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.

Taiwan’s leading panel maker AU Optronics Corp. (AUO) recently decided to invest NT$30 billion (US$923.08 million) to establish four LED chip factories in Taiwan in the fourth quarter this year, to meet the strong demand for LEDs used in panel backlight modules, Taiwan Economic News reports, and the facilities is planned to begin mass production in late 2010.

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.

As the smallest 1 W LEDs for backlighting LCD displays, the two white versions of the Oslon LX from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors provide strong light that can be very efficiently injected into thin light guides with the aid of an optimized lens. The displays can therefore be made ultra-thin and can be uniformly illuminated even with single-side injection.

Ledtech Electronics and its daughter company, Energyled Corporation, held “2009 Green Lighting Development Trend – LED Highlighting Architectures in New Style Seminar and LED Lighting Applications & Products Exhibition” on Wednesday, August 26th, 2009 at Living 3.0 - Intelligent Living Space. This event was planned by Ledtech Electronics Ltd. and organized by Energyled Corporation, along with associate organizers Avertronics Inc.

Mouser Electronics, Inc. recently announced it has signed a global distribution agreement with DBM Reflex Lighting Solutions. Mouser was chosen as DBM Reflex’s first distributor.

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.

Seoul Semiconductor held a press conference in Korea, the US and China yesterday (August 26th) to introduce its  Acriche A4, a new LED product with luminous efficiency up to 75lm/W.

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.

Owing to increasing LED backlight module shipments, Unity Opto Technology Co., a Taiwan-based LED chipmaker, expects to continue to post record high revenue in July, the Taiwan Economic News reports. According to Unity Opto chairman C.H. Wu, business of LED backlight for panels accounts for 55% of the company’s total revenue. With flooding orders, Wu said, Unity Opto’s revenues in July, August, and September are expected to continue to hit record highs.

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.

Philips Lumileds today announced that its LUXEON Rebel LEDs are recognized by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), and have become the first high power DC LEDs to earn UL Recognized certification. The recognition will speed time to market by making it possible to obtain UL Listed status for new luminaires built with LUXEON Rebel without requiring a full insystem LED component investigation.

Enfis Group Plc today announced the introduction of a new line of ultra-bright white LED arrays that offer fixture manufacturers and lighting designers rapid design and integration opportunities.

Dwayne Hillman, president of AC Electronics, announced today that AC Electronics and SLI Lighting products, the North American division of a Havells Sylvania, have entered into an exclusive lighting distribution agreement.

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.

Recently, LED-backlit LCD monitors are more frequently showing up in the market, indicating the increasing application of LED backlight in monitor field — the slowest growing section among the three major LED backlight application fields. According to LEDinside, the specialized market research house, LED backlight penetration rate in monitors will be no more than 1% in 2H09, while is expected to rise to 35% by 2012. Vendors are promoting LED monitors; are consumers ready to buy?

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.