The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has partnered with Freelancer.com to hold several crowdsourcing campaigns to find innovative solutions to today’s manufacturing challenges and attract broad industry participation. The Manufacturing Innovator Challenge consists of six individual challenges across multiple technologies to find ideas that will enhance manufacturing in the United States.

Today, EERE is announcing a new manufacturing prize as part of the Manufacturing Innovator Challenge: The Sustainable Manufacturing of Luminaires Prize. DOE invites submissions for new concepts in solid state lighting (SSL) luminaires designed to manufacture with sustainable, recycled materials. The majority of SSL luminaires use aluminum and other energy-dense structural and thermal materials in their designs and manufacturing processes. The use of light emitting diodes (LED) and organic light emitting diodes (OLED) for lighting enables consideration of a broader range of materials for the structural, thermal, and optical components within a luminaire. The use of innovative materials in the luminaire design could reduce the manufacturing cost of the luminaire.

LED and OLED-based SSL are revolutionizing the lighting industry. New levels of control by SSL enable improved lighting performance, can improve health and productivity, and create an opportunity for additional energy savings through more efficient delivery of light. More information on the status of cost and performance of SSL products can be found in DOE’s 2018 Solid-State Lighting R&D Opportunities report.

DOE will award up to two prizes for sustainable SSL manufacturing concepts. The first-place submission will receive $6,000 and second place will receive $3,000. Winner(s) may also be invited to attend the annual DOE Lighting R&D Workshop, to be held in San Diego, CA, on January 28-30, 2020.

Learn more about this challenge. Entrants will need to establish an account with Freelancer.com to view the full contest details and to enter.