Signature Capability
Emerging Technology Deployment
The focus of the Emerging Technologies Program is on highly energy efficient products for residential and commercial buildings applications that have the potential for large energy savings on a national scale. The Program targets products requiring late-stage (two years or less) development prior to commercialization, as well as products recently commercialized, yet not established in the market.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) use a number of approaches to speed market introduction of new, energy-efficient products, including technology demonstrations, development of voluntary technical standards, product design competitions, and technology procurements.
Technology procurements, one of the more innovative approaches, pull new, highly efficient and affordable products into the marketplace through competitive procurements backed by large-volume buyers. Typical technology procurement projects take the following steps:
Organize selected large volume buyers and market influencers (such as utilities);
Interact with buyers to understand their business and technology needs in detail;
Develop technical specifications in consultation with both buyers and manufacturers of the technology;
Issue a competitive solicitation to potential manufacturers/suppliers, requesting their bids to provide new products meeting the specifications; and
Select one or more winners from those bids, then implement marketing and consumer education programs to maximize the purchase of the newly available products.
Successful projects include new apartment size refrigerators, subcompact fluorescent lamps, reflector compact fluorescent lamps, unitary air conditioners and other efficient products.
Sample of Current Emerging Technologies Project
Unitary Air ConditionerThe U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) responded to the need for greater availability of high-efficiency commercial packaged rooftop air conditioners for low-rise commercial-style buildings such as retail stores, schools, clinics, and offices. The DOE's Federal Energy Management (FEMP) and Building Technologies Programs worked in cooperation with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA; an arm of the U.S. Department of Defense) to stimulate buyer demand for this new generation of rooftop air conditioners that maximize cost-effectiveness, energy efficiency and performance.
For further information on the Unitary Air Conditioner Technology Procurement, contact Brad Hollomon, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), at (202) 646-5043.
CFL Downlights
The U.S. Department of Energy and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) organized a technology procurement to introduce into the marketplace highly energy-efficient downlight fixtures for homes. The program specifically promotes fixtures that are air tight, rated for use in insulated ceilings (IC-rated), and hard-wired for compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). A competitive solicitation was issued after an iterative process that included discussions with and reviews by lighting design experts, builders, retailers, utilities, and energy efficiency organizations.
As a result of this competitive solicitation several new, energy-efficient recessed downlights successfully completed 12 months of long-term cyclic (3 hours ON, 20 minutes OFF) laboratory testing, in a simulated insulated ceiling environment. The fixtures also passed a short-term (12 hour) thermal test. Recessed downlights by Technical Consumer Products (TCP) and PowerLux have successfully completed laboratory testing by PNNL. The TCP and PowerLux products are available in the market.
For information on CFL Downlights program, contact Jeff McCullough at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory at (509) 375-6317.
Reflector Compact Fluorescent Lamps (R-CFLs)
The U.S. Department of Energy and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) identified reflector compact fluorescent lamps (R-CFLs) as a candidate for a technology procurement. The need to increase the availability and use of highly energy-efficient reflector compact fluorescent lamps (R-CFLs) for use in insulated ceiling rated airtight (ICAT) fixtures into the marketplace was significant. PNNL met with potential large-volume buyers including builders, home centers, and government agencies to seek technical guidance and help with program design and to generate interest in the procurement. PNNL also met with product manufacturers, manufacturer trade associations, and suppliers to solicit their guidance and knowledge. After several months of industry involvement and feedback on draft minimum technical specifications, PNNL issued a request for proposals for R-CFLs intended for use in ICAT recessed can fixtures. Five manufacturers responded with proposals for 12 R-CFL models. PNNL evaluated each model for compliance with the minimum specifications, including short-term and long-term testing. Two lamps manufactured by Philips Lighting Company have met the stringent performance criteria. Both reflector flood models (20W SLS R40 and 16W EL/A BR-30) are part of Philips Marathon® line and are available through The Home Depot Supply (the business-to-business division of the Home Depot) via www.pnl.gov/r-lamps.
For test results and ordering information on this procurement, visit the R-CFL project website or contact Linda Sandahl at (503) 417-7554.
Lighting for Tomorrow Design Competition
Lighting for Tomorrow is a national lighting fixture design competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the American Lighting Association, and the Consortium for Energy Efficiency. The program's purpose is to increase the market presence of energy-efficient lighting fixtures for the home. Currently, it is difficult to find high-quality, decorative light fixtures that are also energy efficient. The competition aims to encourage fixture manufacturers to produce a range of new lighting fixtures that will complement home décor, provide high-quality light, and save consumers money by using less electricity.
The initial competition was launched in 2002 and completed in 2004. The organizers of Lighting for Tomorrow are planning the next phase of the program to be announced in January 2005.
For further information on Lighting for Tomorrow, contact Kelly Gordon, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), at (503) 417-7558.