative Thinking’ series published by Lars Müller, the focus is on how artists and scientists alike have attempted to analyse, understand, harness – and work with – light.

Magnetic and modular LEDs can cover a wall in light

Sometimes it would be useful, or even just cool, to be able to illuminate a whole wall. That is the principle behind the Helios modular LED lighting system, where hexagonal units can be joined together magnetically to cover any area and turned on or off individually by touch. The Helios system is similar to the Nanoleaf Aurora Smarter Kit, which uses 8.25 x 9.4 in (21 x 24 cm) triangular panels in a similar way. The hexagonal Helios modules are smaller, though, at 4.3 in (11 cm) across their longest span and 0.4-in (1-cm) thick, and do not feature the smart and color changing properties of the Nanoleaf system.

You'll Sleep Soundly Knowing There's a Death Star Lamp Next to Your Bed

Thanks to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the Death Star is en vogue again, which also means there’s no shortage of Death Star merchandise flooding the market. And despite it being a super weapon capable of extinguishing billions of lives with one blast, this Death Star lamp might make it easier to drift off to sleep at night if you’re stressed about other things. Packed inside both the 12-inch tall lamp’s shade, and miniature Death Star base, are white LEDs that won’t draw quite as much power as the real Death Star did, which relied on hypermatter reactors that eventually led to its destruction.