EdisonReport Commentary on L Prize as well as Zia Eftekhar’s exclusive comments to EdisonReport.
The L Prize from the DOE is a big deal because it is a complete package. This is not a government give-away; rather it is a comprehensive program to incentify companies to develop SSL technology, to validate that technology, and now to help promote tha technology. The L Prize is performance based and not political.
There are four components worth noting: First, the Philips lamps underwent 18 months of rigorous testing by several independent organizations. It may be the most independent tested lamp in history. Second, there are 31 partners, mainly utilities, which have signed up to promote the winner. It does not do any good to have a product that no one will buy. Having these partners on board before Philips was announced as the winner will go a long way towards adoption. Third, Philips will receive huge recognition and bragging rights. Fourth, and least important, Philips will receive $10 million from the DOE, hopefully to reinvest in future products.
Your humble editor caught up with Zia Eftekhar, CEO of Philips Lighting North America, this morning. Below are his exclusive comments to the EdisonReport:
“We are honored to be receiving the L Prize award, but more importantly, to be to the first to create an innovative lighting product that can have a meaningful impact on our energy usage as a country. Philips has made a serious commitment to research, develop andenergy efficient lighting solutions such as LED. To us, the L Prize was an investment in the future of LED lighting, our company and the country. Already the lessons we have learned from developing the L Prize have become the basis for our new commercially available LED bulbs, helping us to give consumers a whole new range of energy-efficient lighting options.”
Read the unexclusive comments in an industry email from Jim Brodrick.