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Cree shows off 'no-compromise' LED replacement for 60-watt incandescent bulbs

Donald Melanson
Guest Contributor
Updated ·4 min read

Compact fluorescent (or CFL) bulbs may currently be the dominant alternative to traditional incandescent light bulbs, but there's still a strong contingent betting on LEDs as the true long term replacement. One of the major players in that camp is Cree, which recently teamed up with TESS and Dean Kamen's FIRST organization to have kids distribute LED light bulbs like Girl Scout cookies (seriously), and is now showing off what is says is the "first no-compromise replacement for a 60-watt incandescent bulb." That bulb is dimmable, and emits a "beautiful, warm, incandescent-like color of 2700 K," while delivering more than 800 lumens and consuming less than 10 watts (meeting the Energy Star requirements for a 60-watt standard LED replacement bulb). Unfortunately, there's one big catch -- the bulb is still just a prototype, and Cree says it hasn't yet decided how it will bring it to market, or how much it might cost. Head on past the break for a quick video demonstration.



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Cree Banishes Last Century's Lighting with Revolutionary LED Light Bulb

Thank You Mr. Edison, We'll Take it From Here

DURHAM, N.C., January 27, 2011 - Today, 131 years ago, Thomas Alva Edison was granted U.S. patent 223,898 for "Improvement in Electric Lamps and in the method of manufacturing." Today's LED lighting revolution heralds the demise of Edison's 1880, horse-and-buggy-era invention.

In an industry first, Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE) has demonstrated the brightest, most-efficient, LED-based A-lamp that can meet ENERGY STAR® performance requirements for a 60-watt standard LED replacement bulb. This unprecedented level of performance is the result of Cree innovation, Cree barrier-breaking LED performance, Cree TrueWhite® Technology and patented Cree remote-phosphor technology.

"This is a significant milestone for the industry," said Chuck Swoboda, Cree chairman and chief executive officer. "In the race to commercialize low-cost, energy-efficient LED bulbs, the industry has forgotten that LED lighting is supposed to look as good as the technology it is replacing. This is the first no-compromise replacement for a 60-watt incandescent bulb."

The prototype bulb is dimmable and emits a beautiful, warm, incandescent-like color of 2700 K, with a CRI of at least 90. It delivers more than 800 lumens and consumes fewer than 10 watts and has been submitted for third-party testing to validate the light distribution, lumen maintenance and performance.

"We are committed to leading the market and showing the industry what's possible with recent innovations in our LED products and technology," said Swoboda. "We are excited to show the world what it should expect in an LED light bulb and enable our customers' products with these innovations."

No commercially available LED A-lamps meet the ENERGY STAR® performance requirements for 60-watt standard replacement bulbs at this level of efficiency and light quality.

"This is the first standard LED A-lamp that combines high output with very high efficiency, in a small form factor, without the additional cost and complexity of active cooling or other design compromises," said Rob Glass, Cree, vice president of technology. "We continue to advance our LED technologies to enable our customers' success and to help accelerate the LED revolution."

To learn more about this innovation, please visit www.truewhitelight.com.



About Cree
Cree is leading the LED lighting revolution and making energy-wasting traditional lighting technologies obsolete through the use of energy-efficient, environmentally friendly LED lighting. Cree is a market-leading innovator of lighting-class LEDs, LED lighting, and semiconductor solutions for wireless and power applications.

Cree's product families include LED fixtures and bulbs, blue and green LED chips, high-brightness LEDs, lighting-class power LEDs, power-switching devices and radio-frequency/wireless devices. Cree solutions are driving improvements in applications such as general illumination, backlighting, electronic signs and signals, variable-speed motors, and wireless communications.

For additional product and company information, please refer to www.cree.com. To learn more about the LED Lighting Revolution, please visit www.creeledrevolution.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated. Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors, including customer acceptance of LED products; the rapid development of new technology and competing products that may impair demand or render Cree's products obsolete; and other factors discussed in Cree's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 27, 2010, and subsequent filings.