Starbucks says it has begun implementing an LED lighting conversion program in all of its company-owned stores in the U.S. and Canada, and has already completed installation in more than 1,000 U.S. locations.

The retail giant expects to expand the program to international markets in March 2010, aiming to complete installation in more than 8,000 company-owned stores around the world by the end of 2010.

Once that’s all done, Starbucks projects a 7 percent per-store reduction in energy use. This is a very exciting move by a major corporate entity, and I like the statement it makes about responsible energy consumption. I also like the technology implications here – solid state lighting is viable and can be esthetically formed to meet the needs of all kinds of design environments.

 Solid state lighting seems to be finally moving into the mainstream. I’ve recently come across Oree who is developing next-generation planar LED illumination with the first flat, thin, highly efficient light source. It’s cool because it lets lighting companies do some very creative design while still reducing energy consumption.

Oree’s is the kind of technology that could drive widespread adoption of LEDs in growing markets such as general lighting, decoration and LCD panels. I like it.