Cities Saving as Market for LED Lighting Grows to Over $33 Billion by 2013, NextGen Research Forecasts

OYSTER BAY, N.Y.--(Business Wire)--
What do Palo Alto, Bangor, Seattle, and New York City`s George Washington Bridge
have in common?

They`re swapping out bulbs for LEDs.

Bangor recently announced it would install 319 LEDs in streetlights, saving that
city an estimated $34,000 a year in electrical expenses. Palo Alto is testing
the waters by installing nine LED streetlights, while Seattle is using $6
million in federal stimulus funds to replace all 40,000 streetlights in the city
with LEDs. The George Washington Bridge has converted its "light necklace" from
mercury-vapor lamps that last about a year to LEDs with 15-year life spans,
which will save New York an average of $5,000 per month in lighting and
maintenance costs.

Demand and usage of light-emitting diodes is booming, as cities worldwide shift
their streetlights to these energy-efficient, ecologically friendly solutions.
As a result, the LED market will experience robust growth over the next five
years, fueled by increasingly more-powerful and energy-efficient offerings that
will help municipalities, businesses and consumers lower their Total Cost of
Ownership (TCO) and accelerate Return on Investment (ROI) while becoming more
environmentally friendly.

NextGen Research, in its report "LED Lighting: Solid State Lighting
Applications, Technologies, and Market Opportunities"
(http://www.nextgenresearch.com/research/1001995-LEDs_and_Laser_Diodes),
forecasts the overall solid-state lighting (SSL) market will achieve worldwide
revenues topping $33 billion by 2013. The illumination segment of the LED market
will light the way with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 22% in
the 2009-2013 timeframe as cities worldwide shift their streetlights to these
more energy-efficient and ecologically friendly solutions.

Energized by improvements in the technology and significant extensions of
product lifespans, LEDs now have powerful proponents in government agencies,
municipalities, utilities and even iconoclastic, forward-thinking private
citizens, all calling for widespread acceptance and adoption of LEDs.

However, according to research analyst Laura DiDio, the study`s author, "The LED
industry still faces challenges. Vendors must work with legislators and industry
groups to foster a smooth, orderly transition from incandescent bulbs to more
efficient LEDs. Vendors also must provide specific product roadmaps to assist
users with business continuity planning, and provide excellent after-market
technical support and guidance during the transition period."

NextGen Research is the emerging technology arm of ABI Research
(www.ABIResearch.com). NextGen Research informs clients of the outlook for
applications currently in use and the opportunities presented by new
technologies, so they can make sound business decisions. For more information,
please visit www.NextGenResearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2526.

NextGen Research
Larry Fisher, 516-624-2526
Fisher@NextGenResearch.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009