Taiwan’s LEDs Enter New Markets in 2009 to Replace Polluting Lighting Sources

(Top News, 25 May 2009 )

New applications for light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as replacements for conventional lighting sources are emerging this year while prices for this relatively new technology fall and energy savings improve.  This year, LEDs are winning adoption as lighting sources for PC screens as large laptop makers aim to eliminate pollution caused by older cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) technology. Many big laptop brands are speeding up their adoption of LED backlights, says Ivan Lin, an analyst with Taipei market research firm LEDinside. LED backlights still cost 70 percemt more than CCFL backlights because patents and brightness issues remain. “With more than 1,000 LEDs used in a backlight, maintaining consistency and reliability is still a big issue,” Lin said on the LEDinside website. In Taiwan, LED makers are aiming to replace CCFLs used as backlights in notebook computers. This not only promises to cut energy consumption for the screens in half but also eliminate pollution caused by mercury, which is contained in CCFLs. Taiwan companies make about 90 percent of the world’s laptop computers. LEDinside has forecast that the penetration rate of LEDs in laptop computers will reach 60.3 percent by 2010. Researchers also say new manufacturing technology may help make LEDs a viable lighting source in homes and offices within the next five years.  The global market for LEDs, worth more than $5 billion last year, is likely to more than double in size by 2012 as nations and consumers use the energy-saving lights to cut expenses and help reduce carbon emissions. Applications include nearly every type of lighting imaginable such as displays in electronic devices, road signage, traffic lights, large public information screens and video displays.  Taiwan is the world’s second largest LED maker, with a 25 percent market share. Taiwan’s market share has been growing more rapidly than that of the world’s largest supplier, Japan, with about 40 percent of the market. LEDs are also likely to replace CCFL backlights in flat-screen televisions. LEDs are poised to take a larger portion of the multi-billion dollar lighting market away from light bulbs and tubes as the new technology becomes more mature and manufacturing costs fall. The high-tech lights have other advantages because they take up less space, have no breakable glass or filaments, perform exceptionally well in cold environments, require no warm up time, eliminate frequent replacement of burned out bulbs and tubes and emit no harmful infrared or ultraviolet rays. In December 2008, the US Department of Energy (DOE) reported the results of a study in San Francisco that used LEDs for street lighting. The study conducted trials of LED street lights from four suppliers on four streets in San Francisco. “While lighting performance varied among the LED luminaires assessed in this study, energy savings potential was high in each case, with energy reductions ranging from 50 to 70 percent over the current high pressure sodium (HPS) system,” the DOE report said. “This study estimates that if the nationwide stock of installed HPS roadway luminaires were replaced with LED luminaires such as those that were found to perform well in the field, 8.1 TWh of total annual energy savings could be achieved, with a corresponding 5.7 million metric tons of CO2 emissions abated.” LEDs reduce energy consumption by emitting light from a chip rather than an incandescent filament in a light bulb or charged gases in a fluorescent light tube. LEDs use about a tenth of the energy of an incandescent bulb and can last a decade or longer. They also produce almost no heat, thereby reducing fire potential.  The December 2008 US Department of Energy report says that potential energy savings from current LED street lighting is significant, and that potential is likely to increase in the future as the energy and lighting performance of LED street lights continues to improve. However, economic viability will remain a key factor that must be weighed in concert with lighting performance, the report said. Continuing investment in development of new technology promises to make LEDs more affordable and energy efficient.  Gallium Nitride (GaN), a semiconductor used to make LEDs, emits brilliant light but uses very little electricity. New GaN LEDs potentially can provide household lighting, but high production costs have impeded wide adoption so far. However, the Cambridge University based Centre for Gallium Nitride has developed a new way of making GaN which could produce LEDs for a tenth of current prices. Taiwan’s LED makers include Arima Optoelectronics Corp., Bright LED Electronics Corp., Epistar Corp., Everlight Electronic Co., Formosa Epitaxy, Genesis Photonics Inc., Harvatek, I-Chiun Precision, Ligitek, Opto Tech and Unity Opto Technology Co.   [from http://www.ecnasiamag.com/article-25636-taiwansledsenternewmarketsin2009toreplacepollutinglightingsources-Asia.html]

Top 10 Reasons You Need To Switch To LED Light Bulbs

[taken from link]

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been turning up all over the place, which leads one to wonder why. What’s so great about these little lights? Why are we seeing more and more LED light bulbs cropping up on everything from cars to traffic lights? LED light bulbs have some very clear advantages over other types of lighting, such as:

1. LED light bulbs last longer. Without a filament to break or burn out, LED light bulbs can last for over 100,000 hours without showing their age (that’s over eleven years at full brightness). This lifespan is twice that of typical fluorescent bulbs and twenty times longer than incandescent light bulbs.

2. They are energy efficient. An incandescent light bulb loses 80 percent of its energy to heat, leaving only the last 20 percent for light. LED light bulbs turn this around, giving up a scant 20 percent of their energy to heat loss. Not only that, but they operate at 10 to 20 percent of the power required for incandescent bulbs of similar brightness.

3. LEDs are more colorful. LED light bulbs can be made in a vast array of colors without the use of extra filters, which brings down production costs. They also provide a truer, brighter color than a filtered bulb.

4. LED light bulbs work in silence. The days of humming bulbs came to an end with the creation of LEDs, so there’s no need to lose sanity listening to the thrum, tick, or ping of other light bulbs.

5. They are incredibly safe. With so little energy lost to heat and so little energy used overall, LED light bulbs run cool, which means no burnt fingers or burnt down houses. They are extremely durable thanks to their solid-state construction, so there’s no broken glass to deal with, either.

6. LED light bulbs are focused. LEDs can be made to focus without the use of extra reflectors or lenses, which means less bulk and lower cost for the same beam of light.

7. They are the best for dimming. Incandescent bulbs turn yellow when dimmed, while LED light bulbs retain their true colors.

8. LEDs are versatile. Thanks to the wide array of colors and shapes LEDs be made to replace most any light bulb. Their diminutive size and power-sipping nature also open up a world of possibility, from infrared remote control lights to ultra-light headlamps.

9. LED light bulbs bring light quickly. Lighting up to their full brightness in microseconds, LEDs are a safer choice when reaction time is a factor, like when that car in the fast lane slams on the brakes.

10. They promise a brighter future. LED light bulbs don’t contain mercury, like compact fluorescent bulbs do. Combining that with the fact that they outlast their energy efficient cousins, makes the choice to go LED clear as day.

LED light bulbs have a staggering number of uses, and somehow they keep excelling at all of them. When it’s time to shed light on the subject, this jack-of-all-trades masters all.

Thomas Baxter is a principle with EcoDirect, a environmentally conscience company committed to provide communities and businesses with products such as solar power panels and wind turbines. Email thomas@ecodirect.com for more information or additional articles on solar and wind power.

Visit from President of Gambia

On the 22nd of March, we had an extremely special visit from the President of Gambia. We were very fortunate with his choice to come to Aeon Lighting Technology to check out our energy saving bulbs. 

In the meeting, Gambian President Jammeh is wearing his traditional white attire. Allen Houng from Taiwan/USA and Patience Cole from Gambia both gave presentations to the President, detailing the benefits of LEDs and how it can specifically benefit Gambia.

BUSINESS:Company taps into students for global expansion ideas

By Kenton X. Chance

 

 

Ten university students are helping a lighting company to expand into the global market.

TAIPEI, Taiwan: - A local lighting company has recruited the assistance of 10 university students here as it tries to expand into the global market.

So far, the students have been able to secure visits to the company later this month by the president of Gambia and the Swaziland Ambassador to Taiwan, James Liang, Chief Executive Officer of ALT, told I Witness-News.

Aeon Lighting Technology Inc (ALT), manufactureres of Light-emitting Dioxide (LED) bulbs, has organized a two-month internship programme for students of Ming Chuan University International College.   

Students gain practical knowledge and complete their university-required internship while the company benefits from their talents and knowledge about potential markets in their respective countries.

“They are pure minded and we can get a lot of creative ideas from them. With our practical ideas; we mix them together for the niche idea… They are helping us to expand the business worldwide,” Liang said.

The company had planned to reward an outstanding student with US$500 when the internship ends on May 23. However, ALT was so impressed with the students’ performance that that reward would be given to two or three students, Laing said.

Liang said the company, which has a staff of 23, was trying to create employment opportunities for the students when they graduate.

The students come from Malawi, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Swaziland, Korea, Indonesia and the United States.

They major in electrical engineering, applied computing and international business.

The internship is being conducted under the rubric “Save our Earth” and is in keeping with ALT’s “efforts to promote LED technology products, with a view to contribute to environmental protection efforts”. 

American student Allen Huong said that his colleagues wanted to set up a recycling programme for LED.

He said that in most developing countries bulbs are disposed of in landfill and this could harm the environment when mercury leaks into the soil and waterways.

In addition to containing no mercury, an LED bulb uses 10 percent of the energy of an incandescent bulb and 50 percent of a florescent bulb.

Liang however noted that LEDs are significantly more expensive and the products on the market are mostly for street lighting and commercial lighting. Currently, an LED bulb for domestic cost US$70 to US$80 and Liang said that his company was working hard to make LED products more affordable.

And, notwithstanding the large capital investments, Chitsanzo W. Kazembe of Malawi thought that his country would welcome a change to LED lighting, a view shared by fellow Malawian Charles Chalimba and Cheryllia Limasari of Indonesia.

The students say LED lights can benefit their respective countries

Patience Cole of Gambia said that her country can be a launch pad for ALT products in Africa while Mariama K. Sanneh said that LED lighting was a way for the country to reduce its electricity cost.

Swaziland national Luke Fakudze said while he had never heard of LED lighting before the internship, he would readily recommend it to his government. He said that LED lamps last up to five years, consume less energy and are environmentally friendly.

Nonhlanhla Shongwe, also of Swaziland, said that with the global economic crisis, LED bulbs would be beneficial to her country, which imports some of its electricity from South Africa.

Ted Lee of South Korea helped ALT to develop a marketing plan. He said his government had implemented a “Green New Deal” programme which strongly recommended that citizens changes to energy efficient bulbs.

Zongo P. Eliezer of Burkina Faso told I Witness-News that while all countries are concerned about their energy bills, many companies don’t look at Africa as a market for energy efficient products.

He said that people on the continent are increasing interested in solar energy and LED product that uses solar energy will penetrate the African market.

Liang said that while combining LED and solar technology was a possibility, ALT was focused on reducing the cost of its LED products before considering a product for solar energy.

He further said that both LED and solar cells were new technology and combining two new technology might stagnant their development.

Los Angeles will this summer begin switching its incandescent street lighting to LED as it tries to reduce pollution and be more energy-efficient.  The city will begin the replacement process this July, and it will continue over a five-year period.

original link

Internship at Aeon Lighting

ALT offers Internship to MCU International College students 

The ALT Company is a company that produces LED bulbs that are the next generation of green energy. Besides producing LED bulbs, ALT has introduced an Internship program for International Students studying in Ming Chuan University, to put into practice what they have learnt. The company will provide a scholarship of US$500 to the intern that will excel in this program and a couple of students will get full employment in the company once they graduate. This intern program targets junior and senior students majoring in International Business, Information Management and Electronic Engineering departments.  This program started a couple of weeks ago and the company will have 2 sessions, each session having eight weeks. Each student has to complete 108 hours within the 8 week. Each week, each student has to send a report about what they have learnt and after the whole 8 weeks, they have to present a report on a given topic to research on. For the first session, 10 students were selected and they started their internship on the 16th March 2009. These students come from Gambia, Malawi, Swaziland, Burkina Faso, USA, Korean and Indonesia and they were accepted according to the academic performance.  From left to right: Shannon Lin ALT Marketing Manager, Zongo IM Junior, Ted IB senior, Nonhlanhla IM senior, at the back Wesley IM senior, Charles IM senior, Mariama IB junior, ALT CEO James Liang , Allen EE Junior, Patience IM senior, at the back Luke IB senior and Cheryl IB senior 

Written by: Nonhlanhla Shongwe from Swaziland

Hey Guys!

Thank you for joining the Save our Earth Program: Aeon Lighting Edition. 

Right now we're working to directly transition the world into an LED lighting future. 

Why LED? Why not fluorescent? Why not stay with the good ol' yellow light bulb that we're used to? Numerous reasons:

• LED's do not contain mercury, which fluorescents do.
  
• LED's use 1/9th the energy of the standard lightbulb!
  
• LED's last for 50,000 hours, whereas fluorescent last 6000, and incandescents a measly 700 hours. (in the future, nobody will even understand why there was a "how many [subjects] does it take to change a lightbulb" joke.)
  

What's the catch to such a wonderful product? 
The cost, as LED's are a relatively new technology, one standard bulb is around 40 dollars. Outrageous for just a light bulb? Perhaps, but with daily usage, most people earn that money back in a few years. Plus, you get to help the environment AND you get a kickass bulb!

How can you help?

• Tell people about the benefits of LED's over the other light bulbs! Spread the word!
  
• Join our events in the future, where we will be hosting tea conferences, promotions, etc.
  
• Get more people to join our group!