30 April 2011

Lighting to overtake LCDs TVs in LED demand in 2014

As demand for LEDs continues to rise, TV applications will dominate the LED market through 2013, accounting for nearly 50% of total LED backlight demand, forecasts market research firm DisplaySearch’s ‘Quarterly LED Supply/Demand Market Forecast Report’. However, LED lighting will capture the lead by 2014, as demand for LEDs in LCD TV backlights falls due to a decrease in the number of LED packages per set (a result of efficacy enhancements and cost reductions).

“The market for LED backlights continues to grow as manufacturers leverage the technology for large-display applications like notebooks, monitors, and TVs,” notes senior analyst Leo Liu. “In addition, there are a growing number of emerging applications for LEDs, such as lighting, signal and automotive.”

Graphic: Large-area market penetration forecast by application (shipments).

Currently, LED backlights are used in all small/medium LCDs, and LED penetration in mobile PCs is nearly 100%. Penetration in LCD monitors and LCD TVs continues to grow, while the number of LED packages per set is falling.

After more than doubling to 12.9% in 2010, the average number of chips per set is increasing more slowly, and is expected to peak at 15.1% in 2012. This is driven by the increasing efficacy of LEDs, even as the cost per chip decreases. This virtuous cycle drives LED penetration higher in LCD backlights, as well as illumination.

The LED lighting penetration rate in 2010 was 1.4%, and is forecast to reach 9.6% in 2014. Spotlights and LED street lights are forecast to have higher penetration in lighting due to government incentive programs like the 12th Five Year Policy in China, as well as growth in commercial applications. In addition, LED bulbs and fluorescent tubes are growing in Japan due to government incentive programs (Eco-Point) and energy consciousness.

Quarterly chip supply will nearly double from the beginning of 2010 to the end of 2011, as both existing and new suppliers ramp up metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) lines. In Q1/2011, Samsung and LG were the top two LED suppliers in terms of 500µm x 500µm chip size. However, led by Epistar in the number-3 position, Taiwan will surpass Korea as the largest source of supply in 2011. The tight supply situation experienced in 2010 has turned into an oversupply, notes DisplaySearch, as chip production has increased while LED TV penetration did not grow as fast as expected, reaching only 21% in 2010.

See related items:

LED shipments growing 40% to 165bn in 2011

GaN LED market to grow 38% in 2011

LED pricing pressure extending into Q1/2011

Booming MOCVD market gathers pace

Tags: LEDs MOCVD

Visit: www.displaysearch.com