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.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Monday announced four research programs to be funded under a $6.4 million program to fund solid-state lighting research. Three national laboraties and an Army lab will receive funds under the program for LED and organic LED research.  

United Microelectronics Corporation(UMC), the world’s second largest silicon wafer foundry, at its 2nd Board of Directors meeting yesterday, approved the establishment of New Business Development Center and its 100% owned subsidiary, UMC New Business Investment Corporation.

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.

National Semiconductor Corp. today introduced the industry's smallest white light-emitting diode (LED) driver with dynamic display backlight control. The LM3530, a member of National's PowerWise energy-efficient product family, drives up to 11 high-current LEDs in series, illuminating larger displays in portable media devices such as smartphones. The LM3530 is offered in a 12-bump micro SMD package measuring just 1.615 mm x 1.215 mm x 0.425 mm.

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.

Plextronics, Inc., a U.S.-based technology company focused on OLED and organic solar technology, announced last week that it has completed a $14 million Series B-1 financing round to commercialize its technology in the LED lighting and solar markets.

In light of the bright outlook of LED industry, Taiwan's Formosa Plastics Group (FPG) and Yulon Group, have recently financed Trend Lighting Corp, a LED lighting maker on the island, according to Taiwan Economic News.

ilumisys, Inc., developer and producer of solid-state lighting technology, announced last week that it has granted a license for its LED fluorescent tube replacement patents to Light Emitting Designs of North Barrington, Ill.



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.

Philips Lumileds continues to advance its core LED technology and recent breakthroughs implemented in the latest LUXEON Rebel LEDs for illumination applications improve efficacy and light output performance at luminaire operating temperatures. Hot/Cold Factor compares the light output of the LED at 100°C Tj and at 25°C Tj—which is how LEDs are specified on a datasheet. LEDs in a luminaire are operated at very high junction temperatures, often between 80°C and 110°C.

(Photo by D. Stevenson and C. Conway, Beckman Institute, University of Illinois) Stretchable micro-LED display, consisting of an interconnected mesh of printed micro LEDs bonded to a rubber substrate.

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.

To accommodate the booming demand of LED panels, leading panel maker, AU Optronics Corp, has decided to invest over $900 million to build four LED chip production plants under its subsidiary Lextar in Central Taiwan Science Park. The project is slated to begin in the fourth quarter this year, and it is expected to start production by the end of 2010. Lextar Chairman H.B. Chen indicated that going forward, Lextar’s role in supplying AUO’s LED chip demand will become increasingly important.

bulbs.com announced today that it has reached an agreement with Nexxus Lighting making bulbs.com the principal online distributor of the entire line of Array LED lamps and marking the entrance into the LED lighting market for bulbs.com.

Energy Focus, Inc. yesterday announced that it has been awarded a $0.5 million SBIR extension grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop and produce solid state lighting fixtures for general use on Navy ships. The new fixtures will replace 50 and 110 Watt water tight incandescent fixtures now in use. With the addition of these new fixtures Energy Focus, Inc.

ICAP Ocean Tomo announced today that it has been retained to sell the intellectual property portfolio for the Gentle Waves LED Photomodulation® System. This portfolio contains 60 issued and pending patents in the U.S. and worldwide in addition to regulatory approvals, trademarks, logos, and related assets.

Porlier Outdoor Advertising Co., located in the western suburbs of St. Louis, Mo., has installed two digital billboards manufactured by Watchfire Digital Outdoor. The 19mm 14’x48’ billboards are located in heavily traveled, highly visible locations in St. Charles County, a bedroom community of St. Louis.

Marktech LED Lighting has released its new EnergyLED PAR20 LED bulb. The bulb uses just 4.6 watts to generate up to 300 lumens of light, a 50% improvement in lumen output compared to the previous generation. With a 50º beam angle and E26 base, this UL approved family of LED bulbs is currently available in two white color temperatures, 2800k and 6000k cool white.

Spurred by medium to large-sized LED backlight order, Unity Opto Tech's Q3 margin rose significantly, with Q3 revenue forecasted to reach $39 million.

Philips Lighting Electronics has announced the introduction of its new ActiLume(tm) Color System which provides dynamic and static color effects using both fluorescent and solid state lighting technologies.

Orb Optronix has recently been named an Integration Member of Future Lighting Solutions’ Network. This provides Future Lighting Solutions’ customers access to Orb Optronix’ LED product development services, LED measurement lab and LED measurement products.

In an effort to further support its growing client list, Fusion Optix has expanded into the adjoining space of its new facility in Woburn, MA. The move gives Fusion Optix 60% more space for engineering, product development, and quality control.