N.S. business agency sinking $6 million into LED street lighting company

[PhotonBoy]

This is my first opportunity to post an article about LEDs *and* my home province, so here goes:

http://www.metronews.ca//halifax/lo...ng-6-million-into-led-street-lighting-company

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia's business development agency is sinking some money into a company known for its energy-efficient street lights.

Nova Scotia Business Inc. is making a $6-million equity investment in LED Roadway Lighting.

The company has a research office in Halifax and a manufacturing plant in Amherst, N.S.

The company's LED fixtures consume up to 80 per cent less energy than common high-pressure sodium and metal halide street lights.

LED Roadway Lighting is conducting pilot projects throughout North America and the Middle East, and is expanding to Europe and the Caribbean.

In addition, the company is researching wireless and solar applications.

 

[PhotonBoy]

Here's a press release from the Nova Scotia Government:

http://www.gov.ns.ca/news/details.asp?id=20090908005

LED Roadway Lighting Has Bright Future

A home-grown Nova Scotia company continues to shine brightly with its LED-based street lighting fixtures.

The province, through NSBI, is supporting LED Roadway Lighting's continued growth with a $6-million equity investment.

"LED Roadway Lighting has grown a solid business in Nova Scotia and now has an opportunity to become a world-leading provider of innovative, energy-efficient LED lighting," said Percy Paris, Minister of Economic and Rural Development. "We are proud to partner with exciting businesses like LED Roadway Lighting."...........

 

[blasterman]

Another investment bubble in the works perhaps?

Sorry, just being cynical, and this isn't directed at the OP, but.....

The company's LED fixtures consume up to 80 per cent less energy than common high-pressure sodium and metal halide street lights.

Given that even the latest, state of the art Cree *DOESN'T* consume 80% less energy per lumen than HPS, what gives? Are the street lamps they are comparing to full of bird crap? Twice as tall? Townships in my neck of the woods are thumbing their noses at LED and opting for 1000wat HPS towers with super efficient linear reflectors. Checking the specs of HPS bulbs over 500watt shows why.

Nobody likes the color or CRI of HPS, but what am I missing?

Edit: Ok, I read through their white-papers, and they are using the Photopic/Scotopic arguement.

 

[LEDninja]

I get nervous when I see a company getting government handouts. Usually that means the company is not economically viable.
The amount of money is small so it is probably just a photo-op for the NS government to show they are 'green'.

Hope they are not building 5mm arrays.

 

[ponygt65]

I get nervous when I see a company getting government handouts. Usually that means the company is not economically viable.
The amount of money is small so it is probably just a photo-op for the NS government to show they are 'green'.

Hope they are not building 5mm arrays.

I agree. :twothumbs

 

[PhotonBoy]

It's quite possible. This has definitely happened in Canada before :-(

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bricklin_SV-1

"The Bricklin SV-1 was a gull-wing door sports car assembled in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The body panels were manufactured in a separate plant in Minto, New Brunswick. Manufactured from 1974 until early 1976 for the U.S. market, the car was the creation of Malcolm Bricklin...."

 

[blasterman]

The lights themselves look pretty solid and well built. Obviously intended though to compete with mainstreet 100watt cobra heads and not interstate 1000watt monsters.

I have some issues with claiming a 80% advantage over HPS just because your light source is white -vs- narrow spectra, but that's for another debate.