http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/articles/i/5170/?cid=3

The US Department of Energy has announced funding of $7 million for three innovative lighting projects as part of the Obama Administration's 'all of the above' energy strategy.

The three projects led by companies in California, Michigan and North Carolina aim to low the cost of manufacturing high-efficiency solid-state lighting technologies like light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic LEDs (OLEDs) based on polymeric - or plastic - materials.

LEDs and OLEDs, which are around ten times more energy efficient than traditional incandescent lighting and can last 25 times longer, have the potential to cut US electricity use on lighting by nearly a half by 2030, saving up to $30 billion a year.

The three two-year projects led by Cree, KLA-Tencor and k-Space Associates will leverage an additional $5 million in matching funds to improve manufacturing equipment, processes or monitoring techniques.

"Partnering with private industry... [these] investments will help expand lighting choices for consumers, reduce the nation's energy use, and drive down costs for American lighting manufacturers and the families and businesses that buy their products," says Energy Secretary Steven Chu.