Reuters: light emitting diode (LED) a bright future

Although many people love incandescent bulb hair color, but no one wants to receive expensive bill. If the incandescent light bulb, no significant improvement in energy efficiency, energy efficiency standards, the world will gradually promote the incandescent light bulb out of the market. Investors are betting on the other can occupy the market technology.

As of now, really can replace the traditional lighting products only compact fluorescent lamps (compact fluorescent light, CFL), but these products contain mercury, and many of the people are not satisfied with the light texture. On the other hand, LED lighting does not contain mercury, long life and high energy efficiency.

Since the first practical development in 1962, after a long period of development LED, originally only red, but now developers can produce a variety of colors on the spectrum of LED.

LED the electricity required only for the traditional incandescent bulbs in 20%, about 20% of the world's electricity is used for lighting situations, converted into LED lighting will bring very great energy saving, and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and now the world is how to carbon dioxide pollution and pricing arguing.

LED cost is too high, is the biggest obstacle to market on a large scale by LED lighting. Many experts point out that the LED lighting market to take off, then the high quality LED bulb price must be below $10. The current LED bulb price than $10 on several times more expensive. Investors expected strong with LED grass and creative enterprises achieve economies of scale, and on the progress of technology, the cost will decline rapidly.

"In the past December market really began to change." LED Lemnis Lighting initial company co-founder Warner Philips said, he is also Holland electronics giant PHILPS (Philips ELectronics) founder heirs.

Lemnis about four years ago launched the first named Pharox LED lamp can be installed in the traditional lamp. If every four hours light bulb life, the latest version of LED can be up to about 25 years, but each for 25 dollars.

LED bulb price has halved in a short time. About six months ago, Lemnis sales LED bulb price is about $50, Philips is expected shortly after the price will drop to $10. Important points "which may be in the first half of next year," he said.

Track LED lighting market Pike Research predicts that by 2020, LED lighting in the United States $4 billion 400 million in commercial, industrial and outdoor lighting market share will be close to 50%. even if the price is high, some commercial and retail facilities have begun to change.

At the end of last year, retail giant WAL-MART (Wal-Mart) (WMT.N: quotes) said that 650 of its stores will install the LED lighting equipment, and selected by Cree Inc (CREE.O: market) the supply of related products; in the field of LED lighting, Cree is one of several companies and a handful of.

Other modifications of LED lighting company also includes coffee retailer Starbucks (Starbucks) (SBUX.O: market), Red Robin and Yum chain restaurant! Brands (YUM.N: market).

Cree shares in April this year reached an all-time high of $83.38 since the beginning of the year rose nearly 49%, partly because the market is optimistic expectations for the LED lighting market. But the global economic slowdown is expected to make psychological cooling, resulting in the company's share price to $65..

According to the Cleantech Group data, the first quarter of 2010, venture capitalists have invested $100 million in the 14 LED lighting companies, higher than the same period last year to $14 million.

For the lighting industry production of high power LED chip industry Bridgelux is prepared to enable the Silicon Valley factory, investors are eager to join the investment company.

Bridgelux earlier this year raised $80 million of funds also declined to equity investors. "There are a lot of people come knocking at our door." the company CEO Bill Watkins said.