Online documentary demonstrates company’s technology moving from lab bench to socket
December 7, 2009 SEATTLE – Vu1 Corporation (OTCBB: VUOC) today posted an updated documentary in which the company’s Electron Stimulated Luminescence™ (ESL™) lighting technology is shown in a self-contained model of a screw-in bulb for the first time. The three minute video features an updated demonstration of ESL with all the electronics contained inside the light bulb which screws into any standard Edisonian style light socket. This demonstration is an important milestone as the company continues down the path to commercialize its first application of ESL, a fully functional replacement for existing “R-30” reflector bulbs. The video update is now available for public viewing at: http://www.vu1.com/ESLupdate.
“Demonstrating our technology’s ability to function as a stand-alone bulb is an important step as we move into the next key phase - miniaturization of the electronics in preparation for pilot production,” said R. Gale Sellers, CEO of Vu1. “We are now focused on transitioning our initial bulb design toward a market-ready product so consumers don’t have to compromise on safety, energy efficiency or light quality when choosing their light bulbs.”
Vu1’s ESL is the cornerstone to the company’s development of the next generation of energy efficient lighting technology. As governments around the world begin to mandate the use of energy efficient light bulbs consumers are faced with few good alternatives due to the environmental hazards of mercury, limited features, price concerns and poor light quality associated with other lighting sources such as Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) or Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).
ESL will offer the full features of incandescent lights, such as the high light quality and color demanded by consumers, instant on, and true dimability, all in an attractive bulb design but without the use of dangerous mercury. Vu1 plans to focus initially on the R-30 reflector bulb market and, assuming adequate funding the company will target reaching the market in the second half of 2010.
Vu1 has recently applied for a patent utilizing ESL technology in a linear fluorescent tube shape, the most common lighting in commercial buildings. Currently there are more than 1.5 billion fluorescent tube fixtures in the United States alone. The company has recently begun work on an affordable, incandescent light quality, dimmable, mercury free replacement for the common fluorescent tube.
More information on the Vu1 and energy efficient ESL lighting can be found on the company’s blog at: http://vu1corp.blogspot.com.
About Vu1 Corporation
Vu1 Corporation (OTCBB: VUOC) is dedicated to applying its technology to produce energy efficient, environmentally-friendly lighting solutions worldwide. Vu1 is developing a new, energy efficient light bulb to provide the consumer market with the first affordable, non-toxic light bulb with features consumers are demanding and not receiving from existing products. More information about Vu1 is available at: http://www.vu1.com/.
This news release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities discussed herein. These securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release is being issued pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 135c under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release includes forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, the future commercial availability of our light bulb, our strategic planning and business development plans and the viability, pricing and acceptance of our products in the market. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The words "may," "would," "will," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "intend", “scheduled” and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's ability to control. These risks include, but are not limited to, our ability to raise capital to fund ongoing development and operations, completing our manufacturing capability, the price and availability of raw materials for manufacturing, timing and results of product development and certification of our product, unanticipated costs and delays in product development and manufacturing, our ability to hire and retain key management and technical personnel, interest of channel partners, competitive factors, and our ability to manage growth, as well as the risks and other factors set forth in our periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (including our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 and our other periodic reports as filed from time to time).
Monday, December 7, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
ClimateChangeCorp.com: India's CFL programme: A logistics challenge for lighting
ClimateChangeCorp.com | Opinion
India's CFL programme: A logistics challenge for lighting
6 Apr 2009 | Author: Preeti Malhotra, Climate Group
CFLs are spreading in India courtesy of a government programme financed by the carbon markets - but technical problems threaten to hinder the scheme
India's Prime Minister announced the Bachat Lamp Yojana - the scheme to phase out incandescent bulbs from homes across India and replace them with Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) - in July 2007 at the first meeting of his Council on Climate Change.
The scheme was to be launched in August of the same year, coinciding with the celebrations of India's independence. However, it took the government more than a year to formally launch the scheme. It finally did, in February 2009. The programme envisages providing CFL lamps at a discount of over 70%, Rs 15 as opposed to a market price of anywhere between Rs 80 to 100, to nearly 10 million people.
Prior to the formal launch, two pilot implementation projects were run in Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and Yamunanagar (Haryana) to assess the potential uptake of CFLs by consumers.
The Indian government sought to sell UN certified emissions reductions on the carbon markets to fund the CFL discounts. For every 100,000 20 W CFLs distributed there is an estimated carbon saving of 10000 tCO2e. Registering was a complex process as a 'Programme of Activities-PoA' needed to be submitted as an umbrella project. The pilot project in Visakhapatnam is now a registered UN Clean Development Mechanism project. The PoA is still entering validation.
The scheme represents a successful public-private partnership model between the government, private sector CFL suppliers and state-level electricity distribution companies, although there are process-related issues that still need to be assessed.
For instance, most energy distribution companies do not have effective Management Information Systems to help to understand product costing or capacities to do load research.
An independent case study has also shown that CFLs have a high failure rate in India due to lack of adherence to product specifications, especially in the rural areas. Replacement of the bulbs is particularly difficult due to long distances and high transport expenses. Some of these issues are not new to rural energy programmes in India and are being addressed as the scheme rolls out.
Quality control is a major concern, however. The import-based, unorganised nature of the CFL industry in India makes quality control and regulation difficult. There are plans to implement a standard (IS 15111) by the end of 2009 regulating product quality. This has been in the offing for a while, with some manufacturers resisting due to the associated costs.
What's more, India has no standards for regulating mercury in CFLs or a system for proper disposal of mercury. The government is planning to introduce an incentive to encourage households to hand over their unused/defunct lamps as well as develop guidelines on safe management of mercury in CFLs. However, these have been in process for some time and do not completely address problems related to levels of mercury in the lamps and its final disposal.
India's CFL market is catching up fast with the rest of the world. Bachat Lamp Yojana is a uniquely designed scheme and perhaps first of its kind to ensure nationwide access to efficient lighting to all at an affordable price.
To ensure that the distribution companies are able to recover costs through the sale of carbon credits, Bachat Lamp Yojana relies on a reliable market for certified carbon credits in a post 2012 climate deal. Assuming the carbon credit funding continues, this programme is bound to give a boost to the CFL market in the country. However, weak regulatory controls will not be beneficial for the CFL industry in the long run. The government must ensure that the required regulation is promptly introduced to sustain this growing market.
Preeti Malhotra is India director at the Climate Group. Email PMalhotra@theclimategroup.org
Prior to the formal launch, two pilot implementation projects were run in Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and Yamunanagar (Haryana) to assess the potential uptake of CFLs by consumers.
The Indian government sought to sell UN certified emissions reductions on the carbon markets to fund the CFL discounts. For every 100,000 20 W CFLs distributed there is an estimated carbon saving of 10000 tCO2e. Registering was a complex process as a 'Programme of Activities-PoA' needed to be submitted as an umbrella project. The pilot project in Visakhapatnam is now a registered UN Clean Development Mechanism project. The PoA is still entering validation.
The scheme represents a successful public-private partnership model between the government, private sector CFL suppliers and state-level electricity distribution companies, although there are process-related issues that still need to be assessed.
For instance, most energy distribution companies do not have effective Management Information Systems to help to understand product costing or capacities to do load research.
An independent case study has also shown that CFLs have a high failure rate in India due to lack of adherence to product specifications, especially in the rural areas. Replacement of the bulbs is particularly difficult due to long distances and high transport expenses. Some of these issues are not new to rural energy programmes in India and are being addressed as the scheme rolls out.
Quality control is a major concern, however. The import-based, unorganised nature of the CFL industry in India makes quality control and regulation difficult. There are plans to implement a standard (IS 15111) by the end of 2009 regulating product quality. This has been in the offing for a while, with some manufacturers resisting due to the associated costs.
What's more, India has no standards for regulating mercury in CFLs or a system for proper disposal of mercury. The government is planning to introduce an incentive to encourage households to hand over their unused/defunct lamps as well as develop guidelines on safe management of mercury in CFLs. However, these have been in process for some time and do not completely address problems related to levels of mercury in the lamps and its final disposal.
India's CFL market is catching up fast with the rest of the world. Bachat Lamp Yojana is a uniquely designed scheme and perhaps first of its kind to ensure nationwide access to efficient lighting to all at an affordable price.
To ensure that the distribution companies are able to recover costs through the sale of carbon credits, Bachat Lamp Yojana relies on a reliable market for certified carbon credits in a post 2012 climate deal. Assuming the carbon credit funding continues, this programme is bound to give a boost to the CFL market in the country. However, weak regulatory controls will not be beneficial for the CFL industry in the long run. The government must ensure that the required regulation is promptly introduced to sustain this growing market.
Preeti Malhotra is India director at the Climate Group. Email PMalhotra@theclimategroup.org
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