The acronym LED stands for “light emitting diode” and is the wave of the future in lighting applications. Because of the low amounts of energy and negligible impact on the environment, it’s not difficult to see LED lighting replacing all of the bulbs in use today. While the discovery of the potential for LED goes back nearly 100 years, the development for practical implication has been achieved only in the past decades. In the same way that fluorescent lighting has gradually come to replace incandescent (traditional) lighting sources, LED can take the progress one step further, outperforming even fluorescent lighting by a significant margin.
Understanding the specific reasons for LED lighting’s superiority make take a degree in science, but for the layperson the practical applications of this technology will be more than clear. The great advantages of LED lighting can be broken down into 5 major categories: Energy Efficiency, Functionality, Environmental Impact, Lifetime and Affordability.
Energy Efficiency: Probably the biggest reason for the imminent LED takeover is the ability of this technology to conserve energy. Energy efficiency means less resources used, less involvement and less money for the consumer. The breakdown is fairly simple when put into terms of wattage. Everyone knows the power of a 60 Watt incandescent bulb, which is basically the most common around the house, used in lamps, overhead lights and most fixtures. To summon the same of type of impact in lighting, you can use an LED bulb of as little as 7 Watts. The dramatic scale of this change is the reason LED lighting is so highly touted.
Functionality: In the beginning of fluorescent lighting, it was often associated with the drab, mind-numbing glare common to elementary schools and government office buildings. That has been one of the drawbacks of fluorescent light — it seemed outclassed by incandescent bulbs, despite the obvious savings in overall life span and energy consumption. LED Lighting Manufacturer offers many more uses and can compare with any competing source in terms of light quality. There are several different grades of LED light, ones which offer different tints and brightness factors. Thus, the technology is compatible with decorative lighting used in chandeliers or holiday window displays, instances in which the look of the lighting is key. LED lighting can create a color scheme without using filters and can be used in place of even the tiniest bulbs. Besides, the use of LED is much more versatile than fluorescents. While fluorescents had trouble with frequent shifts in power — or turning off and on several times within an hour — LED lighting does not have the same weakness. In fact, LED lighting is very compatible with dimming. It is clear that the functionality will probably put LED lights over the top.
Environmental Impact: As mentioned in terms of energy usage, the LED lighting is going to consume less energy with the same amount of lighting displayed. To generate the power, less of the environment’s resources are going to be used. Figuring out your energy bills on a monthly basis, you will probably guess that 30% of cost and impact is concerned with light. Besides that clear example, the amount of pollutants deriving from LED lighting is negligible, especially when compared to fluorescents. Fluorescent lighting is notorious for the mercury content used in its bulbs. We’ve had such a problem with mercury content in our waters. Is it wise to continue to put mercury in the homes of every family? Families and businesses using LED lighting can eliminate that area of concern.
Lifetime: Maybe lifetime is the most striking factor of all. Incandescent bulbs are known to last from 1,000 to 2,000 hours for a full lifetime. Fluorescent lighting was justifiably celebrated for dramatically expanding that number. In some cases, fluorescent lights will last as long as 15,000 hours. Just when you are scratching your head and wondering how it is possible, you will probably be stunned to hear that LED lighting can blow any number out of the water: Best life spans are estimated at 80,000 hours. In the world of electricity, that’s hard to fathom, but you figure if you change a light bulb every year or two and multiply that by 30 or 40, you have to figure that an LED has the potential to last for decades.
Affordability: When you’re talking about lower energy usage and extensively longer life span, you’re talking about lowering costs dramatically. Initially, the expense of led lights is what made it prohibitive for most people. However, the prices have dropped significantly, making the upfront cost make sense along with the obvious and immediate drop in energy costs. In the case of many municipalities and businesses, it has become a no-brainer. Reading over news reports, you’ll see city councils and mayors all across the country ordering a switch to LED lighting. Put simply, governments dealing with light maintenance can slash those projected costs off the books — the lights won’t have to be changed any time soon, so the electricity crews will have to look for contracts elsewhere. In the same way, businesses can clear their books once the bulbs are bought and installed.
