Ella Shum of Strategies Unlimited opened the event with a more in-depth review of the HB-LED market numbers presented yesterday. She explained that some of the downturn in the LED TV-backlighting market is due to new designs entering the market, especially low-cost, direct backlighting schemes. These designs, which result in thicker panels (so-called "chubby" TVs) compared with slim edge-lit designs, actually use a smaller number of LEDs.

Ling Wu, general secretary of the China Solid-State Lighting Alliance (CSA), spoke about the continued development and expansion of China's SSL industry, which she said had revenues of RMB 156 billion in 2011. This split into RMB 6.5 billion for epitaxial wafers and chips, 28.5 billion for packaged LEDs, and RMB 121 billion. The Chinese industry is maturing rapidly, and there is plenty of work to build a portfolio of standards, improve the intellectual-property situation, and stimulate international cooperation.

Chung Hoon Lee, the CEO of Korea-based LED maker Seoul Semiconductor, spoke about the factors that have seen three of the country's LED makers in the top-five suppliers' list for 2011. "This was driven by backlighting unit (BLU) demand, local infrastructure and geopolitical issues," he said.

Now these companies must react rapidly, targeting the lighting market. Seoul already has a much larger proportion of its revenue from the lighting market, said Lee. He also discussed Ariche, the company's AC-LED product, saying that this could allow LED- lamp makers to eliminate a lot of the "junk" inside the lamp needed to drive the LED.

Soraa, a stealthy start-up, chose Strategies in Light to make a first public appearance. Eric Kim explained the company's first product is an MR16 LED lamp designed to replace a 50W halogen. However, the company's core innovation is to develop GaN-on-GaN LEDs. Because the LED material has a 1000-fold reduction in dislocation density, the LEDs can be driven much harder than traditional LEDs, while suffering much less droop (the drop-off in efficiency at higher current densities).

There are a whole range of ways in which the GaN-on-GaN LEDs are different from more conventional devices, not least the triangular chips. But a number of observers were sceptical due to the high cost of the GaN starting material. Look for a more detailed review of Soraa's technology and products in LEDs Magazine in the near future.

A session on phosphors included a presentation by Seth Coe-Sullivan of QD Vision, on quantum-dot technology. While presenting results showing significant improvements in reliability, in terms of flux and temperature tolerances, Coe-Sullivan acknowledged that quantum dots for down-conversion of LEDs can only be used in a remote configuration. On-chip coating of the LED would result in a temperature and flux that was far too high.

Rene Wegh further discussed remote-phosphor configurations, stating that the main benefit is enhanced system efficacy. For warm-white LEDs at 2700K, the benefit can easily amount to a 30% enhancement. Also, the LEDs are not affected by the heat energy generated within the phosphor as downconversion takes place, so they remain cooler, and can be driven harder. Philips has made extensive use of remote phosphors in its LED lamps and also its Fortimo modules. Wegh said that quantum dots and organic dyes were good candidates as alternative phosphor materials, but that lifetime was an issue in both cases.
 

Area businesses both large and small are targeting utility bills as a way to cut costs.

Cargill, the nation's second-largest beef supplier, recently completed a $4.2 million lighting and boiler upgrade at its Schuyler processing plant.

The company anticipates the switch to more-efficient fluorescent lighting at the 500,000-square-foot facility will reduce its annual electricity usage by more than 2 million kilowatt-hours - enough power to run 174 homes for a year.

It's also a money-saver for Cargill, which employs more than 2,000 people in Schuyler.

"While there are cost savings now, we anticipate that they will increase as energy costs continue to escalate," said spokesman Mike Martin, who declined to provide an exact savings figure.

Cargill began evaluating its energy usage about 15 years ago, and has since undertaken several projects to reduce its carbon footprint and cut operating costs.

"We've seen significant price escalation for energy over that time, making these investments more attractive to help us remain competitive for our meat products in the Nebraska and global marketplaces," Martin said.

A new boiler, also part of the project that began last year, will improve the Schuyler plant's steam efficiency nearly 11 percent, further reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, according to the company.

Two years ago Cargill instituted an energy management system that resulted in an additional 4 percent improvement in electrical efficiency, as well as a 5 percent improvement in fuel efficiency and 7 percent reduction in water use.

The Schuyler plant, which processes approximately 1 million head of cattle annually, also upgraded its wastewater treatment facility 10 years ago, allowing captured methane to be used as a fuel source. Biogas now provides 30 percent of the plant's total fuel needs, reducing the demand for natural gas.

"As we have seen energy cost increases outpace other operating costs, it is continually more attractive to invest in our energy and resource infrastructure, which also helps us to achieve carbon efficiency improvements," said Scott Hartter, vice president for environment, health and safety.

Lighting upgrades at Cargill's Schuyler plant were supported by a program that's quickly gaining in popularity.

Cargill received around $220,000 from the EnergyWise program, started in late 2008 as a way for Nebraska Public Power District and its wholesale and retail customers to provide incentives for energy-efficiency projects.

This program also helped Eye Physicians PC and Columbus Surgery Center revamp the HVAC system at its 16,500-square-foot building in May 2010.

 When Louis and Vanessa Farmer walk outside their South Peoria home, they notice a nearby street light isn't working.

"This one is blacked out," Louis Farmer said Wednesday, pointing to the light at Spring Aire Court and Spring Hollow Lane within Spring Grove subdivision. "It's too dark."

A new street lighting system for the subdivision could be coming since it was deemed one of 15 projects listed as either "eligible" or "possibly eligible" within a group of items that could be funded with money from the Southtown tax increment financing district.

The list, which was whittled down from 42 items suggested by residents during a town hall meeting Thursday, will be presented to the Peoria City Council on Tuesday.

"What we need to do as we go forward with that is really look at (the items) and what the scope is," City Manager Patrick Urich said.

Six items are "clearly eligible for TIF funding," and they include the Spring Grove lighting project, renovations to George Washington Carver Community Center, improving a section of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, fixing the MacArthur Highway bridge, upgrading fencing between Spring Grove and CityScape apartments and revamping sidewalks and alleys throughout the district.

"Clearly identifying the low-hanging fruit (should) be considered now and moved forward on," 1st District Councilman Clyde Gulley said, referring to work to Carver Center and the Spring Grove lights. "Those things are clearly fundable and should be considered."

Included on the list of projects possibly eligible for TIF money is extending Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to Gen. Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport. That project, identified in the city's long-term capital works plan, costs about $9 million.

Almost none of the projects has a financial estimate, and it's unknown how long some of them might take to complete.

Also, it's unclear whether some of the projects are needed. For instance, city Public Works officials said the MacArthur Highway bridge is deteriorating somewhat, but is not in dire need for repairs.

Last week's town hall meeting and the city's subsequent analysis resulted from an outcry of residents who attended the council's Jan. 24 meeting protesting the use of Southtown TIF district money to reduce the city's obligation on the Marriott hotel project, which is located in an adjacent TIF district.

East Peoria's business community has been known for its rapid growth, but it received an honor for a different reason last week.

On Jan. 23, Ameren CILCO announced that East Peoria was one of four municipalities to be given the "Most Progressive Local City" award.

This award recognizes cities that have a significant number of businesses participating in Ameren's Act On Energy program. This initiative incentivizes businesses and organizations that complete environmentally-friendly projects for their workplace.

"A lot of businesses in East Peoria took advantage of the rebates Ameren offered and basically got a lot of their rebates through the projects," said Robert Cole, facilities manager for East Peoria.

Over the recorded time period for the project, 23 businesses in East Peoria completed 30 projects that Ameren offered. The businesses received $241,143 in incentives and the  projects saved 7.9 million killowatt-hours annually.

Cole said the East Peoria city officials take the implementation of green initiatives seriously.

"Everyone works together," he said. "It's fluid that everyone understands that it is important to save costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the city."

Examples of projects that businesses have completed include installing energy efficient lighting, refrigeration, motor systems and HVAC systems. One of the city's projects was the fire department's installation of an infrared heater, which East Peoria Mayor Dave Mingus said is "more efficient and effective."

"(The award) is significant because as a community we are reducing energy costs and it does help us to be more competitive with our pricing," Mingus said. "It was encouraging to see 30 community projects."

Officials from Ameren added that businesses and organizations can save money through the projects.

"Our business customers can realize significant savings when they participate in our program," said Cheryl Miller, the business program manager for Act on Energy in a press release. "Replacing a standard T-12 fluorescent light fixture with a high-efficiency T-8 light fixture can reduce electricity consumption by 33 percent."

This innovative SFE system will become standard equipment on the Boeing 737 NG family of airplanes, as well as the 737 MAX. Our proprietary lavatory systems create the opportunity to add up to 6 incremental passenger seats on each new 737 airplane and integrate a number of B/E Aerospace innovative products, including our technologically-advanced Aircraft Ecosystems vacuum toilet, our long-life LED lighting and our tamperproof state-of-the-art lavatory oxygen system.

We expect to begin delivering our modular lav systems for Delta Airlines' new-buy 737s in the third quarter of 2013, and for deliveries to ramp up thereafter in an orderly fashion.