OIDA Proposes New Criteria for Optoelectronics in a Low Carbon Economy at the European Commission in Brussels

Optoelectronics will enable green, energy efficient systems over the next decade
WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--
At the High Level Event on ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) for
Energy Efficiency in Brussels, hosted by European Commissioner Vivian Reading,
OIDA proposed new criteria for optoelectronics in a low carbon economy. Michael
Lebby, president of OIDA, detailed how optoelectronics is fast becoming green
and energy efficient and is expected to become a significant factor in "powering
the green revolution" by 2020. OIDA is analyzing every level of optoelectronics
product to determine the level of energy efficiency utilized. The current
metrics include energy, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, sustainable, and
health.

Lebby noted that by 2020, green photonics components will comprise over 54% of
the global optoelectronics market of $492 billion. This growth will be led by
green optoelectronics displays, expected to surpass $110 billion in 2020. The
overall market demand for green optoelectronics technology is expected to
achieve a 2009-2020 CAGR of 17.3%, which represents over $250 billion.
Significant optoelectronics drivers will be solid state lighting and solar
photovoltaics. Lebby mentioned that in spite of the recent recession, there will
be strong optoelectronics energy efficient technology growth rates in all seven
technology segments:

1) Green flat panel displays (2009-2020 CAGR 18%)

2) Green optoelectronic components (2009-2020 CAGR 13.5%)

3) Green optical I/O devices (2009-2020 CAGR 21.3%)

4) Green optical fiber communications (2009-2020 CAGR 18.1)%

5) Green precision optical lens/lasers (2009-2020 CAGR 16.1%)

6) Green solid state lighting (2009-2020 CAGR 34.5%)

7) Green optical storage (2009-2020 CAGR 28.8%)

Lebby said "we are already seeing a cultural shift among optoelectronics
commercial and academic leaders in their approach to energy efficiency.
Optoelectronics enables many industrial and consumer products and systems, much
more than many realize."

* Energy efficiency improvements using high brightness LEDs, for example, are
prominent in traffic lights, street lights, and automobile stop lights…but less
obvious in LCD display backlights.
* In optical communications, there is a growing trend to increase bandwidth
speeds from 1Mbps to 100Mbps, and even 1000Mbps (or 1Gbps) with fiber
optic-based broadband. Having a fiber optic connection in a home means the use
of highly complex laser diodes, photodetectors, and optical lens technology.
* In a wireless cell phone, the camera flash is now LED-based, as is the key pad
lighting. The camera itself is an optoelectronic chip composed of silicon
photodetectors called an image sensor.

"These are examples," Lebby said, "in which optoelectronics is impacting the
environment in green ways we could only dream of a few years ago."

These and other green photonics issues will be addressed at OIDA`s upcoming
OPTOmism Conference (www.optomism.com) in Santa Clara, May 18-20th, both at the
business-focused Executive and Investor Forum and at the two-day Technical
Conference. The conference features world renowned speakers including the new
U.S. Energy Secretary, Dr. Steven Chu. Over the three days, OPTOmism will
explore energy related optoelectronics, photonics, optics, and physics-based
solutions across a broad applications portfolio. Speakers will discuss solar,
lighting, instrumentation in yield enhancement for a wide array of applications,
including oil discovery and recovery, clean coal, biomass, and communications.

Note on use of technical terms used in this press release: The term
"optoelectronics" is referred to as "photonics" in many environments. While
optoelectronics is technically different from photonics, the terms are
converging in many economic and political circles to encompass the same meaning.
OIDA accepts that the terms optoelectronics and photonics can be used
interchangeably. OIDA also notes that green photonics technology has the same
meaning as green optoelectronics technology.

About OIDA

OIDA is a Washington DC-based, non-profit association that promotes
optoelectronics. OIDA members include the leading providers of optoelectronic
components and systems enabled by optoelectronics, as well as universities and
research institutions. OIDA serves as the voice of industry to government and
academia, acts as liaison with other industry associations worldwide, and
provides a network for the exchange of ideas and information within the
optoelectronics community.

Learn more about OIDA at www.oida.org.

OIDA
David Iams, 202-785-4426
Communications Director
iams@oida.org

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