MOEA Plans to Have a Budget up to NT$2 Billion for LED Street Lamps

Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) plans to have a budget up to NT$2 billion (US$66 million) to switch 326,000 units of street lamps into LED lightings. Many LED firms hope to secure this project, which requires the LED street lamp components - from LED chips, packaging, IC and heat dissipating substrates - to be Taiwan-made. Firms such as Epistar, Formosa Epitaxy, Everlight, Delta and Bright LED are likely to benefit. Industry sources noted that the budget of NT$2 billion for switching 326,000 units of street lamps means the price of each lamp is around NT$6,000. Even with subsidies provided by the state-run Taiwan Power's Energy Service Company (ESCO) project, the firms will not generate large profits. Industry sources hope the government will increase the subsidies for LED street lamps to avoid severe price competition that happened in the past. In addition, such projects should incorporate Taiwan's available resources and technologies. Source: www.digitimes.com