A grant of $1.5 million from the Department of Energy was provided to White Optics, LLC, a lighting technology company in Newark. White Optics, working in conjunction with Crowell Corporation of Newport, DE will use this grant to develop and manufacture coatings that will make existing LED and fluorescent lights more energy efficient, resulting in operational cost savings. Officials believe the production of coatings made possible by this grant could eventually lead to the creation of 100 Delaware jobs. Eric Teather, White Optics' president, said the use of new materials developed by White Optics could cut the operating cost of a single, standard fluorescent office light fixture by $40 annually, while also saving electricity and reducing waste heat that can drive up air conditioning costs.