With the help of DOE funding, Cree has achieved significant advancements in LED luminaire efficacy, optics design, color tunability, and light utilization, which will enable ultra-high-efficacy luminaires with superior beam definition and control compared to conventional fixtures, leading to higher spatial light utilization based on application needs. In addition, the advanced scene-sensing and controls that Cree developed as part of the same project are expected to directly benefit automated dimming, which reduces time-averaged lighting-energy consumption.
Among the project’s achievements:
- Light engines composed of discrete emitters and efficient, robust narrow-band downconverters, which enabled peak warm-white luminous efficacy >200 lm/W. Such light engines are a step toward commercially viable ultra-high-efficacy luminaires that meet DOE’s ambitious efficacy projections for 2020 and beyond.
- Low-profile optical designs with highly uniform (≤0.003 Δu’v’) near- and far-field color mixing at high (>90%) optical efficiency and high asymmetry or uniformity. The scalable hybrid designs that were developed are expected to be utilized in a variety of indoor and outdoor luminaires.
- Ultra-compact color sensors providing real-time input for accurate (≤0.003 Δu’v’’) luminaire color-point control over a wide gamut range. These sensors may simplify factory color-point tuning, mitigate color-point drift over the lifetime of the luminaire, and increase inter-luminaire color consistency.
- Ultra-compact, low-cost scene sensors for accurate (<1% false-positive rate in low-light ambient) occupancy detection as input for autonomous dimming controls. Such dimming could enable >30% energy savings in several indoor lighting applications.
Cree’s DOE-supported innovation in these technology focus areas will set the stage for further development toward productization at Cree. In addition to foreseen U.S.-based manufacturing of program-derived technologies, Cree may also engage domestic manufacturers via contractual or licensed manufacturing agreements to quickly scale mass production. (May 2018)
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