Beginning in 2005, 50 hybrid solar lighting (HSL) systems will be installed, monitored, and evaluated across the United States for one year. Several organizations have already signed up to participate in the field trial program. We invite your organization to consider participating as well.
Conceptual Illustration of a
Hybrid Solar Lighting (HSL) System
HSL uses natural and electric light sources together to illuminate interior spaces. Control systems continually monitor how much natural light is available and adjust electric light output accordingly. Electricity is conserved during daytime peak demand periods in proportion to the amount of sunlight available. Each HSL system will illuminate 750 to 1000 square feet of floor space, depending on the lighting requirements of the space being illuminated. ORNL’s field-trial demonstration goals are to demonstrate technical feasibility and energy-savings potential, expose HSL technology to users and stakeholders, acquire field data on HSL equipment and installation, operation, and maintenance processes, and help bridge the gap between R&D and commercialization by creating an initial market for HSL.
In addition to the positive environmental impacts involved, participants in the field trial demonstration program reap many benefits.
- Host partners can
- lower energy costs,
- improve lighting quality,
- increase sales as a result of customer lighting satisfaction, and
- garner national exposure in a cutting-edge R&D program.
- State energy offices can
- facilitate the introduction of new clean-energy technology,
- garner national exposure in cutting-edge R&D program.
- Utilities/distributors will be able to investigate a new technology with the potential to reduce peak demand loads.
HSL components are commercially available, but the system, with all components assembled as a bundled package, is not yet commercially available. During this field trial demonstration program, a start-up company in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Sunlight Direct (http://www.sunlight-direct.com) working with ORNL, will purchase, install, and calibrate the HSL systems. ORNL has patents pending on the three HSL technologies and anticipates that the bundled package will be commercially available by 2007. Following are the co-sponsorship opportunities for participating in the 2005 field trial demonstration program.
To date, 12 sites have signed up and provided cost-share funds to participate in the field trial program (see graphic for locations). The performance data from the field trial program will be collected and published by ORNL.
At the present time, Sunlight Direct, LLC, is the only commercial source for hybrid solar lighting systems that we are aware of. Therefore, we are referring you to Sunlight Direct for information on the acquisition, installation, and monitoring of a system in connection with the Field Trial Demonstration Program.
In the interests of full disclosure, you are advised that Sunlight Direct is a small business formed by Dr. Duncan Earl, who is an ORNL employee. Dr. Earl is a co-inventor of the technology, and he continues to play a vital role in ORNL's HSL program. In addition, ORNL has a small equity interest in Sunlight Direct as result of licensing activities. All money that ORNL receives from Sunlight Direct through licensing will be used to support ORNL's research programs, technology transfer efforts, and economic development activities.
Application to Particpate in Field Trial Demonstrations (PDF fillable form)
For more information on the field trial program, please contact:
Melissa Voss Lapsa, Manager
Solar Technologies Program
Engineering Science & Technology Division
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
P.O. Box 2008, Building 5800
Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6054
Phone: 865-576-8620
Fax: 865-576-0279
lapsamv@ornl.gov
