LED (light-emitting diode) lighting has been around since the 1960s, but it is only in the past decade that the electrical industry has embraced and developed the technology, to the extent that it has had a significant effect on the lighting market and some of its major players.
Much like the advent of transistors eventually lead to personal computers and smartphones, LED lighting is a much smaller technology that is having a great effect as its potential uses are developed.
LED lighting is much more flexible, uses 75% less energy and lasts up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent lighting. These are the standout features that have lead to LED lighting having such a dramatic effect on the market. But analysing the benefits more closely, we also find that:
* LEDs provide a better quality light source that can quite easily change colour for different effects and uses.
* There is no mercury used in LED lighting
* LED lights provide more light per unit of power consumed
* LED lights are more reactive than traditional lights, and so are more useful as low energy dimmer lights and where adjustable lighting levels are required
* There is no heat emission from LED lights
The dramatic shift in the electrical industry towards the use of LED lighting was largely prompted by a 2009 EU regulation to introduce energy-saving lamps. Significant research has since improved the technology and now LED lighting can be found in:
* Widespread general lighting use, including home and garden
* Entertainment and special events
* Traffic signals
* Various automobiles
* Digital displays and signage
This progression is expected to continue and by 2020 it is predicted that LED lighting will have a 90% market domination. But a major reason why LED lighting has revolutionised the electrical industry is because its longer lifespan means that far fewer replacement bulbs are required, and hence the dynamics of the lighting market have completely changed, so much so that some major organisations have completely revised their business strategies.
The adaptable usage of LED lights means that other major organisations from other sectors of the electrical industry, such as Sharp and Panasonic, have entered the lighting market, charged by the flexibility of LEDs and the rapid development of new technologies and applications.
Recent years have seen advancements in ‘smart’ light controls, allowing occupancy sensors to monitor natural light in a room and control lighting levels accordingly. This means that areas of a room that have less natural light are provided with more LED-sourced light than other areas, and hence energy is saved on unnecessary lighting levels. Furthermore, a single interface means that you can control several light sources in the same way, which is a fantastic benefit in large buildings with a uniform room layout, such as offices, hospitals and schools.
Of course it is anticipated that this is just the start for LED technology and its use will rapidly progress to several other applications and installations within the electrical industry, resulting in widespread energy and cost-efficiency and exciting times ahead.