Illumitex, a U.S.-based company, says that it is now in beta production of a light-emitting diode (LED) that it claims can brighten PC screens while using less electricity. The company had raised $10.5 million in March in its first round of funding, and is expecting an additional $20 million early in the summer, according to CEO Matt Thomas. The product is expected to reach full production in September.

Supply of LED chips is expected to fall behind demand until the second half of 2010, with prices to trend upward, Robert Yeh, chairman of Everlight Electronics Inc., a leading LED chipmaker in Taiwan, said at the Photronics Festival in Taiwan 2009 which took place last week.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation will start replacing incandescent lighting at intersections throughout the state with LEDs to save money and energy. The department says the work will begin Monday. Some 380 intersections will be upgraded with the new lighting. The Transportation Department signed a contract with the state Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department to do the work. EMNRD received a $5 million grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the project.

Eco Alternative Solutions, LLC is looking for 25 large US cities to participate in a no-cost 90 day trial of the recently announced Integrated Solar Series (ISS). ISS is an innovative solar-powered street light system that is expected to result in substantial energy and money saving for cities.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, or TSMC, the world's largest contract IC maker, plans to explore business opportunities in the green energy sector, including light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and solar energy. The plan is in line with the company's goal to diversify its revenue channels besides its foundry business. TSMC has decided to set up a new business development unit and Rick Tsai has been appointed to head the unit.

In China, energy-efficient bulbs and alternative power sources are increasingly used in the Christmas lights industry. Two years ago, about one-fifth of the 1,000 suppliers had the capability to make LED-equipped models. And less than 20 percent of their total production was allotted to the segment, as incandescent designs were mainstream. By now, nearly all the suppliers boast regular manufacturing lines for LED Christmas lights. In fact, such types now account for 60 to 70 percent of the output in most factories.

Light-emitting diodes (LED) back-lit panel shipments for computers and TVs are expected to grow to 104.5 million units by the end of 2009, with a market penetration above 25 percent, comparing with 12 percent now, a market researcher recently said. LED back-lit computer and TV panel shipments would exceed the shipments of those with cold-cathode-fluorescent-lamp liquid-crystal-displays (LCD) in the third quarter, the researcher said.

A procurement delegation from mainland China is currently visiting Taiwan, and according to members of the delegation, would place lucrative contract orders with the island’s light emitting diode (LED) manufacturers by the end of this year, the Taiwan Economic News reports. The orders will include LED products like epitaxy wafer, chips, packages and lighting systems. Chinese government has brought forward an aggressive plan to install 1.4 million LED streetlights in major cities by the end of 2009 as part of its energy-saving effort.

Toshiba America Consumer Products L.L.C. (”Toshiba”) Wednesday announced that it is now shipping its premium REGZA® HDTV Series, including the ZV650 LCD TV and SV670 LED TV.

The City of Welland, Ontario, Canada, has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for switching all the street lighting in the city to LEDs. This is a first in the preparation of municipal, provincial or state RFPs or tenders in Canada that calls specifically for LED lighting. The RFP and tender calls for the replacement of 5903 street lights and an on-hand inventory of 97, making this a 6000-unit project over 3 years. The closing date is Monday July 6. Further details can be found on the City of Welland website.

The Photonics Festival in Taiwan 2009, which has attracted about 360 exhibitors, with 800 booths filled in, is particularly shining with LED and PV— two potential industries that are expected to lead the world to a better and greener future.

Sharp Corporation will introduce into the Japanese market nine models of LED lamps. With the same standard screw-in base and fit in the same sockets as ordinary incandescent lamps, the lamps are easy to use as replacements for ordinary lamps.

Market analyst says that LED revenues from notebook PCs will surpass $800 million next year. Jamie Fox, a market analyst at UK-based IMS research, said that the proliferation of notebook PCs backlit with LEDs will deliver annual revenues of $800 million to chip makers next year. He describes the ramp as "explosive". "Dell has already publicly committed to using LEDs in all [of its] notebooks by 2010, and other manufacturers are also committed to a surge in LED notebook backlighting in 2009 and 2010," said Fox.

Light-emitting diode (LED) manufacturers in Taiwan and mainland China can work together to develop better technologies and create a win-win situation, said representatives from the industry during a cross-strait LED forum held in Taipei on Tuesday, reports The China Post. Taiwan has formed a complete LED supply chain network, with manufacturers having developed expertise in LED applications in notebook PC and LCD TV back-light panels, said Huang Chung-chiu, Taiwan’s deputy minister of economic affairs.

Epistar Corp, Taiwan’s biggest LED chipmaker, Tuesday said that it is optimistic over the next quarter’s prospects, as demand for LED chips used in new applications such as LED TVs keeps growing, reports the Taipei Times. The company plans to expand capacity by 5 to 10 percent this year, with production ramping up by the end of the year, Epistar’s chairman Lee Biing-jye said in an interview during a cross-strait cooperation seminar of the light-emitting diode (LED) industry.

Outdoor LED signs are becoming increasingly popular because it is a targeted medium that speaks to your most important audience, the people who can drive onto your property and purchase something immediately. LED signs have become extremely popular for outdoor advertising. The Small Business Association reports that businesses that choose to install an electronic LED message typically see an increase in business of 15% to 150%.

An image being projected by the OLED panel-based small projector Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering (IOF) of Germany exhibited an OLED-based small projector at SID Display Week 2009.

Interview with Bernd Kammerer — EVERLIGHT’s General Manager of Sales and Marketing Business Group：LED Lighting and LED Backlight Will Be the Strongest Driving Force of EVERLIGHT’s Development in 2009

Everlight Electronics Co. Ltd (TSE:2393) recently introduced the SL-Dolphin Street Light series, following two years of research and development. The product series offers a very wide range of characteristics making it best in class, and adds to the growing portfolio of lighting modules from Everlight. This summer, the SL-Dolphin Street Light series was named the 12th most「Outstanding Photonics Product Awards 2009」from PIDA (Photonics Industry & Technology Development Association Taiwan).

PR Lighting Ltd of Guangzhou, China (which supplies intelligent stage lighting, architectural lighting and LED lighting products) said recently that it had chosen Golden DRAGON LEDs from Osram Opto Semiconductors for its XLED 590 intelligent wash light. XLED 590 intelligent wash light, incorporating Osram'’s Diamond DRAGON RGB LEDs for high-power stage lighting.

Havells India Ltd, a electrical and power distribution equipment manufacturer, has entered the Light Emitting Diode (LED) market with the launch of Endura Lite. LED is the future lighting source in India and are at the forefront of technological innovations.

A survey of electrical and lighting distributors recently conducted shows the importance of the sales channel for LED lighting manufacturers in gaining access to the emerging solid-state lighting market.

Offering the latest energy efficient alternative to traditional chandelier light bulbs, BULBRITE unveils Chandelier LEDs as an addition to its existing line of LEDs.

QD Vision, developer of nanotechnology-based products for lighting and displays, yesterday announced it has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract by the U.S. Army as part of its Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD). Combined with new, additional funds for a Phase I option period, the award totals $775,000.

In many Florida resort hotels, LED lighting systems from Axiom NZ, a global manufacturer of LED lighting systems, are being used to protect sea turtles from dying. Axiom NZ Amber Sea Turtle Lighting products are being used at the W Hotel in Miami Beach, the Eden Roc Hotel and Spa in Miami Beach, and the Marriott Crystal Shores resort in Marco Island, to name a few.

CIL, the electronics design and manufacturing services company based in UK, has been appointed as a Future Lighting Solutions Integration Member.  This means the company is approved to provide design and manufacturing services in the integration of solid-state lighting systems for customers of Future Lighting Solutions.  This appointment followed a detailed assessment programme during which CIL demonstrated its extensive experience in LED and optoelectronics design and manufacture.

Exar Corporation yesterday announced the XRP7620, a 4 channel, I2C controlled LED driver with independent software adjustable channel current control.

At SID Display Week 2009, LG Display Co Ltd of Korea exhibited a “rugged” 15-inch OLED panel. And the company had surprised the visitors by showing a demonstration video in which the panel was repeatedly being hit with a mallet to prove its toughness.

Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc., (TAEC) has expanded its lineup of compact, high-efficiency white light emitting diodes (LEDs) with three devices in PLCC-2 packages in daylight (or cool) white and two warm whites. These white LEDs are among the brightest white LEDs in Toshiba's current LED product line in this form factor.

New side view 99-211 and top view 62-127 SMD LED packages offer high luminous intensity and energy savings for TFT LCD backlight applications