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Solid State Lighting

Today's electronics are changing the way we light our homes, businesses, factories, parking lots and roadways. Traditional high-intensity discharge lighting systems such as metal halide, high-pressure sodium and mercury vapor are being challenged by new electronic lighting sources such as light-emitting diode, or LED, and induction systems. As improvements in technology and manufacturing processes develop, more and more solid state lighting products are finding their way to the marketplace.

Light-Emitting Diodes
A light-emitting diode is a semi-conductor light source, which consists of an electronic chip that produces a visible white light, an electronic engine or driver and a housing to contain the components. The electronic chips are grouped together in an array to produce the required light output.

Initial costs of LEDs are higher than traditional light sources; however, the cost of LEDs is beginning to decline. LEDs offer energy savings, daylight-like quality, instant-on and a longer life span than traditional sources. From jewelry-case lighting to high-mounted parking lot and roadway lighting, LEDs may be useful in several applications, with refrigerated cases and cold storage warehouses being ideal. Prior to purchasing LEDs, review product test data, as not all LEDs are created equally.

Induction Lighting
Induction lighting technology has been commercially available for more than 15 years and offers better light quality than traditional high-intensity discharge sources such as high-pressure sodium and mercury vapor. Its electrodeless fluorescent lamp is designed to offer long life and reduced maintenance costs, and is a good choice in applications such as general outdoor lighting, roadways, bridges, tunnels and other areas that are difficult to maintain.

Grants and Rebates
Municipalities in MidAmerican Energy's Iowa electric service territory may be eligible for MidAmerican Energy-funded solid state lighting streetlight project grants. Review the grant application for project parameters.

Iowa electric business customers in MidAmerican Energy's service territory may be eligible for direct rebates through MidAmerican Energy's Custom Systems program; preapproval is required. To receive a direct rebate, the solid state lighting product must be tested in accordance with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America's LM-79 & LM-80 procedures.

Additional Resources
Visit the following to learn more about solid state lighting:

• Solid state lighting case study – Read the outdoor LED demonstration and business case report of MidAmerican Energy's partnership with the city of Bettendorf, Iowa. The collaborative project between MidAmerican Energy and the city could deliver up to a 49 percent energy savings to the city. The report includes information on Iowa's policy on energy-efficient solid state lighting, solid state lighting basics, the city's LED conversion, illumination comparisons, projected energy savings and a lifecycle cost analysis.
• U.S. Department of Energy – This site features information on solid state lighting research and development projects, market-based programs and the use of LEDs.
• Consortium for Energy Efficiency – The Consortium for Energy Efficiency consists of administrators from the U.S. and Canada who work together to advance energy efficiency. This link features a useful, unbiased position paper on solid state lighting. Links to solid state lighting information are listed at the end of the paper.
• Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance – The Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance is a network of members dedicated to raising awareness of and advancing energy efficiency programs and policies in the Midwest. This site features solid state lighting information.