LED Finds a Niche in Special Lighting Market

From stage shows, automobile lamps, traffic signals and your living room, etc, almost all the traditional incandescent bulbs in this period of global warming are seen as wasteful and are expected to be replaced by their LED counterparts. According to a recent report from Strategies Unlimited, a market research firm specializing in optoelectronic, photovoltaic, and compound semiconductor material, the LED lighting market will grow at almost 37% over the next few years. And some other studies even suggest that a complete conversion to the lights could decrease carbon dioxide emissions from electric power used for lighting by up to 50% in two decades.

Aside from general lighting, backlight, and vehicle lighting, special lighting is once paid less attention since it is pretty diversified. But due to the characteristic of low volume but high-product-mix operation of the special lighting, the margin has remained relatively as high as up to 60%.

The great profit potential drives the special lighting market to grow fast. According to PIDA, the global LED general lighting market may grow to more than US $1.6 billion by 2010. By then, the general lighting takes more than half with a slow and steady growth trend whereas the special lighting is expected to account for approximately 10% from 3% sharply.

Apart from establishing a vertically integrated infrastructure for tenant companies, STSP tries to creates a borderless environment for the tenant enterprises and its neighboring cities and towns.One can only tell the difference when the landmark of STSP is in sight and is thus given a new impression about the science park.As stated by Director-general Chen, the vision of STSP is set for the goals of "industry clusters", "sustainable development", and "living environment integrated with art and culture" for the long-term development of other science parks in Taiwan.

In recent years, many historical remains have been found in STSP. As for now, there are twenty five archaeological sites and fifteen of them are being excavated. According to dating data, the oldest archaeological site presently found can be dated back to 4,800 years ago, and the most recent one is about 200 years ago.These pre-historical culture and art are the most valuable and distinguished feature of STSP while compared with other science parks.

FIG.1 Landmark at the front gate of STSP

Courtesy: STSP

In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol set binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This year just recently, United Nations Climate Change Conference is taking place in Copenhagen to figure out solutions for the threat posed by climate change to human society and the natural world. Among all other industries, the LEDs and solar cells are the most potential industries that help to sustain our environment.

In a foreseeable future, LED and solar cells would heavily influence human life for their features of energy efficiency and generation. The currently-used incandescent light bulbs will be phased out as soon as 2010, and the most potential replacement is LED. Photovoltaic on the other hand is regarded the most potential alternative energy in the future and is greatly promoted by governments worldwide. The development of photonic technology is going to change the world.

Photonic Industry & Technology Development Association (PIDA) will hold Seminar: the Green Future of Photonics to probe the latest development of LED, photovoltaic, and flat panel display industries. The four-day-run seminar will begin with the topic of LED industry on January 19th, including discussions on LED backlight, AC LED, LED niche market and Chinese LED lighting market. Day 2 and 3 would focus on the development of PV industry and HCPV especially. In the fourth day, the seminar will talk about the hottest topic regarding flat panel display industry including e-book readers, smartbooks, touch panels and so forth.

For more information, please visit PIDA's website at
http ://www.pida.org.tw