The mandatory phase-out of the 100-watt incandescent and frosted light bulb takes effect in Europe Tuesday. The move was part of European Union’s drive to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by the year 2020 in the fight against global warming. Factories must immediately stop producing frosted incandescent bulbs and the least efficient 100-watt clear bulbs, but shops will be allowed to sell their remaining stock of such bulbs.

Scientists at the University of Washington are working on a human machine interface where LEDs are embedded into contact lenses in order to display information to the wearer. This human machine interface will use custom-built transparent circuitry in a polymer lens that is roughly 1.2 millimeters in diameter.

Expanding on its line of explosion proof and hazardous location fluorescent lighting, Larson Electronics Magnalight now offers LED T series bulbs for its HALP and HALSS series of corrosion resistant lighting.

Demonstrating that LED lighting is now viable for large-scale exterior applications, Philips Color Kinetics announced Monday two new floodlights with light output of more than 8,500 lumens - a first in high-quality exterior LED floodlighting.  

The Holiday Inn brand is currently undergoing a $1 billion global relaunch—the largest in the hospitality industry with more than 3,200 hotels being updated to improve quality and drive consistency at Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels around the world. A redesign of the iconic brand logo required new exterior signage for over 3,200 locations.

LG Electronics, the world's No.2 TV vendor, said Sunday that it would launch a 15-inch OLED TV in September at the IFA 2009 consumer electric show in Berlin. Comparing with traditional LCD displays, AM-OLED displays are thinner, more energy efficient and can provide better picture quality, while the high price has kept it from becoming a mass-produced technology.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announced today that it has completed installation of two multi-screen Diamond Vision large-scale display systems, called “Turf Vision,” at the Japan Racing Association (JRA)’s Nakayama Racecourse in Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The new screens will be illuminated on Saturday September 12, 2009, the opening day of the “Fourth Nakayama Keiba (horse race).”

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK has upheld complaints that advertisements for Samsung televisions were misleading, with the words "LED TV Next Generation TV" singled out in particular. And it ordered the company not to use the advertisements again. The ads, that appeared on TV (with print versions too), stated "Samsung LED technology brings you sharper images, deeper blacks and brighter colours. The ultra slim Samsung LED TV. The next generation of television has arrived".

The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority has received a $2.5 million grant offer from the N.C. Department of Transportation's Division of Aviation. The Airport Authority board accepted the grant offer today at its monthly meeting. The grant will partially fund the replacement of more than 2,000 runway and taxiway lights with energy efficient light emitting diode (LED) fixtures. The state grant requires the Airport Authority to match 10 percent of the total grant offer.

In an attempt to regulate LED electronic signs, the City Council has recently unveiled a draft ordinance that targets the bright messages. A City Council decision this month to allow Wave Church to erect an electronic sign in a residential area of Great Neck angered some neighbors who called the signs garish and said they don't belong among homes.

Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC) announced new color active-matrix, thin film transistor (TFT) LCD modules for industrial applications with long-life, light-emitting diode (LED) backlight systems with a Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) 1 of 100,000 hours (approximately 11.4 years). Developed by Toshiba Mobile Display Co., Ltd.

Wonju City in Gwang Won province, South Korea, installed LED street lamps in line with the Korea government’s call to implement more energy efficient solutions. The installation of PRAUS 150W streetlights with OSRAM Opto Semiconductors’ Golden DRAGON Plus LEDs represent the longest LED street light installation to-date in Korea.

Electro-Matic Products Inc. has introduced the latest high tech Mass Notification LED displays in response to the rising concern of safety and security among school campuses nationwide. These LED displays can work with existing mass-notification systems to make sure displayed messages reach everyone on campus. Together, this complete high-tech system will allow users to broadcast safety concerns, terrorism alerts, severe weather alerts, news, and any other emergency announcements within seconds to ensure the safety of the campus.

Greggs Plc, the UK’s leading bakery retailer, has adopted LED light sources from Philips at its new concept store in Bromley, Kent. Compared to stores using conventional lighting, the new installation is expected to achieve a 50% saving in lighting energy consumption, with a reduction in carbon emissions of 2 tonnes per annum. The low heat output of these LED fittings will also reduce air conditioning requirements to enable further energy savings during the summer months.

After Toshiba Lighting and Sharp Corp, NEC Lighting Ltd will also introduce two new LED light bulbs Sept 24, 2009 in Japan. The new 6W LED bulbs will provide illuminance equivalent to that of a 60W incandescent light bulb.

Tony Blair and Jet Li have launched the 1,000-Village Solar LED Initiative in Guiyang, China. The five-year project, which is a joint initiative between The Climate Group and the Jet Li One Foundation, will engage 400 villages in China in the first two years, and 600 villages in China, India and African countries on the second stage.

Future Lighting Solutions today announced new capabilities to support LED design engineers in building high Color Rendering Index (CRI) tunable white applications that are optimized for light output and efficacy. The company has developed patent-pending intellectual property, now available for customer licensing, that provides the knowledge, tools and technologies to optimally select three or more LEDs, as well as their respective drive current and dimming ratios, to meet high CRI design specifications.

Nora Lighting introduces a new slim-line LED LightBar system that utilizes only 3.3 watts per foot, one of the most energy efficient linear fixtures available for home or commercial use. The fixtures are CA Title 24 compliant and Nora LED technology ensures a 10-year+ performance life. With an ultra-low profile (3/4 x 1/2 inch deep) and a range of cable and mounting options, the Nora LightBar offers optimal illumination in space-restricted areas and a variety of installation angles to meet every need. Popular applications include: under kitchen cabinets, cov...

One of California’s largest state utilities, Southern California Edison (SCE), is lighting up the night with solar technology at its San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). To illuminate its main employee parking areas, Edison is equipping the site with solar-powered LED lights from Carmanah Technologies (TSX: CMH).

OSRAM Opto today announces that its new reception building at Semiconductors’ head office in Regensburg (Germany) is lit by LEDs for all the lighting functions – workspace, general room, effects and outdoor lighting. Compared with conventional lights, LEDs make completely innovative lighting designs possible while saving energy too – for example, 35 percent alone in the case of white light illumination, according to OSRAM.

Nexxus Lighting Monday announced that Margaritas Mexican Restaurant has now placed orders to relight additional locations with new Array™ Lighting LED Lamps as part of a company wide energy saving and environmental responsibility initiative.  Based on the utility audited energy savings at their Exeter, New Hampshire location, the growing restaurant chain has expanded their deployment of Array LED lamps to additional locations.

LG Display (LGD) and AmTRAN Technology recently jointly invested in Formosa Epitaxy Inc., a Taiwan-based LED chipmaker, according to an article on Taiwan Economic News. LG Display and AmTRAN have co-invested NT$2 billion (US$62 million at US$1:NT$33) in the LED chipmaker by acquiring 18-19% stake in Formosa, industry watchers said.

Sol Inc., a solar LED outdoor lighting supplier, donated two Greenway™ solar LED pathway lighting systems to the Boys & Girls Club of Martin County, Minnesota. The donation was recently featured in the Scripps Treasure Coast ‘Luminaries’ and the Treasure Coast Business Journal.

Despite the economic downturn, consumers globally bought some 500,000 LED-lit Samsung TVs in the first 100 days of the mid-March launch, according to the company. In the high-end premium market, Samsung took a share of 83 percent in May, up from just 4 percent a year earlier. Samsung Digital Media divisions registered an operating profit of USD$870,100,436 up 657 percent increase year-on-year. Revenue reached USD $9,661,429,999, a 13.8 percent increase year-on-year.

A large power station in Australia recently finalized an agreement to be fitted out on a progressive basis for all future general area and lighting applications with Dialight’s SafeSite® and LEDPAK® industrial LED lighting fixtures.

Universal Display Corporation announced that it has been awarded a $1.65 million, two-year contract from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to demonstrate a thin, highly-efficient, white OLED lighting concept for under-cabinet applications.

Barco has just announced that it has signed a deal in Abu Dhabi for the delivery of 14 LED displays for the new Yas Marina Circuit. In total 452 square meter of LED will be installed around the track to optimize the fans' viewing experience. On 1 November 2009 this brand new race track will host the F1 season finale on the occasion of the first ever Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Combining energy efficiency with stunning, unique decorative glass designs, Meyda Custom Lighting unveils LED Fused Glass wall sconces. Meyda Lighting is a division of Meyda Tiffany, the nation's leading manufacturer and designer of Tiffany lamps and stained glass lighting and accessories.

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. has recently announced two new 128 x 32 LED graphics displays with drive electronics and a + 5-V HC CMOS-level video interface. The new displays come in bright red (LEE-128G032B) and neon orange (LEE-128G032-1), are designed as replacements for the popular APD-128G032 plasma display module.