New technologies face a multitude of market introduction barriers that must be overcome before the technology becomes stable and successful. These barriers include a lack of customer knowledge, few marketing and distribution channels, excessive purchase and installation markups from designers and installers, and consumer mistrust of savings and benefits.
The California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC) at the University of California, Davis has implemented a successful Demonstration Program to help emerging, energy-efficient lighting technologies cross this “valley of death” and gain a foothold in the mainstream marketplace. The Demonstration Program employs a variety of technology transfer activities, including product demonstrations, case studies, fact sheets, guide specifi cations, market education and training, group purchasing, public specifi cations, code changes, and utility incentives.
The lighting demonstration program is one component of the California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) State Partnership for Energy Efficiency Demonstrations (SPEED) program. The SPEED program applies newly developed building technologies and deployment approaches throughout a wide range of venues, including the University of California, California State University, and California Community College campus systems; the California Department of General Services; and cities, municipalities, and military and private partners.