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Press Information
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October 9, 2007
PHILIPS SOLID-STATE LIGHTING SOLUTIONS WELCOMES ENERGY AWARNESS MONTH WITH SUPPORT FOR 2007 SOLAR DECATHLON
Burlington, MA - Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions, the new entity formed by Philips' acquisition of Color Kinetics, marks the nation's 16th annual Energy Awareness Month with continuing support for programs that increase awareness and use of energy-efficient LED lighting. Among these programs, the company will support the 2007 Solar Decathlon - an international competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions will provide a total of $19,500 in LED lighting equipment to the teams representing the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Maryland, who will compete to design, build and operate the most livable, energy-efficient, completely solar-powered house. The 2007 Solar Decathlon takes place October 12 - 20 at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
This event marks the latest in Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions' efforts to educate both the professional lighting community and the general public about the future role of LEDs as an energy-saving technology. According to Strategies Unlimited*, the market for high-brightness LEDs in illumination applications was $205 million in 2006, and is projected to reach $1 billion by 2011. This growth may be driven in part by increasingly stringent regulations, government initiatives and greater public consciousness of the need to curb energy strain - trends that collectively make energy-efficient LED sources a more attractive choice, particularly as the technology continues to advance.
"It's well known that electric lighting is a chief energy drain in buildings, yet LED sources are only just starting to garner public attention as a potential long-term solution," said Bill Sims, CEO, Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions. "It won't happen overnight, but we envision a future where LED systems will deliver both energy savings and digitally controllable illumination on a broad scale - bringing 'intelligence' to light in everyday applications. Education and demonstration are an important part of the adoption curve, and events like the Solar Decathlon help to inspire entirely new approaches to illumination through LEDs."
In another educational effort, on October 11 Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions' Kevin Dowling, VP of Innovation, will present "LED Essentials: Technology, Applications, Advantages, Disadvantages" - a webcast produced by the U.S. DOE's Solid-State Lighting Program. The webcast will provide a broad introduction to LED technology, current applications, future potential and the evolving path of LED technology from indicator lights to general illumination - a topic that perfectly suits the intentions of Energy Awareness Month.
On September 13, 1991, President George Bush proclaimed October as Energy Awareness Month. Since that time, the U.S. DOE has been conducting energy awareness campaigns that promote the wise and efficient use of our nation's energy.
Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions collaborates with the U.S. DOE in several ways. As a member of the Next Generation Lighting Industry Alliance, the company is helping the Department develop a technology roadmap and Energy Star criteria for LED lighting. The company also has been awarded a $1.7 million grant to develop LED-based replacement lamps for 60-watt incandescent sources that, at 80-lumens per watt, would meet or exceed the efficacy of nearly all conventional light sources. Additional information about the company's energy-related work is available at http://www.colorkinetics.com/energy/.
Additional information about the 2007 Solar Decathlon is available at http://www.solardecathlon.org/.
For more information or to register for the "LED Essentials" webcast, please visit http://www.netl.doe.gov/ssl/LEDEssentials.html
About Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions
Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions, the new entity formed by Philips’ acquisition of Color Kinetics, transforms environments through new, dynamic uses of light. Its award-winning lighting systems and technologies apply the benefits of LEDs as a highly efficient, long lasting, environmentally friendly, and inherently digital source of illumination - reinventing light itself as a highly controllable medium. Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions also enables widespread adoption of LED lighting through OEM and licensing partnerships in diverse markets. The company is headquartered in Burlington, MA with offices in the UK and China. More information is available at http://www.colorkinetics.com.
About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is a global leader in healthcare, lighting and consumer lifestyle, delivering products, services and solutions through the brand promise of “sense and simplicity.” Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs approximately 128,100 employees in more than 60 countries worldwide. With sales of EUR 27 billion in 2006, the company is a market leader in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring systems, energy efficient lighting solutions, personal care and home appliances, as well as consumer electronics. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.
*Strategies Unlimited figures as published in Voices for SSL Efficiency: Solid-State Lighting Workshop Report, U.S. Department of Energy, September 2007
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