Platte River Power Joins DOE Prize Partner Promoters

FORT COLLINS, COLO - Platte River Power Authority has joined with The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and seven other new partners agreeing to work cooperatively to promote the winners of the Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize competition. The L Prize is the first government-sponsored technology competition designed to spur lighting manufacturers to develop high quality, high-efficiency solid-state lighting (LED) products to replace the common light bulb. The L Prize competition aims to radically accelerate America's shift from inefficient, dated lighting products to innovative, high-performance products. Twenty-three energy efficiency organizations and utilities with presence in twenty-nine states from coast to coast are now on board to bring utility programs and other incentives for winning L Prize products.

"With the addition of these regions, partners will bring a big plus to the L Prize competition--the ability to reach more than 70% of U.S. electric customers," stated Jim Brodrick, SSL Program Manager for DOE. "When the first L Prize winner is named, this most tested, high-performance solid-state replacement lamp will be welcomed in a wide range of American markets, from the largest cities to Carolina beach towns and the Rockies." DOE's goal is to drive quality and energy efficiency up while bringing the cost of this technology down, leading to broader acceptance in the market.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced the competition to drastically reduce energy consumption in May 2008 as a result of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which directs DOE to establish the Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize (L Prize) competition. The legislation challenges industry to develop replacement technologies for today's most widely used and inefficient products: 60W incandescent lamps and PAR 38 halogen lamps, as well as development of a new "21st Century Lamp".

About the L Prize
The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 authorizes DOE to establish the Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize competition. The EISA legislation establishes basic requirements and prize amounts for each category. The legislation authorizes up to $20 million in cash prizes; the exact amount of the cash prize for each category will be determined based on DOE Congressional appropriations and supplemental contributions from foundations and utilities. In addition, potential opportunities for future federal purchasing agreements, utility programs, and other incentives for winning products may far exceed the value of the cash prize. For more details on the L Prize competition, visit www.lightingprize.org.

About DOE's Solid-State Lighting Program
As the lead federal agency for solid-state lighting activities, the U.S. Department of Energy has made a long-term commitment to accelerate the research, development, and market introduction of solid-state lighting. DOE-funded R&D projects drive breakthroughs in solid-state lighting efficiency and performance. DOE's market introduction strategies are closely aligned with research progress to help buyers differentiate good products in good applications, and avoid early buyer dissatisfaction and delay of market development. DOE CALiPER testing of commercially available solid-state lighting products provides unbiased information on product performance. DOE GATEWAY demonstrations showcase solid-state lighting products in real commercial and residential installations. The DOE ENERGY STAR® criteria for solid-state lighting products help buyers identify energy-saving products and make informed decisions. The first ENERGY STAR-labeled solid-state lighting products arrived on the market in early 2009. To learn more about DOE's solid-state lighting program, visit www.ssl.energy.gov.

Platte River Power Authority generates and delivers reliable, low-cost and environmentally responsible electricity to its owner communities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, Colorado, where it is distributed by each municipal utility to residents and businesses. For more information, please visit, www.prpa.org.

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