– Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG AEX: PHIA), the global leader in lighting, and Aruba signed a Memorandum of Innovation, a strategic partnership to help the island of Aruba meet its goal of running on 100 percent sustainable energy by 2020, enabled by Philips’ lighting and innovation expertise. In support of the Aruba government’s Smart Island Strategy for sustainability, Philips will help revamp the island’s entire public lighting system by completing an in-depth assessment and providing solutions for public buildings and outdoor lighting systems. It will also transform Aruba into a showcase of innovation in the region.Aruba has embarked on a sustainability path since 2010 and has entered into partnerships with global innovators to achieve its goals. Aruba’s energy policy is designed to achieve more efficient and sustainable production, supply and consumption of its utility services. Therefore sustainability plays an active role in the government’s policies. “The partnership with Philips will contribute to the sustainable economic development Aruba is pursuing, which relies on a knowledge-based economy using the island’s strategic location in the region between Europe and the Americas,” commented Prime Minister Mike Eman.Also as part of this Memorandum of Innovation, public buildings will be retrofitted with LED lighting to realize the benefits of energy efficiency. Philips will design a tailored solution for outdoor living that allows Aruba to maximize energy efficiency and improve current lighting levels to international standards. Philips estimates sustainable lighting could result in initial energy savings of 50-80% and lower annual CO2 emissions by 3,000 – 4,000 tons. “Retrofitting will be equivalent to savings of $1.2 - $1.7 million per year in energy costs”, said Minister Mike de Meza, in charge of Economic Affairs, Energy and Environment in a declaration.“Philips is proud to partner with Aruba and help the island to realize its strategy to become one of the most sustainable markets in the region and around the globe,” commented Henk de Jong, CEO of Philips Latin America. “This effort in Aruba will become an important showcase for innovation that helps deliver energy efficiencies and makes cities, office buildings, homes and products more sustainable. And we do it through meaningful innovation.”In addition to helping Aruba achieve its energy independence goals, the project will serve as a center of excellence for the development and testing of sustainable products and practices. In the longer-term, Philips will address expanded and improved sustainability and performance, including solar-powered systems, for indoor and outdoor public lighting and support economic development through applications that promote economic growth in targeted sectors, like tourism and hospitality.This collaboration in Aruba builds on Philips’ ongoing initiatives and commitment to Latin America and the Caribbean. Last year, Philips was chosen to convert the majority of public lighting for the City of Buenos Aires to LED technology, enabling 50 percent energy savings for the city. In 2009, Philips was awarded participation in Mexico’s groundbreaking Luz Sustentable project, involving the distribution of the first million of a total of 30 million energy saving light bulbs to households. The project is set to cut carbon emissions by over 7 million tons over a period of ten years. In addition, Philips continues to roll out its Light Up Your Game project, an initiative designed to light up community centers with LED solar-powered lighting to 30 semi and off-grid rural soccer fields across 10 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.Based on estimates by the International Energy Agency