The rapidly changing landscape of lighting in the U.S., largely due to the widespread acceptance of light-emitting diode (LED) technology, has opened a universe of new possibilities regarding LED replacement lamps. There are 144 million high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps in the U.S., representing only 2% of the installed lamp inventory. However, HID lamps have a significant impact on energy use, consuming 26% of lighting energy nationwide. HID lamps are used primarily in outdoor applications such as roadways, parking lots and building exteriors, but are also used in commercial interior and industrial applications. Mogul base LED replacement lamps are currently being marketed as equivalent replacements for incumbent HID lamps.

Replacing HID lamps with those utilizing LED technology could potentially provide a substantial reduction in energy use; however, there is a critical need for objective technical information regarding the many LED replacement options currently available. In response, the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been conducting evaluations of LED replacement lamps, most recently, those with a mogul base. For this project, LRC conducted market characterization and performance testing of mogul base LED lamps to support cost-effective retrofits for multiple types of lighting applications, from high bay and post top, to wall pack, yard light, and cobra head.

LRC recently completed Phase 1 of the project, and has authored a new report which provides details of the market characterization and pilot photometric testing of 18 representative mogul base LED lamps alone and in luminaires. LRC also conducted a comprehensive survey of specifiers to identify key considerations for lamp selection and relevant luminaire performance characteristics for various lighting applications (e.g., light output, intensity distribution, size), to support the development of a performance testing plan, the results of which are also included in the report. Phase 2 is now underway, consisting of additional performance testing of mogul base LED lamps in representative luminaire types. The results of Phase 2 testing will be released as they become available.

The report was funded by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) as an assessment of the state of technology development and the potential for emerging technologies to increase the efficiency of electricity use. BPA is undertaking a multi-year effort to identify, assess and develop emerging technologies with significant potential for contributing to efficient use of electric power resources in the Northwest.

“The market is changing so rapidly—and with any new product, it’s important to understand the full range of quality and performance available to consumers,” said John Wilson, Commercial & Industrial Lighting Program Manager at the Bonneville Power Administration. “This research will help utilities in the Pacific Northwest to make smart and reliable investments in energy efficiency.”

LRC found that only 4 of the 18 lamps met the minimum DesignLights Consortium Qualified Products List criteria for retrofit kits when the lamps were placed in area lighting and roadway luminaires. The lamps tested in wall pack and high bay luminaires did not meet the applicable minimum efficacy criteria for retrofit kits.

The report is available free to the public here.
 
About the Lighting Research Center
The Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is the world's leading center for lighting research and education. Established in 1988 by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the LRC has been pioneering research in energy and the environment, light and health, transportation lighting and safety, and solid-state lighting for more than 25 years.
In 1990, the LRC became the first university research center to offer graduate degrees in lighting and today the LRC offers both a M.S. in lighting as well as a Ph.D. to educate future leaders in lighting. Internationally recognized as the preeminent source for objective information on all aspects of lighting technology and application, LRC researchers conduct independent, third-party testing of lighting products in the LRC's state of the art photometric laboratories, the only university lighting laboratories accredited by the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP Lab Code: 200480-0). LRC researchers are continuously working to develop new and better ways to measure the value of light and lighting systems, such as the effect of light on human health, and the effect of light on plant physiology.
The LRC believes that by accurately matching the lighting technology and application to the needs of the end user, it is possible to design lighting that benefits both society and the environment.

About Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1824, is the nation's oldest technological university. The university offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in engineering, the sciences, information technology, architecture, management, and the humanities and social sciences. Institute programs serve undergraduates, graduate students, and working professionals around the world. Rensselaer faculty are known for pre-eminence in research conducted in a wide range of fields, with particular emphasis in biotechnology, nanotechnology, information technology, and the media arts and technology. The Institute is well known for its success in the transfer of technology from the laboratory to the marketplace so that new discoveries and inventions benefit human life, protect the environment, and strengthen economic development.