TOGGLED®, developer and producer of next-generation solid-state lighting technology and named in the Top 25 Most Innovative Companies in South East Michigan by Crain's Detroit, reported today the addition of Mega Lighting to its rapidly expanding Licensing Program.

Two startups ComfyLight and BeOn, which are developers of smart LED lights targeting the home security market announced success in acquiring additional financing backing this week.

Southeast Asian country Bhutan is starting to implement nationwide LED lighting upgrades with financial assistance from Norway government, reported Asia News Network.

Taiwan’s largest LED manufacturer Epistar has sold its Duxing factory in Hsinchu Science Park to IC design manufacturer Mediatek for NT$ 736 million (US $21.98 million), reported CNA.

The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change announced in late January awardees of its second Electricity Demand Reduction (EDR) Pilot auction.

India’s second largest online retailer Snapdeal has formed a partnership with the country’s state-owned Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) to sell LED bulbs nationwide for INR 99 (US $1.46), according to an Economic Times report.

Two weeks ahead of Valentines, GE published a heartbreaking online letter ending its long term relationship with CFL, while announcing its new passion for LEDs.The creatively written marketing stunt was highlighting an important announcement that GE will discontinue the manufacturing of CFL bulbs in the U.S. market, and shift its focus in the consumer lighting towards LED bulbs by the end of 2016.

With global crude oil prices crashing, the Middle East energy subsidies have also been swept away, reported The National Business.

Several Canadian municipalities are planning to invest CA $13 million (US $9.29 million) to replace 42,000 streetlights this year, reportedMetroland News.

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh in India plans to replace traditional streetlights comprising of sodium, fluorescent and CFLs with LEDs, reported Dhaka Tribune.

Osram Licht AG's Malaysian unit, Osram Opto Semiconductors (M) Sdn Bhd, is setting up a research and development (R&D) center here to serve the general lighting and illumination sector in Asia.

The California Energy Commission adopted first-in-the-nation energy standards for the next generation of light bulbs. The standards cover small-diameter directional lamps, often used in track lighting, and general purpose light-emitting diodes - commonly called LEDs - used to replace typical existing home lighting.

Taiwanese LED manufacturer Everlight reported mixed results in several patent lawsuits rulings against Japanese manufacturer Nichia.

Nichia announced that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas has issued a decision holding that Everlight Electronics and Everlight Americas (collectively, “Everlight”) have infringed three Nichia patents. The court upheld patent infringement claims that Nichia filed against Everlight in 2013.

On Jan. 26, 2016, Harvatek announced it has entrusted Devlin Law Firm LLC to represent it in a patent infringement case against Cree that has been filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California . The patent in suit is US 6,841,934.

The California Energy Commission (CEC) made history again today when it set minimum energy efficiency standards for small diameter directional light bulbs used for accent, spot and track lighting that will be the most stringent in the world. The reflector bulbs, which are less than 2.25 inches in diameter, are most commonly found in retail stores, museums, and hotels, and increasingly in new and remodeled homes.

In a company statement, former Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Genesis Photonics Inc. (GPI) and founder of PlayNitride, Yun-Li (Charles) Lee has refuted GPI’s allegations of selling the company’s key technologies to Chinese LED manufacturer San’an Opto, reported TechNews.

Taiwanese LED epiwafer manufacturer Genesis Photonics Inc. (GPI) has filed a lawsuit against its former Chief Technology Officer Yun-Li Lee for stealing and selling trade secrets to Chinese competitors, and applying acquired GPI technology in his startup company PlayNitride.

Saignaw, a city located in Michigan, U.S. has started to replace 6,400 city streetlights with LEDs, which is estimated to cost the city $ 1.8 million, reported MLive.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) called on the California Energy Commission (CEC) again today to ensure that California consumers have access to the most efficient, cost-effective, and preferred LED bulbs currently on the market. A proposal under consideration at the CEC that could be voted on as early as January 27, 2016, if approved, will be the first instance in which the CEC pursues regulatory action that will reduce potential energy savings, increase the cost of energy-saving products for California consumers, and make it less likely that California consumers will want to buy these products.

Revolution Lighting Technologies, a leader in advanced LED lighting technology solutions, announced it will partner with leading national distributor of electrical supplies and services, Rexel Holdings USA for the sale of its LED lighting solutions. Revolution Lighting's LED product to be offered by Rexel Holdings USA and its divisions, Rexel, Rexel Enery Solutions, Gexpro, Platt and Capitol Light to its customers within the industrial, residential and commercial markets.

Currency-comparable order intake up 15%, driven by North America, China and Western Europe Adjusted EBITA1) improved 50 basis points to 11.9% of sales and amounted to EUR 842 million EBITA amounted to EUR 263 million, or 3.7% of sales• Net loss of EUR 39 million, impacted by one-time charges including previously announced pension de-risking, compared to net income of EUR 134 million in Q4 2014 Free cash flow of EUR 740 million, compared to EUR 559 million in Q4 2014 Philips Lighting separation process on track

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science has awarded six Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)-Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants to proposals targeting advances in solid-state lighting (SSL) technology. The six Phase I Release 1 grants will explore the technical merit and commercial potential of different innovative concepts or technologies that are expected to contribute to the achievement of the price and performance goals described in DOE’s SSL R&D Plan. 

Philips decision to sell Lumileds to Chinese financial group Go Scale Capital has taken a sharp turn. The business deal was abruptly halted by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), due to unknown concerns. Philips and Go Scale Capital has been forced to call off the deal, which has sent shockwaves throughout the market and caused new changes in manufacturers’ competition race.

Toshiba is considering to sell its less profitable semiconductor businesses including its System LSI business to concentrate resources in advanced NAND, flash memory, and nuclear power generators and other coal fire equipment, according to a recent Nikkei report.

Last week Samsung denied plans of implementing unpaid leave for its LED business sector, and in an act to seemingly to quell negative rumors regarding its LED business, the company unveiled its latest mid-power LED package LM561B+ for high quality color performance last Thursday.

GO Scale Capital and Royal Philips announced that the parties have terminated their March 2015 agreement for GO Scale Capital to acquire 80.1% of Royal Philips' LED lighting components and automotive lighting business, Lumileds. After close to one year of best efforts by GO Scale Capital and Royal Philips to obtain approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in United States (CFIUS), the parties have been unable to resolve CFIUS' unspecified concerns.         

LED bulb procurement prices in Madhya Pradesh, located in central India, have dropped another 10% from INR 73 per bulb (US $1.08) to INR 64.41 per unit, according to an official statement on Sunday.

Japanese OLED panel manufacturer Japan Display announced it will be mass producing OLED panels in 2018, which has led many tech media including Engadget and Apple Rumors to speculate Apple might be launching an OLED screened phone in the near future.

This has been a turbulent week for the LED industry. Philips announced just a few hours ago that it has terminated the sales of Lumileds to Go Scale Capital, the company was forced to abort the US $3.3 billion business transaction, due to opposition raised by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). The company probably has a potential buyer lined up, and it will be worth observing who the new owner of Lumileds will be.