In Europe, where environment is high on the agenda, incandescent light bulbs are being phased out, which is expected to accelerate the shift to energy-efficient LED lighting in the future. Panasonic introduced a 20W equivalent LED Clear Type in some European countries last year, which is designed to replicate a traditional clear incandescent light bulb in size, shape, position of light source, color of light, brightness and distribution of luminous intensity. Panasonic's original light diffusion and heat radiation technologies enable it to deliver a light quality similar to that of a clear incandescent light bulb. The bulb has won acclaim and awards, including coveted international design awards in Germany.

A new LED bulb with brightness equivalent to a 40 W incandescent light bulb will be added to the lineup of the popular LED lamp Clear Type. As these bulbs are very similar to a traditional clear type light bulb in shape, people will feel comfortable replacing existing light sources with the new technology in their homes.

By leveraging the latest industry-leading LED lighting technology fostered through product development for the Japanese market, Panasonic plans to significantly expand the lineup of LED lamps for the European market, thereby contributing to energy saving in Europe.