The U.S. Department of Energy has published the April 2012 edition of the Solid-State Lighting R&D Multi-Year Program Plan (MYPP). The report provides a description of the activities the Department plans to undertake over the next several years to implement its SSL mission, and informs the development of annual SSL R&D funding opportunities.

The MYPP reviews SSL technology status and trends for both LEDs and organic LEDs (OLEDs) and offers an overview of the current DOE SSL R&D project portfolio. Significant updates to the Technology Research and Development Plan include revised efficiency projections, priorities, task descriptions, and metrics to align DOE targets with progress made to date and industry trends. Projections for efficacy were expanded to include estimates of likely trends and limits for both phosphor-converted LEDs and color-mixed LEDs. The pc-LED discussion was updated to consider optimization of phosphors, one of the R&D directions. Additional discussions of hybrid solutions, the effects of low or high current drive, and other design variables were added. The studies of cost and price trends were also updated. The proposed R&D priorities were explored in two sets of roundtables held in late 2011 as well as in breakout sessions held during the 2012 SSL R&D Workshop in Atlanta.

DOE will continue to update the MYPP on an annual basis, with input from industry partners and workshop attendees, to incorporate new analysis, progress, and new research priorities as science evolves.

Click here to download a PDF of the 2012 MYPP.