Makers will boost the luminous efficacy of white LEDs, targeting 200 lm/W and above, and pursue breakthroughs in substrate materials, epitaxial chips and preparation.The southern province continues to solidify its status as the key hub for China's growing LED industry.
Leveraging its position as China's biggest LED manufacturing center, Guangdong province is accelerating the industry's development in accordance with the national government's 12th Five-Year Plan. In 2011, the hub's output value hit $23 billion, surging by nearly 77 percent from the previous year. By end-2012, this is expected to climb by more than 30 percent to reach $31 billion. Over 3,000 enterprises make up this rapidly growing sector.
The principal objective of the Plan is to strengthen innovation capability for the "green" lighting technology and expand its application base to automotive and consumer electronics, displays and home appliances. For this, 13 key projects have been lined up with total investment of $1.8 billion. These include Guangdong Silver Rain's work on epitaxial wafers and chips, which has an allotment of $300 million. For its lighting venture, BYD (Huizhou) will be spending $180 million, while Foshan City Touve is allocating $150 million for the development of lamps and high-power street lights.
To enhance core competence, companies' RD will concentrate on white LEDs with a luminous efficacy of 200 lm/W and above. Further upstream, breakthroughs in substrate materials, epitaxial chips and preparation, and large power device packaging will be pursued. These will extend to white LED light source system integration and intelligent features. Product standardization, key equipment upgrade, including of automatic testing systems, and the localization of raw materials are to be covered as well. LED drivers, adapters, backlights and illumination products also fall within this scope.
The province will likewise ensure support platforms are in place. It is implementing a semiconductor lighting demonstration project and plans to set up a national testing center. Contract energy, buyer's credit and demand-side management systems are also to be explored. The scheme will include a trading system, integrating exhibition and logistics services, market transactions and e-commerce.
Guangdong likewise hopes to organize a dedicated show with international influence.
To spread development and maximize resources in various locations, Guangdong is mapping out an industrial network. The provincial government, for instance, will support the development of LED design houses in the cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen to provide makers an outsourcing option. Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan and Jiangmen will be encouraged to grow their epitaxial chip and packaging production segments.
The province is boosting eight strategic emerging industries, including LED, with a $3.5 billion investment. The target aggregate output value by 2015 is more than $400 billion.
