Driven by the mainstream power rating of LED light bulbs rising from 8W currently to 10-12W, demand for LED lighting in Taiwan is expected to take off in second-half 2013, with sales reaching 10 million bulbs for full-year 2013, according to Taiwan-based LED chip packaging house Everlight Electronics.

Everlight is cooperating with Tsann Kuen, a large IT and consumer electronics retail chain in Taiwan, for marketing its own-brand LED light bulbs. Tsann Kuen sold over 1 million LED bulbs in 2012, far exceeding the originally expected 200,000-300,000 units and representing huge growth from the 50,000-100,000 units sold in 2011. Tsann Kuen aims to sell 2.5-3.0 million LED bulbs in 2013.

While 8W LED bulbs account for 50% of Everlight's LED bulb shipments currently, 10W will become the mainstream power as soon as the end of June due to the increasing luminous efficiency and brightness of LED chips. Models of above 10W in power output will comprise more than 50% of LED bulbs sold by the end of 2013, Everlight reckons.

The availability of LED bulbs is expected to rise to 60% of all light bulbs for retail sale in Taiwan at the end of 2013, Everlight indicates. LED bulb prices in Taiwan and China are generally lower than other markets. Average prices for models replacing 60W incandescent bulbs are expected to drop further, from about US$13.90 now to US$10 in 2013, Everlight notes.

Everlight expects to remain the largest LED bulb vendor in Taiwan in 2013, with a market share of 30%. The firm has obtained 1000 Taiwan-issued patents related to LED lighting (much more than Taiwan-based fellow makers Lite-On Technology, Lextar Electronics and Unity Opto Technology, it is claimed).