The ROC government will launch a three-year fluorescent street lamp replacement project in January to reduce Taiwan’s carbon footprint and help nurture the domestic light-emitting diode industry.
The NT$700 million (US$23.25 million) plan will see 53,000 traditional fluorescent street lights replaced with environmentally friendly LED fixtures, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs Nov. 8.
In the initial phase of the project, LED lights will be installed in the cities of Keelung, Hsinchu and Chiayi, said MOEA Minister Shih Yen-shiang.
“This replacement project will not only provide the nation with energy efficient lighting,” he said, “it will also give local LED manufacturers a tremendous boost, as the experience they acquire from manufacturing and installing the new lights will help make them more competitive internationally.”
Shih announced the details of the plan after meeting with several LED industry representatives, including those from Everlight Electronics Co. Ltd., Epistar Corp. and Delta Electronics Inc.
He added that the setting up of standards is integral to the industrial development of LED products, and that the government will speed up its efforts to promote standards for the LED industry.
Taiwan is the first nation in the world to stipulate standard requirements for outdoor LED lights, according to the MOEA.
The ministry noted that the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection has already set 49 specifications for the LED industry, on matters such as acceptable power density and energy-efficiency levels.
