Additionally, Cree recently licensed Knightbright Electronics to manufacture and sell its high-brightness white LEDs. Knightbright Electronics manufactures LED lamps, surface-mount displays, and other related LED products.
A BRIGHT FUTURE
The average selling prices of white LEDs have declined about 20% per year. Projections by the Optoelectronics Industry Development Association show that lifetime ownership costs of LED lighting systems will be less than those of incandescent lamps by next year and less than those of fluorescent lamps by 2012. Market-research firm IC Insights forecasts that high-brightness LEDs, including white LEDs used for room lighting, will account for 86% of the world's $6.7 billion total revenues for LED sales by 2010.
Solid-state lighting has become a high priority for energy-conscious government agencies worldwide, which are increasing funding for LED development. Cree has worked closely with and been funded by the U.S.
Department of Energy (DoE) under the DoE's Building Technologies Program within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Furthermore, Cree is a charter member of the DoE's Solid State Lighting Partnership with the Next Generation Lighting Industry Alliance. The Alliance is an organization of lighting manufacturers that provides inputs to enhance the manufacturing and commercialization focus of the DoE's solid-state lighting portfolio.
Last year, the Department of Energy showed efficacy-rating projections of commercially available white LEDs reaching 150 lumens/W by 2012 and 200 lumens/W by 2020 (Fig. 3). Cree also is working with and being funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop lighting standards.
Cree Inc.
www.cree.com
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