Commercial Lighting – LED
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. An LED is a semi-conducting device that produces light when an electrical current flows through it. An LED is a light source that has no filament, which is the major component that fails in HID, fluorescent and incandescent light due to vibration and striking of the filament. Solid State Lighting (SSL) is a term sometimes used interchangeably with LED. SSL is an umbrella term encompassing different types of lighting technologies.
Today’s LED lighting products are found in restaurants, offices, parking lots, casinos, theaters, sports arenas and road and street lighting applications. In addition to saving energy, LEDs save money, protect the environment and are easy to maintain. Their long life and aesthetics add to their popularity. LED solutions can produce up to a 90 percent energy savings versus incandescent light sources, while lasting up to 50 times longer. And, unlike fluorescent lamps, LEDs do not contain hazardous materials such as mercury.
How Energy Efficient are LEDs?
When considering the energy efficiency of LED devices it is important to look at how well the device and fixture work together to provide light. LEDs are sensitive to thermal and electrical conditions and must be carefully integrated into lighting fixtures. Poorly designed fixtures using even the best LEDs may be no more efficient than incandescent lighting.
How Long Do LEDs Last?
One of the major advantages of LEDs is their potentially long life. LEDs don’t usually burn out, instead they gradually fade over time. This process is called lumen depreciation. Factors that contribute to lumen depreciation include drive current and the heat generated within the device itself. Good quality white LEDs in well-designed fixtures are expected to have a useful life of 30,000 to 50,000 hours, depending on operating conditions and other factors. At 24 hours of continuous use, such fixtures can deliver useful light for six years or longer – much longer than incandescent sources and up to twice as long as long-life fluorescent sources.
LED Energy Savings
Because of its unique capabilities, LED lighting is leading the lighting industry in its ongoing effort to develop truly green, sustainable solutions and market them affordably. As costs come down, new standards, green initiatives, and government directives are creating an enormous opportunity for the adoption of LED lighting around the world.
According to The U.S. Department of Energy, LED lighting can save up to 85 percent of the electricity used by incandescent bulbs and up to 50 percent of electricity used by fluorescents.