Comments on: Cree to Light Up Pentagon With 4,200 LED Fixtures

By: Cree’s LEDs and the Pentagon | Jim On Light

Cree’s LEDs and the Pentagon | Jim On Light — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:01:29 +0000

[...] Thanks to CleanTechnica, EcoGeek, and Earth2Tech! [...]

By: Cree’s Outlook a Bright Spot in Murky Economy « Earth2Tech

Cree’s Outlook a Bright Spot in Murky Economy « Earth2Tech — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:00:41 +0000

[...] on U.S. infrastructure. Swoboda said recent lighting projects at the Federal Reserve building and the Pentagon could be leveraged into other deals. If we can get momentum from some of the applications that we [...]

By: Pentagon to Get Over 4,000 LED Fixtures : CleanTechnica

Pentagon to Get Over 4,000 LED Fixtures : CleanTechnica — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 09:01:17 +0000

[...] on the deal have been very hush-hush, as one would expect from the Pentagon, but Cree did say the fixtures would cost about $380 apiece. Funding comes from Title III, a [...]

By: Acme Fixer

Acme Fixer — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:39:33 +0000

Anthony said: "I would assume that the LED fixtures will last for much longer (30 years) without maintenance, since solid state devices either fail immediately or last for their designed lifetime."

HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!!

Solid state devices fail just like everything else. In case you haven't noticed (all you have to do is walk down a hallway and count the dead fluorescent fixtures), the newer solid state 'electronic' ballasts fail just like the older transformer ballasts. They just don't smell as much.

The LED lights have 'initial lumens', and in a few thousand hours, they will not be as bright as when new. Notice I said 'will not', not 'may not.' That's because I read the datasheet for the LEDs, and that's exactly what it says in the datasheet.

In my experience, after a few thousand hours most white LED lights grow so dim they're worthless for illumination. I have one that, after the first few months, is less than 10% of its original light. It's absolutely pathetic.

Thanks for the laugh.

By: EnergyByEarth.com » Cree to Light Up Pentagon, Save 22% of Power

EnergyByEarth.com » Cree to Light Up Pentagon, Save 22% of Power — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:03:32 +0000

[...] Earth2Tech Share and [...]

By: Cree to Light Up Pentagon, Save 22% of Power » Dekalb Academy of Technology & the Environment

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 02:26:57 +0000

[...] Earth2Tech [...]

By: Anthony

Anthony — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:56:45 +0000

I would assume that the FL bulbs will last 3 years each, plus ballast replacement costs as those go bad (5-10 years?). So those costs need to be factored in.

I would assume that the LED fixtures will last for much longer (30 years) without maintenance, since solid state devices either fail immediately or last for their designed lifetime.

Plus, you can have less building maintenance staff because they wont need to be repairing/replacing light bulbs and such.

I'd agree that you need to have everything come together to come out on the money saving side of the equation, but it doesn't seem that far fetched.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:26:54 +0000

Well, according to CREE, the units draw about 50 Watts. So 22% more would be about 64 Watts. Assuming 12 hours on per day, 365 days per year. Savings would be (at 10 cents per kiloWatt-hour) 1436512*$0.10/1000 = $6.13 per unit, per year. If the lights are on 24/7, that would be $12.25 per year.

I agree that the light is higher quality (it seems whiter) but still..... Assuming the CFL unit cost $100, then the payoff time is about 20 years.

By: CNCMike

CNCMike — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:10:57 +0000

22% energy savings should pay for the difference in price compared to a fluorescent fixture in a year or two, plus they put out more light, higher quality light and you will probably never change another bulb in your lifetime.

By: Clean Future Energy - Clean Future Energy

Clean Future Energy - Clean Future Energy — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:35:16 +0000

[...] Now we hear that the Pentagon is to install 4,200 of them in a part of the building being refurbished. Defense Department officials signed an agreement today for the company to supply more than 4,200 recessed LED fixtures for part of the Pentagon called Wedge 5. According to Cree, the so-called LR24 luminaires have delivered 22 percent energy savings in government testing. [...]

By: Pentagon to Receive LED Lights from Cree | Defense Procurement News

Pentagon to Receive LED Lights from Cree | Defense Procurement News — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:24:56 +0000

[...] Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights from Cree as part of energy conserving measures. The story is reported at earth2tech.com. It is estimated that these lights save over twenty percent on costs as regular lighting. No value [...]

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:14:05 +0000

$380 for a light fixture? Gee, the Pentagon could almost buy a hammer for that much money!

Seriously, I certainly hope they are achieving more than a 22% energy savings (compared with fluorescents, I assume) as the economics do not seem to make much sense to me.