5:05 p.m., Jan. 27, 2010----WhiteOptics, a company in Newark, Del., has received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to work in partnership with researchers at the University of Delaware and The Crowell Corp. in Newport, Del., to develop new technology that will improve efficiency, lifetime and cost for energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) light fixtures.

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The grant was announced during a press conference on Friday, Jan. 22, which was attended by Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Sen. Ted Kaufman (D-Del.), Gov. Jack Markell and UD President Patrick Harker, among others.

The federal stimulus grant, which will generate opportunities for energy savings and job creation, will create or save approximately five jobs immediately and has the potential to create 100 direct manufacturing jobs and hundreds of installation-related jobs upon commercialization success.

"Partnerships with industry--with companies like WhiteOptics and Crowell--are essential for taking cutting-edge science from lab to market, for making sure research doesn't languish on a shelf but is instead put to work," Harker said. "And this science will work -- putting people into jobs, advancing important conservation and sustainability goals, and solidifying Delaware's growing prominence in energy technology research and development.”

Carper said the announcement was a celebration of partnerships in Delaware, which "has always been a great place to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship.

"Not only are these companies taking a simple idea and honing it to help us all save on energy costs, conserve energy and lower emissions; they are creating jobs in the process. That is a winning combination for all involved,” Carper said.

Kaufman said the grant is an investment that will protect and create jobs right away and develop technologies that can create more jobs for the future. He said Delaware has received $1.2 billion in stimulus funds, also known as American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds, which are working to keep people at work while building a foundation for a growing economy.

“WhiteOptics and their partnership with The Crowell Corp. is exactly what's best about Delaware," Markell said. "We work together to find innovative ways to make a difference. The technologies that will come from this partnership could have substantial national and even international impact while creating the kind of quality jobs we need to move our economy forward.”

Eric Teather, president of WhiteOptics, said the award allows the company to stay in Delaware and accelerate the product development efforts that will help to enable energy efficient lighting and bring new, relevant manufacturing jobs sooner.

“There are millions of light fixtures that could be retrofitted for energy reasons, cost reasons and efficiency reasons,” said Herb Adelman, president of Crowell. "This would not only create jobs at WhiteOptics and Crowell but thousands more in the retrofitting industry."

Harker said the project is a prime example of the type of public private partnership that the University of Delaware and its faculty and research scientists are actively engaged in to bring innovative technologies and products to the market.

"Delaware is fortunate to have such a close community of leaders who can see, with such clarity, common goals and shared benefit. This is how you breed invention, innovation and entrepreneurship -- and it's how you spur enviable economic development," Harker said.