Durham, NC, October 7, 2004--The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST; Gaithersburg, MD) Advanced Technology Program (ATP) through and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), on behalf of the US Department of Energy's Office of Building Technologies, have selected Cree to receive a combined total of $4.2 million in funding for solid-state lighting research and development. The two programs, which remain subject to the negotiation and execution of contract terms and conditions, aim to reduce cost and energy consumption for general lighting.
The ATP project goals include the ability to quadruple the brightness and double the efficiency of existing LED systems, and reduce the cost per lumen using a white LED lamp. The research will span three years and be conducted in cooperation with Nanocrystal Lighting Corporation. Cree announced that it was selected for the award based on the difficulty of the proposed project, the level of technical innovation required to accomplish the goal and the potential for significant benefits to the national economy.
The NETL project aims to provide a viable replacement for the energy inefficient incandescent light. This research and development program will also span three years targeting the development of an array of small-area LEDs with integrated optics, thermal management and electrical power handling circuitry.
"We are extremely pleased to have been awarded two highly sought-after grants from the ATP and NETL that give Cree the opportunity to accelerate the availability of affordable solid-state illumination technology," said Chuck Swoboda, Cree president and CEO. "The innovation resulting from these programs should create more energy-efficient and cost-effective products."