LED Lighting
LED stands for light emitting diode. LED lighting products produce light approximately 90% more efficiently than incandescent light bulbs. To prevent performance issues, the heat LEDs produce is absorbed into a heat sink.
LED lighting differs from incandescent and fluorescent in several ways. When designed well, LED lighting is more efficient, versatile, and lasts longer.
LEDs are “directional” light sources, which means they emit light in a specific direction, unlike incandescent and CFL, which emit light and heat in all directions. That means LEDs are able to use light and energy more efficiently in a multitude of applications. However, it also means that sophisticated engineering is needed to produce an LED light bulb that shines light in every direction.
For years, LEDs were high cost alternatives to the fluorescent bulb, a compact fluorescent, with several other problems such as bad colors, harsh light and poor dimming abilities. However, now the price of LED lights has dropped significantly, the colors have been modified, and they are more flexible than ever.
LED lighting is currently available in a wide variety of home and industrial products, and the list is growing every year. The rapid development of LED technology leads to more products and improved manufacturing efficiency, which also results in lower prices.
5 benefits of LED lighting
- Long Lifetime - Good-quality LED bulbs can have a useful life of 25,000 hours or more -- meaning they can last more than 25 times longer than traditional light bulbs. That is a life of more than three years if run 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Energy Efficient - Unlike incandescent bulbs -- which release 90 percent of their energy as heat -- LEDs use energy far more efficiently with little wasted heat.
- Low Environmental Impact - LEDs contain no mercury, and a recent Energy Department study determined that LEDs have a much smaller environmental impact than incandescent bulbs. They also have an edge over compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) that’s expected to grow over the next few years as LED technology continues its steady improvement.
- Design Flexibility - From traffic lights and vehicle brake lights to TVs and display cases, LEDs are used in a wide range of applications because of their unique characteristics, which include compact size, ease of maintenance, resistance to breakage, and the ability to focus the light in a single direction instead of having it go every which way.
- Durability - LEDs are much more durable and able to withstand harsh conditions, making LEDs perfect for outdoor lighting systems where they may be exposed to extreme weather conditions. They also work in freezer rooms and iceboxes.
Sources:
https://www.energystar.gov/products/lighting_fans/light_bulbs/learn_about_led_bulbs
https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/save-electricity-and-fuel/lighting-choices-save-you-money/led-lighting
https://www.energy.gov/articles/top-8-things-you-didn-t-know-about-leds