Energy Efficient Lighting Breakthroughs Made in Germany

BERLIN and SEOUL, June 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Kintex International LED Expo and OLED Expo 2011

German lighting manufacturer OSRAM last week reported new efficiency levels for OLED panels (organic light emitting diodes). A result of German federal R&D funding, OSRAM received a portion of the EUR 100 million made available by 2015. This type of public-private cooperation has helped make Germany the most attractive location in Europe for manufacturers of energy efficient lighting. In fact Royal Philips Electronics announced last month a EUR 40 million investment to increase its production capacity of OLED lighting in Germany. Germany Trade & Invest will have experts at this year's Kintex International LED Expo and OLED Expo 2011 to share the latest opportunities in Germany.

"Germany is Europe's most important market for energy efficient lighting technologies. At the same time, German scientists are already finding solutions to tomorrow's problems. This makes Germany a very attractive location for companies looking to enter this growing industry," said Oliver Seiler, lighting technology expert at Germany Trade & Invest in Berlin.

German research institutes have earned a global reputation in this field. The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research (IAP), the Institute of Applied Photophysics (IAPP) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS) are investing heavily in OLED research. This promising technology is highly efficient, lightweight, flexible and thin, with the ability to emit light in a wide range of colors.  Currently the biggest challenges being addressed by researchers are to increase the life cycle of diodes in OLED lighting and to reduce production costs.

OLED lighting is set to change the way we light our homes and workspaces. The flexibility of this technology makes application possibilities virtually endless. OLEDs can be integrated into walls, ceilings, and even windows, as they can be transparent when turned off. And in contrast to the much criticized compact fluorescent bulbs, this type of lighting is more pleasant and does not require time to "warm up", making it an attractive, energy efficient solution for the future.

Germany Trade & Invest is the foreign trade and inward investment promotion agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The organization advises foreign companies looking to expand their business activities in the German market. It provides information on foreign trade to German companies that seek to enter foreign markets.

Germany Trade & Invest
Andreas Bilfinger
Email: andreas.bilfinger@gtai.com
T: +49(0)30-200099-173
F: +49(0)30-200099-111