DoE Announces Prize For Solid-State Lighting

Via Slashdot

the US Department of Energy has announced a competition to develop efficient solid-state lighting technology. The “L Prize” program will allocate as much as $20 million in cash prizes for innovations to replace the common light bulb. Further details are available at the L Prize website. From the press release: “Lighting products meeting the competition requirements would consume just 17% of the energy used by most incandescent lamps in use today. The plan also includes a rigorous evaluation process, including testing of proposed products by independent laboratories (conducted through DOE’s CALiPER test program), as well as field evaluations by DOE and utility partners to assess products in real world conditions. Four major California utilities … have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with DOE, agreeing to work cooperatively to promote high-efficiency solid-state lighting technologies.”

Now why more government agencies do not offer these prizes and incentives for such things as alternative energy and alternative fuel is beyond me.