Cree white-light LEDs are chosen for solar-powered streetlights

March 2, 2007, Durham, NC--A high-efficiency light-emitting diode (LED) produced by Cree is at the heart of 20 energy-saving solar-powered streetlights to be installed by the Guangzhou Multi-Cell Semiconductor Lighting Technology Co. in Guangzhou, China.

The white-light LED, the Xlamp XR-E, typically produces a luminous flux of 80 lumens at 350 mA, yielding 70 lumens per watt. This latter figure is significant for general lighting because it tops the efficiency of compact fluorescent lamps--which in themselves have been the closest thing to a revolution in general illumination in decades. While LEDs are still much more expensive per lumen than compact fluorescents, improvements in mass-production will bring price down (and further increase efficiency).

The demand for LED streetlights is growing rapidly, especially in geographies of the world where conserving energy is a high priority, said Norbert Hiller, Cree general manager and vice president for XLamp power LEDs. Peng Zhoulong, general manager of Multi-Cell, noted that the Cree LED is not only bright and efficient but also exceptionally consistent from one unit to the next. "Its package design is especially beneficial to the mass-production assembly line, providing a streamlined manufacturing process," said Zhoulong.