Efficient LED lighting will significantly reduce the energy burden

A phrase with a double meaning speaking, the future is bright prospects of solid-state lighting. Light emitting diodes (LED) bear the brunt, and organic LED (OLED) in many years ago promised a higher lighting efficiency and energy saving effect. In fact, we will soon see more LED in indoor and outdoor lighting applications than traditional fluorescent lamps, incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps and halogen lamps.

Compared with the other techniques, LED can provide longer service life and higher efficiency, which is why LED in the parking lot, factories, buildings, streets, playgrounds and other places rapidly by reason of large. The U.S. Department of energy (DoE) is through its time span 2000 to 2020 solid state lighting (SSL) plans to invest a lot of money in this area of growth. The program includes core technology research, product development and commercialization support activities.

Compared with other traditional light sources, solid state lighting efficiency growth is extremely rapid, the traditional light source has reached a stable level, no longer appear to be expected to grow significantly (Figure 1). Solid state lighting is also expected to significantly save energy. According to DoE, 22% of the electricity produced in the United States is used to supply power to the light source.

At present, the development of white LED front-end is higher than the initial expectations. According to DoE, said the researchers have been on the market to improve the efficiency of white LED to 50 ~ 60lm/W. This is almost four times the efficiency of incandescent light source, thereby further achieving a national energy saving.

According to the U.S. government's energy star rating, the widespread use of efficient solid-state lighting in the United States (in the United States, high efficiency solid-state lighting has been shown to make money) will reduce the demand for electricity in the United States by more than 10%. This could translate into a $17 billion savings in energy costs, a reduction of carbon dioxide pollution by about $202 million (equivalent to a ban on the use of 15 million cars on the road).

Although the cost of light source is still high, but we see the cost of light source has dropped from about $250 in 2004 /klm to $/klm in 2006 of about $50 (according to the quantitative estimates of the purchase of power plants). In contrast, the traditional light source (incandescent, fluorescent, etc.) cost about $1 /klm.

Japan's Nichia white LED development version of the output light has reached 150lm/W. Currently, its commercial version of the product has been ready to put on the market. Market data for Lumileds Lighting (Philips Lighting and Agilent Technologies associates) support white LED with a good level of efficacy compared to other conventional light sources (Figure 2).

According to DoE, solid-state lighting market radiation ability and energy saving driving potential will be mainly affected by economic factors in source price, the initial work cost, maintenance and service in one of the (please refer to the "major challenges" before accepting LED face).

DoE expects to save 348 terawatt hours by 2027 from the LED lamp and a fixing device (TWh) more energy. They will replace incandescent lamps with high color rendering index, especially in commercial and residential areas (Figure 3). For outdoor and industrial areas, in the same year (2027), with a low CRI and moderate CRI index will show the energy saving effect of LED.

Municipal Services

The local government has noticed the great potential of LED in general lighting. For example, Raleigh, N.C. will be the first LED city in the United States to adopt the LED provided by CREE". Raleigh through its life experiment prior to the deployment of LED lighting, so in the next 14 months of service in many applications including the garage and parking lot, street lighting, architectural lighting and focus lighting, portable lighting, lighting and walking (Figure 4).

"LED technology has brought obvious benefits to the city's infrastructure and the people it serves," said Raleigh mayor Charles Meeker. "The economic benefits of the city's investment in LED are clear. They can save energy, reduce environmental pollution and improve the quality of life. "

Cree latest LED lamp warm white XLamps can drive current of 700mA, the light source color temperature is 300K when the output of 124lm.

Raleigh is not the only solid state lighting city. Two years ago, LED Ledtronics started lamp for San Pedro port of Los Angeles miles Vincent bridge (California third long suspension bridge) lighting (Figure 5). The Vincent bridge is illuminated by 160 lights, each with 360 LED. These lights are powered by the 4.5kW solar panel system, thus further promoting the concept of green lighting.

LED can save energy

In addition to the streets and car parks, automotive applications also have a profit margin of LED. Solid state lighting for automotive applications significantly reduces the energy requirements of cars and trucks, but also has a significant environmental impact.

DoE estimates that if the United States each passenger cars are using all LED lights, the annual passenger car fuel economy will reach 1 billion 400 million gallons. The truck's fuel saving potential is two times that number. With the increase of reliability and normal running time, the value proposition of LED lighting becomes more and more big.

Market research firm Yole D vELoppement estimates that by the end of 2009, according to the use of high brightness LED automotive applications will account for 60% of total car lighting equipment, other accounted for 40%, mainly is from the solid-state light source component. The report considers Cree, Nichia, OSRAM, Philips Lumileds and Toyoda Gosei is a major competitor in the field. Lumileds