Since January of this year, there has been a certain amount of confusion (not to say consternation!) among end-users of lighting products in California, as the new JA8 lighting standards have come into effect. For the first time, the California Energy Commission has adopted a requirement that all light sources in new home construction must be certified as high efficacy.

In the past few years, LEDs have made huge advances in energy efficiency. Industry sources and outside experts say LEDs are now the most energy-efficient lighting source available. They use far less energy than other bulbs, last a lot longer, and cost less to use over their lifetime.

Recently, The UK Technology Strategy Board (TSB) has announced funding for twelve innovative research projects to accelerate the development of more energy-efficient lighting, lasers and displays. The R&D projects are intended to help British manufacturers to stay ahead of international competition - and contribute to the UK's climate change goals.

It’s reported that WieDaMark, LLC, launched WDM Lighting this quarter. WDM Lighting, a company of WieDaMark, LLC, will showcase the WDM product line and national distributor program. It specializes in LED and energy-efficient lighting solutions for residential, commercial, and entertainment industries.

Recently, Cree, Inc., a market leader in LED lighting, and the City of Welland, Ontario, Canada, announced that Welland has joined the LED City initiative, an international program that promotes the deployment of energy-efficient LED lighting. The city has converted many of its lighting applications to LEDs, including streetlights and traffic signals, and has additional projects underway. Welland has also amended its municipal standards to facilitate LED lighting for all future streetlight installations.

It’s reported that the sales of Taiwan's LED makers rose 16.1 percent in the first half of this year from the same period a year earlier. This is helped by the Beijing Olympics and higher energy prices that are encouraging the use of lower-cost lighting.

As far as we know, LEDs are brighter and less expensive than ever, and way more efficient than even compact fluorescents (CFLs) and, certainly, ordinary light bulbs.

It’s known that LEDs are becoming more commonly used for under-cabinet lighting in kitchens, the reddish glow of the LEDs helps warm up the cool colors in his kitchen. The future is looking brighter for LEDs, the next generation of energy-efficient lighting. LEDs still cost much more than incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs, but its prices are dropping. Rising energy prices also have helped raise public awareness of the miserly LEDs, which are available in an increasing variety of lighting products.

Recently, Pegasus Associates Lighting introduced four new LED lighting products to its web site. One of the new products could help its customers save hundreds of dollars a year on their electric bills. These new LED light fixtures are energy-efficient, well-designed, long lasting, and come with superior light quality for everyday use in the home or office.

Recently, Everett traffic engineers got the green light to replace every green light in the city. City street crews will soon swap out incandescent green light bulbs at 169 traffic signals and replace them with more energy-efficient light emitting diodes, or LEDs.LEDs are used in electronic devices such as cell phones, digital alarm clocks and even the crystal ball that descends on New York's Times Square on New Year's Eve. In addition to green lights, the city also plans to install LED lights in pedestrian signals this year.

Recently, in Amherst a local manufacturing firm announced that the company is continuing to do what is possible to make our planet a greener place to live.Chuck Cartmill from C-Vision, who is in the process of developing an LED technology to put into streetlighting said the majority of lighting pollution and wasted energy is from the overheads you see out on the streets, their fixture design is set up to use substantially less energy, but also comply with what is called Dark Skies, so all the light is directed down.

It’s reported that Avago Technologies has introduced a 1W warm white Moonstone power LED emitter for use in a variety of architectural, commercial, spot light, task, backlighting, and decorative lighting applications.