LED lighting is in the political spotlight after the chairman of developer and innovator Cree visited US president Barack Obama at the White House.
Chuck Swoboda, chairman and chief executive officer of Cree, joined seven other representatives for a meeting with President Obama to discuss the latest advances in energy-efficient technologies.
LED lighting has attracted interest recently from a variety of public bodies who recognise its possibilities as a cheap, low-emission and energy-saving alternative to traditional incandescent bulbs.
Mr Swoboda commented: "22 per cent of U.S. electricity is used for lighting and the widespread deployment of LED lighting can reduce this by more than 60 per cent."
He added that the presidential support for the technology gave "unprecedented opportunities" for US firms working in the LED sector.
Cree recently announced the release of the world's first water-resistant, IPx5-rated three-colour LED for application in full-colour displays, which can be used in both outdoor and indoor video screens.