Competition Requirements Set the Bar High 

The L PrizeTM competition is designed to spur development of 

high-quality solid-state lighting products capable of replacing 

today’s most widely used and inefficient products: 60W 

incandescent lamps and PAR 38 halogen lamps. The Energy 

Independence and Security Act of 2007 directed the U.S. 

Department of Energy (DOE) to establish the competition and 

outlined general competition requirements. To draw on lessons 

learned from past lighting market introduction experiences, DOE 

worked with several California utilities to tap their expertise in 

developing a comprehensive technology competition program. 

The L Prize technical specifications comply with the general 

requirements outlined in the legislation, with additional details 

specified for quality, performance, and mass manufacturing. The 

competition requirements are designed to ensure that the winning 

products deliver excellent lighting quality. To view the complete 

competition requirements, see www.lightingprize.org. 

Requirement 60-Watt Incandescent 

Replacement PAR 38 Halogen Replacement 

Efficacy More than 90 lm/W More than 123 lm/W 

Light Output More than 900 lumens More than 1,350 lumens 

Wattage Less than 10 watts Less than 11 watts 

Lifetime More than 25,000 hour life 

Color Rendering Index (CRI) More than 90 

Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) 2700–3000 K 

Form Factor Same lamp form factor as incumbent technology 

Beam Distribution Beam characteristics equivalent to incumbent technology 

Dimming 

Products must be compatible with at least three widely available 

residential dimmers and must be continuously dimmable to at least 

20% of maximum light output 
Competition Process 

	 Intent to Submit. To participate in the L Prize competition, interested manufacturers must 

provide a letter of intent to submit. 

	 Entry Package. Manufacturers must then submit a complete entry package that includes the 

required technical information, product samples, and a commercial manufacturing plan 

describing their capability for mass production and distribution of proposed products. 

	 Evaluation Part 1. Samples of proposed products will undergo performance testing at 

independent laboratories such as those participating in the DOE CALiPER program. 

	 Evaluation Part 2. The L Prize technical review committee will assess the provided technical 

information, test results, and manufacturing capabilities. 

o	 Products that meet the competition requirements will then undergo at least 6,000 hours of 

lifetime testing. 

o	 At the same time, DOE and program partners will coordinate field assessments using 

criteria established through the DOE GATEWAY demonstration program to evaluate 

energy use, lighting system performance, reliability, customer acceptance, and cost 

effectiveness. 

o	 DOE and partners will also conduct stress testing, subjecting products to extreme 

conditions such as high temperatures, humidity, frequent switching, voltage fluctuation, 

and electromagnetic interference. 

	 At key stages in the process, DOE may request additional information or follow up with 

submitters regarding the product or information provided. 

Selection of Winners 

Entries will be accepted for each product category until a winner is declared, or until 24 months have 

elapsed since the first award in that category, whichever comes first. In each category, the first entrant to 

successfully meet the full competition requirements will receive all prizes. Up to two additional entrants 

may be eligible for program partner promotions. 

For more information on L Prize, see www.lightingprize.org. Learn more about the DOE SSL ENERGY STAR, 

CALiPER, and GATEWAY programs at www.ssl.energy.gov. 

EERE Information Center 

1-877-EERE-INF (1-877-337-3463)
 

www.eere.energy.gov 

June 2009