benefits of switching to LEDs following the March nuclear disaster

If Japan replaced all of its 1.6 billion light bulbs with LED varieties, the country would save the annual electricity output of 13 nuclear reactors.

So says the Institute of Energy Economics, a research group overseen by the country’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

IEE analyzed the benefits of switching to LEDs following the March nuclear disaster in Fukushima. Meltdowns prompted the country to abandon expansion of a nuclear industry that has provided 30% of Japan’s electricity with 54 reactors – 35 of which remain shut for safety.

IEE’s findings surfaced this week in the Mainichi Daily News.

“Promoting the introduction of LED lights will serve as energy-saving measures that have immediate effects and sustainability,” the Tokyo-based online paper quotes an IEE representative as saying.

LED light bulbs use only about 10%-to-20% of the power consumed by incandescent light bulbs, and about 60% of fluorescents, including common energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs. IEE figured that Japanese homes, offices and manufacturing sites use some 1.6 billion bulbs, annually eating up 150.6 billion kWh of electricity.

If people replace those with LED bulbs, the country would cut annual consumption by 92.2 billion kWh, to 58.4 billion kWh, according to IEE. It says that’s the equivalent of 13 nuclear reactors, a quarter of the country’s total.

Cost is a challenge. As we’ve noted before, LED bulbs in the U.S. can have retail prices of $40. If you have, say, 40 bulbs in your house, you’d pay $1600 to replace them all at once.

IEE tallied the bill for 1.6 billion bulbs in Japan at ¥15.7 trillion ($194 billion). However, the upfront cost provides long-term savings not only in electricity bills, but also in longevity. Manufacturers say LED bulbs can last for 25 years, although it will take a quarter of a century to find out if that’s true.

Another knock on LEDs, especially for home users, is that lighting designers and architects note that they lack the warmth of incandescent bulbs. But the good news from Japan – 70% of the 1.6 billion bulbs in Japan are fluorescent, to which many people would prefer LEDs for glow.

Monitor LED backlight kit is easy on the eyes

You know that end-of-the-day feeling when you’ve been staring at the computer for eight hours and your eyeballs feel like you’ve been face down in a dune in the Sahara desert? It’s just the price you pay for having a desk job in the exciting era of modern technology.

I never thought much about how I could give my aching eyes a break until Antec’s “soundscience bias lighting halo 6 LED kit” showed up in my mailbox. That’s a long lowercase name for a long strip of USB-powered LED lighting. The $12.95 kit just launched today.

It’s a pretty simple concept. You remove the adhesive backing and slap the strip onto the back of your monitor. It’s good for up to a 24-inch display. Plug it into a USB port and it emanates with a gentle glow from behind your monitor. The LEDs can be pretty subtle, especially with daylight streaming through a nearby window. As it gets darker, the effect is more pronounced.

Monitors with built-in LED backlights have been around for a bit. The Apple LED Cinema Display is a prominent example. What’s new with the halo 6 kit is the idea of adding your own LEDs after the fact to any old monitor you have hanging around.

I’ll admit, my eyes did seem to feel a little better than usual after a few days of using the halo 6. I can’t offer up any hard scientific proof, but there’s something comforting about having a display that glows from behind. I’m thinking of attaching some little feathery cherub wings to complete the look.

I can see the halo 6 kit becoming part of gamers’ arsenals. Gaming computers have long been at the forefront when it comes to components that glow. A little light can be helpful if you like to spend hours in a darkened room blasting aliens off of their home planets.

I can’t help but think of other ways this LED gadget could be put to work. Landing strip lights for an RC helicopter would be cool. Spruce up your office with a little mood lighting. I successfully hooked it up to my iPad 2 using the USB adapter from the Apple Camera Connection Kit. Tinkerers could have a blast coming up with creative side projects.

LED Bulbs That Try to Please the Eye

For years, experts have predicted that LEDs, the technology used in digital clocks, would eclipse compact fluorescents as an energy-saving alternative to traditional incandescent bulbs. Now Switch Lighting, a venture capitalist-financed company in San Jose, Calif., says it has come up with an LED bulb that emits light eye-pleasing enough to make that happen.

Others have introduced a number of LED bulbs in the last few years, but most have the same drawbacks: because LEDs are powered by semiconductors, they project light in only one direction and lack the warmth of their incandescent counterparts. Switch Lighting claims to have solved these problems by mounting outward-facing LEDs on metal fingers and cooling them with an inert liquid, creating a warmer, brighter output. The bulbs are also recyclable and, like most LEDs, mercury free.

They will be available in 40-, 60- and 75-watt equivalents, for about $20 each, later this year.

GE Lighting launches new version of Infusion LED module

The Infusion module is designed to be easy to replace, and offers a wide range of color temperatures and light outputs up to 3300 lm at 4000K.GE Lighting Europe has unveiled a new range of Infusion LED modules with a wide range of light-output and color-temperature options. Three color temperatures – 2700K, 3000K and 4000K – are available, each with 4 different light outputs: at 3000K, these are 1100 lm (15W, using 7 LEDs), 1500 lm, 2000 lm and 3000 lm (46W, using 22 LEDs).

GE believes that the modules address a problem in some professional lighting applications, which is that designers remain reticent about specifying LED everywhere in their schemes, with one critical reason being the difficulty in servicing and upgrading the luminaires.

The Infusion module is designed to be upgraded as required, since it can be connected to the luminaire body with a simple twist-lock mechanism, which provides the necessary thermal, electrical and mechanical connectivity.

The easy interchangeability has other benefits too. “One luminaire will accept a complete range of LED modules,” explains Phil Marshall, President & CEO for EMEA at GE Lighting. “This overcomes the inflexibility of integrated luminaires, giving retailers the ability to vary color temperatures, beam angles and light packages by simply swapping modules.”

At the launch event, attendees viewed a range of high-quality ProSpex downlights from Lucent Lighting which are built using the GE modules.

Attendees also learned a new term, “hot-swap protection,” which refers to protection against the surge current experienced when the LED module is connected to a live driver. The modules also have an onboard thermal protection feature that turns off the LEDs if the module gets too hot.

Thermal management is a key issue for the modules, especially when the output can reach 3000 lm. GE is working with various partners for both active and passive cooling solutions, namely AVC for heat sinks, Sunon for fans and Nuventix for synthetic jets. The performance figures quoted for the modules are recorded at a temperature of 65°C measured at a dedicated measurement point on the rear of the module.

GE is also offering an “Infusion Ultra” version, with a color rendering index (CRI) of 90, combined with 2-step color consistency, compared with a CRI of 80 and a 4-step color range. GE is using packaged LEDs from Cree, and uses a precise mix of different LEDs from different bins in each module to give the desired light output. This is the same approach used by Cree in its own EasyWhite LEDs.

The GE modules are designed to run from external electronic control gear. GE is in the process of qualifying a number of LED drivers as being compatible with its modules, from driver partners including AEG, Harvard Engineering, IST Ltd, Lightech, Roal Electronics and TCI. The 1100-lm and 1500-lm modules contain single LED strings and operate from 700 mA, while the 2000-lm and 3000-lm modules have two strings and require 1400 mA.

Unlike earlier versions, the modules are supplied without integrated optics. From May 2011 the modules will have an optical interface that will allow the attachment of reflectors via a twist-lock mechanism. GE plans to introduce a series of optical accessories with a range of beam angles in categories including spot, flood, wide flood and extra-wide flood.

LED lighting market to double by 2014

There is likely to be strong growth in LED lighting over the next three years, resulting in a doubling of the market by 2014, according to a new report.

Strategies Unlimited predicted that the global market for LED light fixtures would grow to $8.3 billion (£5.1 billion), up from £3.8 billion in 2010.

This represents a compound annual growth rate of 22 per cent.

The report listed a number of factors driving increased take-up of LED lighting.

They included improvements in the performance and price of commercially available LEDs and growing awareness of the importance of energy efficiency.

Fiscal stimulus measures undertaken by numerous countries and the phasing out of incandescent light bulbs have also played a part.

Meanwhile, lighting designer Victoria Lee has predicted that the LED lighting market will grow with “reckless abandon” in the year ahead.

“LEDs are getting so much better, and the market is flooded with them so there are so many to choose from,” she remarked.

Rapid Electronics is a leading supplier of LEDs and optoelectronic components, and the main UK distributor of Kingbright LEDs.

Some LED lights spark concern over toxins

Because it’s energy-efficient, LED lighting is spreading into new areas, but an academic study cautions that some types of LED lights use hazardous metals.

The University of California at Irvine last week published results of a study into the materials used for LEDs in Christmas tree lights and car brake lights and headlights. After crushing these types of lights, researchers measured the contents and found they contained varying amounts of toxic materials, including lead and arsenic.

“What our study showed clearly was that some LED lights qualify as hazardous waste, depending on color and light intensity, according to federal (US EPA) regulations, and State (California) regulations. The red, low intensity fixtures that we tested exceeded lead (Pb) standards for California regulation by about 8 times, and exceed the federal regulations by about 35 times,” said Oladele Ogunseitan, chair of UC Irvine’s Department of Population Health & Disease Prevention via e-mail.

Right now, these products are not classified as hazardous waste, but Ogunseitan recommended that people dispatched to clean up vehicle collisions use protective gear. Homeowners should also wear gloves and masks in the case of clean-up. The copper used in some LEDs can pose health hazards to river and lake ecosystems as well if disposed of in a landfill.

Ogunseitan said that the move to LED lighting is a case in which there should be mandatory product replacement testing. He claims that the potential environmental health impacts were not sufficiently tested before manufacturers put them in products as a replacement for incandescent bulbs.

Recycling recommended for large LEDs
Large LEDs bulbs with a screw-in bottom designed for home use are just coming onto the market as replacements for 40-watt or 60-watt incandescent bulbs. In addition to good efficiency and long life, these bulbs are marketed as an improvement over compact florescent bulbs because they don’t contain mercury. CFLs can be returned to many retail stores or municipal hazardous waste handling services for recycling.

When LED maker Cree introduced an LED bulb it expects to come out later this year, I asked about toxins and disposal. Cree vice president of marketing Greg Merritt said that there were no hazardous materials used in its bulb and that it is expected to comply with the ROHS European hazardous material directive.

UC Irvine’s Ogunseitan is testing large LED bulbs but has not yet published the results. “However, I can say that precautionary principle supports not throwing this in the regular trash for landfills,” he said.

Last month, I asked the Department of Energy about hazardous materials and large LED bulbs designed for home use. A representative said that, in general, these LED bulbs do not contain toxic chemicals in any significant amount. She added that consumers will face disposal only a few times in their lives given the long projected life of LEDs, which could be over 20 years, but it’s best for consumers to recycle them.

“That said, like most consumer electronics, at the end of their useful life, LEDs contain materials that are both valuable and recyclable. Where available, LEDs should be recycled using municipal recycling programs,” she said.

Let there be light, and make sure it is energy efficient

Since the late 1800s, consumers have relied on standard incandescent light bulbs to illuminate homes and businesses at the flick of a switch, but this is about to change.

Due to provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, also known as the Clean Energy Act of 2007, incandescent light bulbs will be phased out and replaced by more energy-efficient lighting, including halogen, compact fluorescent, or CFL, and light-emitting diode, or LED, bulbs.

General Electric Co., the last U.S. based manufacturer of incandescent light bulbs, closed its plant at the end of 2010.

According to GE, the Clean Energy Act requires that between 2012 and 2014, standard A-line 40- and 100-watt incandescent light bulbs must use 30 percent less energy, but produce the same light output as today’s incandescent bulb.

While consumers won’t be required to throw out existing bulbs, according to GE, “you may be surprised when trying to find the same replacements at the store. After 2012, you’ll find that these bulbs will have to be replaced with energy-efficient options, such as halogen, CFL and LED light bulbs.”

Richard Wilkins, operations manager for Ulster Electric in Poughkeepsie and Kingston, said that lighting technology is changing every day in an effort to meet demands for energy efficiency.

“There’s always something new coming out,” he said. “Lighting technology is going to change within the next 10 to 15 years,” he said.

LED lighting, for example, is currently somewhat expensive to purchase but is expected to come down in price, Wilkins said.

“LED lighting offers better light output with less wattage,” he said.

CFL bulbs, Wilkins said, draw a lot less energy but are more expensive to purchase than incandescent bulbs.

New construction projects benefit from tax incentives when installing energy-efficient lighting, Wilkins said.

“Architects are seeing rebates for using energy-efficient products in new construction, including commercial projects,” he said.

According to the United States Department of Energy, artificial lighting consumes “almost 15 percent of a household’s electricity use.”

Use of more efficient lighting technologies, according to the DOE, can reduce lighting energy use in homes by up to 75 percent.

The DOE’s EnergyStar website notes that one CFL bulb can save homeowners more than $40 in electricity costs over its lifetime.

CFLs use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer.

Consumers have been slow to warm up to CFL lighting due to factors such as a yellowish lighting tint, a slow warm-up time and traces of mercury in the bulb, according to a recent article in USA Today.

Manufacturers are addressing concerns by producing bulbs that use less mercury and produce brighter light.

With LED lights, according to the DOE, small light sources become illuminated by the movement of electrons through a semiconductor material.

LED lighting is more efficient, durable, versatile and longer lasting than incandescent and fluorescents lighting.

LEDs emit light in a specific direction, whereas an incandescent or fluorescent bulb emits light — and heat — in all directions.

LED lighting uses both light and energy more efficiently, according to the DOE.

A benefit of LED lights is that they turn on immediately, as opposed to CFL lights that take a moment to illuminate.

The American Lighting Association recommends CFL bulbs as lighting for laundry rooms, storage rooms, kitchen and baths.

LEDs, according to the association, are very efficient light sources for a growing number of applications, such as under-cabinet lighting, task lighting and outdoor step lights.

For tasks such as reading, however, the association recommends that incandescent bulbs are often still the best choice because of their brightness.

To be as energy-efficient as possible, the association recommends using halogen incandescent bulbs instead of standard bulbs.

Halogen lights are more expensive to purchase than incandescent bulbs, according to the DOE, but are less expensive to operate because of their higher effectiveness.

They are commonly used in reflectors such as indoor and outdoor flood lighting, indoor recessed and track fixtures, and floor and desk lamps.

Unlike many CFL bulbs, some halogen lamps are dimmable, and are compatible with timers and other lighting controls.

According to GE, “Halogen lamps provide a small, white light source with excellent color rendering. Unlike standard incandescent lamps, halogen lamps use a halogen gas that allows the bulbs to burn longer without sacrificing light output.”

As living green becomes more ingrained in our lives, LEDS will continue to light the way, said Jeff Dross, senior product manager of Kichler Lighting, who will introduce several new under-cabinet systems and landscape products with an ultra-efficient technology next year.

LED lighting, in addition to halogen and CFLs, offers energy conscious options to replace the incandescent bulb.

PC Memory Company Rambus Focus on LED Market

Rambus is best known for its PC memory technology. Recently it has developed a process for making flat LED plates to replace overhead office lighting.

The company on Wednesday at the Lightfair Intenrational conference will show off prototypes of a system that it says can lower the manufacturing costs of LED lighting for commercial buildings and flat-panel displays.

Last year, Rambus bought patents from Global Lighting Technologies related to components of a flat LED fixture. Having developed product prototypes and a manufacturing process, Rambus is now seeking to license that technology to other companies, executives said on Monday.

The components to a flat-plate LED designed for overhead lights. The textured gray layer is a lens to reflect light uniformly on a flat surface,
(Credit: Rambus)

The technology itself is not the actual LEDs, but components for an edge-lit lighting panel. LEDs are placed on the edge of a panel, which is about a half-inch thick. A “light guide,” made up of textured plastic, acts as series of tiny lenses to reflect the light so that it emits uniformly from the flat plate.

The prototypes that Rambus plans to show are two rectangle shaped light sources–one 2 feet by 2 feet and the other by 3 inches by 43 inches.

If the company is successful, larger versions of those flat-plate light sources would replace florescent bulbs used in office buildings. In a commercial product, manufacturers would license the process technology and use LEDs from another supplier, Rambus executives explained.

“My guess is that we’re about two years away from parity with fluorescents because LEDs are on a faster cost curve,” said Tim Messegee, vice president of marketing at Rambus.

Now companies or consumers buy LEDs based on the cost savings over time and for other benefits, such as the lack of mercury and the longer life of LEDs, he said.

Affordable LED Lamps Come to Korean Homes

As we all know that LED lamps have long been known for their efficiency, but due to high prices they have been mostly restricted to expensive industrial and consumer goods like billboards, TVs and automobile lights.

But yesterday Philips, the Dutch electronics company, announced it would begin selling LED bulbs at the local discount chain E-mart.

Branded “Ambient LED,” the lights work in sockets for incandescent or halogen lights. Ambient LEDs last 45 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Replace one incandescent light with an LED, and it can cut 30 kilograms of carbon dixiode emissions per year, the same as planting a tree.

“With hopes of introducing high-quality lighting to consumers, we are offering LED lights at a very competitive price,” said Kim Yun-yeong, vice president of the company’s light division.

Ambient LEDs are priced around 20,000 won ($18), about half the cost of previous varieties.

LG Electronics also began selling LEDs for homes in February. The Seoul-based company announced yesterday that it received a certification from the Korea Energy Management Corporation for the product’s exceptionally high energy efficiency.

Compatible with halogen sockets, LG LEDs can be used for 12 hours daily for 10 years and cost 34,000 won.

“We plan to accelerate our LED light business in the coming days by introducing eco-friendly bulbs different from other lights,” said Kim Yong-hwan, director of the company’s solution business team.

LG plans to use those lights at its Yeouido headquarters when they are renovated this year.

Samsung Electronics, meanwhile, is adopting a wait-and-see approach, still uncertain whether LEDs will succeed in the consumer market. Samsung has been making LEDs for industrial purposes since 2007.

Start Developing Snap-in LED Light

It is said from LED lighting company Bridgelux that out with the Edison screw-in bulb and in with the snap-in lighting module.

The Livermore, Calif.-based start-up said Wednesday it has designed a lighting module called Helieon that combines Bridgelux’s LED lights and a snap-in interconnect system made by Molex, which is based in Lisle, Ill.

The interconnect system will make it easy to install LEDs and upgrade them when more efficient or brighter lights come out, the companies said.

The Helion system, which will be available in May for $20, is aimed at lighting manufacturers that build actual lighting fixtures. The Helion will be available with a light output between 500 and 1,500 lumens, the equivalent of between 40 watts and about 100 watts for incandescent bulbs but will use significantly less electricity.

Bridgelux says that the packaging and efficiency of its lighting system is a step toward making LED lighting more cost-effective when compared with other forms of lighting. “Solid state lighting is poised to displace conventional incandescent, fluorescent and other technologies in many high-volume general lighting applications,” Bridgelux CEO Bill Watkins, who joined the company earlier this year, said in a statement .

Bridgelux has signed on some lighting fixture manufacturers to use Helieon, including architectural lighting company Focal Point. But as it goes after the general lighting market, it faces competition from a number of LED start-ups and established lighting companies.