The U.S. Department of Energy's CALiPER program has released a special report on LED lamps available through the retail marketplace and targeted toward general consumers. The report follows similar reports published in 2011 and 2012. LED replacement lamps are available through many retail outlets, and CALiPER testing offers insights on performance trends from year to year.

Bharat Book Bureau presents LEDs Used in Night Vision Imaging System Compatible Lighting - Global Market Forecast. This new report provides global market consumption of packaged light emitting diodes (LEDs), also known as component-level bulbs, used in Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS) compatible lighting for non-civilian use, such as military, law enforcement, emergency medical services (EMS) and related. 

Armin Mayer, Marketing Manager at GE Lighting explores in this article whether UK cities decision to turn off streetlights due to limited budgets is wise.

A researcher from NC State University (NCSU) Department of Chemistry has launched a fundraising project on crowdfunding platform Experiment to make environmental friendly OLEDs.

For its 15th anniversary, Canada’s premier festival of lights conquered the hearts of visitors like never before. MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE, triumphed once again and provided plenty of action during its twelve day run from Feb 20 to March 2. Arts, gastronomy, outdoor activities and urban illumination make this top-rated international Lights Festival impossible to ignore. In Montreal, lights are synonymous with joy and fun. With an array of interactive lighting projections the city eclipses all others when it comes to playing and entertaining outdoors in the frigid winter weather. There is nothing like ingenious interactive lighting to get people outside, dancing and sliding in the streets.

Taiwanese LED lead frame manufacturer I-Chuin’s revenue dropped in February this year, due to fewer work days during the Chinese holiday season and labor shortages after Chinese Lunar New Year. Consolidated revenue for February reached NT $ 419 million (US $13.8 million), MoM drop of 19.79 percent and YoY decline of 2.48 percent. 

MLS Lighting signed an order of RMB 1.42 billion (US $232 million) with 44 providential and regional dealers in China on Feb. 22, 2014. 

Feb. 2014 revenue for Taiwanese LED manufacturer Lextar reached NT $880 million, a 6.4 percent increase from the same period last year but a 27.7 percent drop from January. Combined revenue for January and February was NT $2.1 billion (US $69.4 million), increase of 18 percent from last year.

New studies show that close contact to LED lights cause damage to our retinas. Is this really the case though?

When it arrived a little more than three years ago, the Nissan JUKE used innovation to create a whole new market segment. Just as the Nissan Qashqai pioneered the original crossover market, the JUKE used dramatic design and advanced technology to break new ground in a more compact crossover package.

LED stocks delivered the strongest performance on the Taiwan bourse on March 4, 2014, according to a report by Chinese-language Commercial Times.  The report attributed the performance to rising LED market penetration rates and China’s environmental policies discussed at two conferences. Taiwanese LED manufacturers Unity Opto, LedTech Electronics, Tekcore and other stock prices soared, while other LED companies also saw stocks rebound.

The LED industry is entering into the traditionally slack second quarter. LED manufacturers have increased backlight orders in March as large international TV brand manufacturers launch new products this quarter. In addition to rising demands for LED lighting, LED manufacturer production utilization rates have also seen an increase in March. LED chip manufacturer Epistar and LED package manufacturer Everlight saw a rebound in production utilization this month. Operational performance is also anticipated to increase.

Chairman from Chinese LED manufacturers Chang Fang Semiconductor, Mason Technologies, and Elec-Tech International expressed their reasoning behind need for government support and regulation of LED industry. 

GT Advanced Technologies announced that it has acquired exclusive rights from Kyma Technologies, Inc. for its plasma vapor deposition (PVD) process technology and know-how. The PVD of nano-columns (PVDNC™) technology developed by Kyma deposits a high-quality growth initiation layer of aluminum nitride (AlN) on wafers prior to gallium nitride (GaN) deposition. 

The Chinese government first began providing LED lighting businesses with subsidies in 2009 which lead to explosive growth within the industry. However, at the time there was a lack in chip manufacturing technology so Metal-organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) units needed to be brought in from abroad. 

As OLED manufacturers explore potential application fields, such as commercial, retail and beauty applications, Philips Lumiblade has moved away from “Earthly” applications to a whole new frontier: outer space.

3M has invested in MSi Lighting of Boca Raton, Florida, a company that 3M has been working with for the past year on a line of LED lights for multiple applications. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 

Konica Minolta announced on its Japanese website recently the launch of the world’s most efficient OLED with a luminous efficacy of 131 lm/W, up from previous OLED panels luminous efficacy of 103 lm/W.

British designer Joseph Begley has come up with a cheeky way of lighting up the house with interactive lamps that resemble human buttocks, according to a Designboom report.

The Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court in China has rejected Foshan Lighting’s appeal to transfer the case to Foshan Intermediate Court, according to a report by Chinese-language Securities Times. The Chinese LED manufacturer received a ticket from China Securities Regulatory Commission’s Guangdong branch nearly a year ago on March 7, 2014 over stock frauds.

Jamaica’s Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell revealed in late Feb. 2014, the Jamaican government will be amending regulations to lift tariff for solar equipment and LED lamps, according to an article by Jamaican media The Gleaner.

Four major phenomena occurred simultaneously in the sapphire market leading to global supply shortage for patterned sapphire substrate (PSS), according to Chinese-language Economic Daily News.

New LED technology and products continue to emerge as lighting demands rise and costs drop. The wave of EMCs, with advantages in Cost/ Performance (C/P), and new flip-chip trends anticipated to continue into 2014. LED package manufacturer Everlight began actively developing EMC products in 2013 and plans to expand production capacity in 2014. The company has also jumped onto the flip-chip technology bandwagon and is currently strategizing a flip-chip supply chain.

Aixtron, a worldwide leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, has a number of stock option programs in place that grant employees the right to purchase AIXTRON shares under certain conditions. 

Science fiction movie Gravity, which clinched the award for Best Visual Effects at the 2014 Oscars, created the movie’s lighting effects with a custom made LED light box, according to a report by Digital Trends. 

The emergence of new sapphire substrate applications has brought many opportunities for the Taiwanese sapphire industry, according to the Commercial Times. Supply not meeting demand is becoming increasingly apparent. Patterened sapphire substrate (PSS) manufacturer Ridgetech Mircoelectronics has taken the top position for profit. Legal persons estimate that the company’s EPS last year reached more than  NT $5 (US $0.16). The doubling of production capacity this year has been driving up stock prices early. Emerging stocks increased 7.62 percent last Thursday with closing price at NT $150, making Ridgetech take the top spot in profit, stock price, and production capacity.

Large ceramic wafer manufacturer Tong Hsing Electronics Industries’ annual ceramic substrate for LED revenue grew 10 percent. As LED lighting applications mature, the LED industry is optimistic and is rapidly transforming the industry. New designs, materials, and manufacturing processes are being verified. Among these  flip-chip products were continually launched, driving demand for high heat resistance performance. The market anticipates that Tong Hsing will benefit.

With the rapid increase in LED lighting demands, LED manufacturers are continuing to develop module products with lower cost and simpler designs. Manufacturers have taken advantage of past direct-type backlight designs that use package components with few LEDs and include secondary optic lens, which allows for a wider luminosity angle and reduces the need for light guide plates.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy, Mr. Lennie Lake said the money will be used to purchase 110 LED lights to be installed in the Frigate Bay area from Sugars Complex to Zenway Boulevard as well as the New Road Community Park.

Silicon Base Development has officially changed its name to Taiwan Semiconductor Lighting Co, Ltd. (TSLC), according to a recent announcement. The change will be effective as of March 1, 2014.