The YAHAM submission will now undergo comprehensive evaluation

DOE launched the L Prize initiative to spur development of high-quality, high-efficiency LED replacements for the common light bulb. Every year it is estimated that more than 425 million 60-Watt incandescent light bulbs are sold in the United States alone, representing approximately 50% of the domestic incandescent light bulb market. According to DOE, an LED replacement for this could save 34 terawatt-hours of electricity in one year, enough to power the lights of 17.4 million U.S. households. It would also avoid 5.6 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually.Established through the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the L Prize offers substantial rewards for the first manufacturer to meet its very demanding requirements –ensuring that performance, quality, lifetime, cost and availability meet expectations for widespread adoption and mass manufacturing. In addition to the significant cash prize, the first manufacturer to fully meet the competition’s requirements will also be in consideration for federal purchasing agreements, utility programs and other incentives.

The YAHAM submission will now undergo comprehensive evaluation, including performance testing conducted by independent laboratories, field assessments conducted with utilities and other partners, long-term lumen maintenance testing and stress testing under extreme conditions. Consumer pricing and retail availability have yet to be determined.High Power Opto’s current production capacity of AlInGaP/Si led chip is approximately 120 million units per month; this capacity is forecasted to reach 200 million units in 4Q09. By then, the company’s annual output will increase dramatically. HPO holds a number of crucial patents and technologies, and its market extends from the Asia-Pacific region to Europe, U.S. and Japan. HPO now dominates the High Efficiency LED AllnGap market with over 50% share. Additionally, the company has also tapped into the production of GaN based blue LED on Si substrate.

High Power Opto is the third upstream chip maker in the world, following OSRAM and Cree, which has the capacity to supply vertical high power silicon LED chips. As of April 2009, the company has set record high revenues for 5 consecutive months. Backed by the brightness enhancement and cost reduction of its existing AlInGaP/Si LED Chip, as well as the new production of its GaN and InGaN /Si LED Chips,High Power Opto will jump into the limelight as the rising star in the LED industry.