Taiwan-based Walsin Lihwa Group has invested US$200 million to build an LED lighting plant in Shannxi, China, to seize the huge business opportunities in Chinese LED market, according to the group chairman Chiao Yu-lon.

Several U.S. cities are planning to use federal stimulus funds to replace traditional streetlights with energy-efficient LED ones. Seattle plans to retrofit all 40,000 residential streetlights with energy- and cost-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) technology. It estimates that four to six years will be needed for the city to replace all streetlights with LEDs.

Illumitex, a U.S.-based company, says that it is now in beta production of a light-emitting diode (LED) that it claims can brighten PC screens while using less electricity. The company had raised $10.5 million in March in its first round of funding, and is expecting an additional $20 million early in the summer, according to CEO Matt Thomas. The product is expected to reach full production in September.

Supply of LED chips is expected to fall behind demand until the second half of 2010, with prices to trend upward, Robert Yeh, chairman of Everlight Electronics Inc., a leading LED chipmaker in Taiwan, said at the Photronics Festival in Taiwan 2009 which took place last week.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, or TSMC, the world's largest contract IC maker, plans to explore business opportunities in the green energy sector, including light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and solar energy. The plan is in line with the company's goal to diversify its revenue channels besides its foundry business. TSMC has decided to set up a new business development unit and Rick Tsai has been appointed to head the unit.

In China, energy-efficient bulbs and alternative power sources are increasingly used in the Christmas lights industry. Two years ago, about one-fifth of the 1,000 suppliers had the capability to make LED-equipped models. And less than 20 percent of their total production was allotted to the segment, as incandescent designs were mainstream. By now, nearly all the suppliers boast regular manufacturing lines for LED Christmas lights. In fact, such types now account for 60 to 70 percent of the output in most factories.

The Photonics Festival in Taiwan 2009, which has attracted about 360 exhibitors, with 800 booths filled in, is particularly shining with LED and PV— two potential industries that are expected to lead the world to a better and greener future.

Scientists of the West Virginia University Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, have been developing the next generation of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting that will be much more efficient than anything now on the commercial market. The study was the subject of an initial grant based on IC INOVA’s LED design and funding. A recent memorandum of understanding between the WVU Research Corporation and IC INOVA, a Japanese company, demonstrates their support in the progress of the WVU LED research.

UltraTech's lighted tweezers and mechanical pickup tool have white LEDs built in to help you see what you're grabbing. The LEDs (light-emitting diodes) shed light on hard-to-see places to make the task easier. The tweezers come in three styles, all of which are a little more than 6 inches long. The pickup tool is 24 inches long and can grasp items up to 1 inch across.

UPEK®, a global provider of enterprise and consumer biometric fingerprint solutions, yesterday unveiled its TouchLight™ technology which integrates light emitting diodes (LEDs) for user prompting and feedback directly into the company’s broadly adopted fingerprint sensors. UPEK is demonstrating TouchLight integrated LED technology at the Computex Trade Show in Taipei, Taiwan June 2-6, 2009.

In Taiwan, the government is to take five measures to cut greenhouse-gas emission and save energy at total budget of NT$1.2 billion (US$37 million at US$1:NT$33) over the next three years, according to Economics Minister C.M. Yiin. The five measures include replacing Taiwan`s 260,000 incandescent traffic lights with LED lamps, further cutting electrical-bill discount rate and enlarging the coverage of discount beneficiaries, applying solar energy to public buildings, building a solar power plant, and assisting local governments set up LED-streetlight demonstration system.

Avnet Electronics Marketing China, part of the global technology distributor, Avnet, Inc., turned the spotlight on energy efficient, high brightness (HB) LEDs at the "Symposium on Sustainability Driven Innovative Technologies" implemented by the Hong Kong Productivity Council.

The City Council of San Ramon, U.S. will consider another application for federal economic stimulus money for a $215,600 grant to replace city parking lot lights and street lights with energy efficient LED ones. According to a city staff report, installing the energy efficient lights could reduce city energy costs by 50 percent. LED street lights also last 50,000 to 80,000 hours longer than traditional lights.

Lawson Inc., the convenience store chain said last week that it will use LED lights in its new outlets scheduled to open in June. And it will later consider also replacing the lights in its existing outlets with LEDs. Lawson made the decision after using LED lights in some of its stores for trial. It has found that a store using LEDs for illumination saves 35% electricity than a store using fluorescent lights.

Energy Focus, a fiber-optic and LED lighting provider, said Tuesday it would develop LEDs for the U.S. Army to replace rockets flares which are used to provide infrared light to soldiers wearing night vision goggles on the battlefield.