According to market research firm SBI (Specialists in Business Information), the current global LED and OLED market size has exceeded US$5 billion, with the US accounting for US$1 billion of the market value. This is a 50% increase over 2007. SBI further estimates that the global LED and OLED market size will reach US$14 billion in 2013, and the US market size will reach US$3 billion.

Why can LED and OLED technology become one of the industries with the best growth potential in the future? Because the world is currently making more efforts in the green energy industry than ever before. This is all due to the continuous rise in the price of oil and other resources in the first half of 2008, and the huge impact of global climate change on mankind.

LEDs are also more efficient in converting energy than traditional incandescent lamps. Generally speaking, the conversion efficiency of LEDs is 80%, while that of incandescent lamps is only 20%. For example, traffic signs using LEDs can reduce energy usage by 92% compared to those using incandescent lamps.

In the long run, the more LED or OLED application markets are established, the less power plants will be needed in many places around the world, even if the global population is increasing and the demand for electricity is also increasing. Because LEDs and OLEDs can reduce the electricity consumption of each person or even the user, once the popularity of LED lighting increases, the existing power plants will be sufficient to meet the demand.

However, SBI also reminded that even though LED and OLED have so many advantages, it will still take time for their costs to drop.

Therefore, one of the key factors hindering the popularization of LED and OLED is cost. Once the price drops rapidly, the market scale of LED and OLED may become larger and more popular.

Taiwan is also actively working to create an LED market. The Bureau of Energy of the Ministry of Economic Affairs has allocated a budget of NT$200-300 million to launch a LED street light replacement plan after the LED street light standards are set. According to LEDinside's estimates, Taiwan's overall LED market will have a business opportunity of NT$400.5 trillion.