MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – January 15, 2007.  High-brightness light-emitting diodes (HB LEDs) have demonstrated dramatic improvements in performance in recent years, as well as significant cost reduction, s uch that they are undergoing a period of rapid market growth in a variety of lighting applications. A recently released report by Strategies Unlimited entitled The Market for High-Brightness LEDs in Lighting: Application Analysis and Forecast --2007 provides a detailed market assessment of the current market and future growth prospects for the use of HB LEDs in lighting. The report analyzes the market structure for lighting and the drivers that will enable the HB LED industry to penetrate the illumination market, as well as the barriers to market growth.  It also provides detailed analysis and quantitative market forecasts for ten lighting applications through 2011.

Through 2006 HB LED illumination applications have included niche markets such as architectural lighting, channel letter signs, machine vision, flashlights, accent and decorat ive lighting, and landscape lights. Many of these applications have taken advantage of the very high brightness and efficiencies available from colored (red, green and blue) LEDs relative to competing light sources such as filtered incandescent lamps and neon, as well as the long lifetimes of LEDs.  In addition, white LEDs have captured a strong market position in selected applications such as consumer portable lighting (e.g. flashlights, headlamps). More recently, white LEDs have begun to be used on a limited basis in applications such as retail display lighting.

The vast majority of general illumination appl ications require white light, and markets will begin to accelerate when white LED fixtures begin to offer energy savings relative to the use of conventional light sources.  This is likely to happen toward the end of 2007 with the introduction of high-performance white LEDs that exceed efficiencies of 100 lumens per watt. As the market grows beyond color and color changing applications into residential, retail and off-grid applications, and ultimately into outdoor area applications, the market will approach $1 billion in 2011. By then it will be only be the beginning for the ultimate replacement of conventional light sources, including high-efficiency fluorescent lamps. However, many challenges face the LED industry to accomplish that goal, all of which are discussed in the report.

The Market for High-Brightness LEDs in Lighting: Application Analysis and Forecast -- 2007 is available for immediate delivery from Strategies Unlimited at a price of $4,950. More information on the report is available by contacting Tim Carli, Sales Manager, at +1 650-941-3438 ext. 23, or by e-mail at t carli@strategies-u.com.

Founded in 1979, Strategies Unlimited specializes in market research and strategic consulting directed at the optical networking, optoelectronics, and compound semic onductor industries. The copany, based in Mountain View, California, is a research unit of PennWell Corporation.

PennWell Corporation, founded in 1910, is a highly diversified media and information company providing authoritative publications, conferences and exhibitions, databases, information products and Internet-based services to strategic markets worldwide. The company publishes over 45 periodicals including Laser Focus World, Lightwave, and Solid State Technology. Its headquarters are in Nashua, NH, and Tulsa, OK, with remote offices and partners located around the globe.