Bridgelux the latest among cleantech companies to offer product warranties

Leading LED light maker Bridgelux announced today it is offering a five-year warranty on all of the company’s LED arrays and light sources sold worldwide.

The move is one of several recent warranty announcements in the cleantech world. Companies are offering warranties in hopes that they will encourage adoption of new technology by allaying customer concerns about long-term viability.

Microinverter firm SolarBridge announced last week a 25-year warranty on its new microinverter-integrated AC module. SolFocus also recently offered a 25-year power performance warranty in an attempt to bring bankability to the relatively nascent field of concentrated solar power. And makers of upcoming electric cars — Nissan, Coda and Chevrolet — are all offering warranties on their car batteries, the lifespan and reliability of which have long been questioned by skeptical consumers and industry observers.

“The market always has concerns about a new technology,” said Jason Posselt, vice president of marketing. “We believe that this five-year warranty helps to address any concern that the marketplace might have about the long-term reliability of LED lamps and luminaires.”

Brigelux says its arrays will deliver on average 70 percent of the original lumen output after 50,000 hours of operation if maintained at a temperature below 70 degrees Celsius. The warranty covers any failure of the array for five years as long as it is operated within the specified parameters. The company says it is offering the warranty partially in response to market demand.

“This warranty is a win-win all around,” said Bill Watkins, Bridgelux CEO, in a company statement. “It addresses our customers’ needs, supports the entire industry by accelerating market penetration, and helps deliver LED technology’s energy savings and environmental benefits more quickly to the end customer.”

“The lighting market is demanding three- to five-year warranties on solid state lighting products,” Posselt said. “The five-year warranty protection on light sources provided by Bridgelux will make it easier for our customers, lamp and luminaire manufacturers, to meet market requirements for their products. Further, it also allows our partners to minimize the cost and time they spend on warranty related issues while improving their ability to win new business opportunities.”

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