The application is due on August 17, 2009 at 3:00 Eastern Time. Please note: Important information regarding registration and other pre-submission requirements are included in the funding opportunity announcement (FOA). Please refer to the FOA for details.

Anticipated Notice of Selection: November 2, 2009
Anticipated Award Date: January 7, 2010
Total Funding Available: $11,500,000
Anticipated Number of Awards: 3-7
Award Instrument: Cooperative Agreements
Anticipated Award Size:

Area of Interest 1-5 (see below): DOE anticipates that awards will not exceed $900,000 (total DOE share per award) per year for up to two years.
Area of Interest 6 (see below): DOE anticipates that awards will not exceed $400,000 (total DOE share per award) per year for up to two years.

Eligibility Requirements

All types of domestic entities are eligible to apply, except other federal agencies, Federally Funded Research and Development Center Contractors, and nonprofit organizations described under Section 501 (c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995.

Program Description

Through this FOA the Department of Energy seeks to support the development of solid-state lighting (SSL) general illumination products that represent the state of the art in SSL performance. DOE has set aggressive and ambitious goals to develop advanced SSL technologies by 2025 that, when compared to conventional lighting technologies, are much more energy efficient, longer lasting, and cost-competitive by targeting a product system efficiency of 50 percent with lighting that accurately reproduces the sunlight spectrum.

Areas of Interest

Luminaires

1) LED Luminaire(s) for General Illumination: The DOE is seeking to fund research for integrated Light Emitting Diode (LED) luminaires for general illumination applications. Successful proposed luminaires shall include, but are not limited to, the LED light source(s), the driver and electronics, fixture or optics for control of light distribution. Proposed luminaire designs shall aspire to overcome the specific thermal management challenges identified at the 2009 SSL Workshop. Successful applications must demonstrate the potential to improve the efficiency of a luminaire beyond current efficacy targets.

2) OLED Luminaire(s) for General Illumination: The DOE is seeking to fund the development of Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) luminaires that incorporate and take maximum benefit of the many advantages of using OLEDs, such as efficacy, uniformly distributed emission and unique form factor. Successful applications to this area of interest shall completely integrate all aspects of OLED based luminaire design including thermal, mechanical, optical, and electrical into a cost effective, long life, energy saving, and marketable luminaire.

SSL Luminaire Components

3) High Efficiency LEDs or Arrays: The DOE is seeking to fund the development of high efficiency, high flux, packaged LED devices, arrays, or modules, possibly incorporating multiple LEDs to be used for general illumination. The DOE expects to improve LED efficacy through improved performance and efficiency. The expected products to be developed in this area of interest are LED lamps with improved IQE at wavelengths suitable for production of white light or LED arrays otherwise suitable for general illumination. Pre-production prototypes are a required deliverable for projects in this area of interest.

4) Phosphors: The DOE is seeking to fund the development of high efficiency phosphors or other materials which optimize white light production in high brightness phosphor-converted light emitting diodes (pcLEDs), including spectrum, color uniformity, color maintenance, thermal sensitivity and stability. Phosphor systems or alternative color-shifting materials with a broad visible emission spectrum pumped by blue or near UV sources with very high quantum yield, superior thermal quenching properties, and high optical system efficiency are sought to improve the efficacy of high color rendering, high brightness pcLED products.

5) OLED Substrates: The DOE is seeking to fund the development of alternative OLED substrates. This includes the demonstration of an alternative substrate material that is low cost, exhibits reduced water and oxygen permeability, and enables robust device operation at the high current densities required for SSL applications.

Stand-Alone Lighting Systems (Off-Grid)

6) Off-Grid Applications: The DOE is seeking to fund the development of off-grid products that use a combination of SSL, leading photovoltaic devices and batteries, or any other combination of renewable energy and storage. Product applications may include architectural façade lighting, remote outdoor lighting, marine applications, security illumination, emergency or portable lighting, or any other niche application that takes advantage of the unique properties of these emerging technologies.

Cost Sharing

DOE seeks cost share of 20% of the total allowable cost of the project. The cost share must come from non-federal sources unless otherwise allowed by law. However, DOE will accept cost share as low as 10%.