January 5, 2007—Energy-efficient lighting may be becoming a new holiday tradition, according to the US Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), which cited the examples below in a recent newsletter.
In New York, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) says that the Times Square Ball that descended on New Year’s Eve used LEDs for half of its lights this year. In addition, nearby Saks Fifth Avenue is employing 40,000 LEDs provided by Philips Lighting, to create a 10-story-high dynamic display of giant falling snowflakes.
In California, not only is the state’s official holiday tree decorated with LED lights, but the display is powered by a fuel cell. The tree features more than 6,500 LED lights that draw their power from a 1-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell, which was provided by the California Stationary Fuel Cell Collaborative.
