New York Times: LED lighting era industry still need to work hard

Brighter and more power saving long life of LED bulbs, due to the high price, it has been difficult to promote, but there are still many consumers and industry optimistic about the era of LED will eventually come.

New York Times reported on July 27, 2008, so far, crossroads traffic lights may be the most widely used LED lights place, but more people are now starting to focus attention to the use of LED lighting technology. For example, the United States every year on the new year's Eve times square from the sky and the falling of the light bulb, has now been used LED, New York The Empire State Building is also considering the use of LED lighting to facilitate the remote control of the complex color changes in building lighting.

Fantastic, OSRAM Sylvania and PHILPS, the three largest lighting supply companies in the United States, has been actively promoting energy-efficient technologies, such as halogen lamps, fluorescent lamps, etc.. With the rising cost of energy and the growing concern about the greenhouse effect, consumers are also willing to abandon the incandescent light bulbs.

Manufacturers worry about profit dilution

However, the rise of LED will make the lighting manufacturers face a difficult dilemma. Because their business is built on consumer needs regular replacement lamps, but LED's life is usually 50 to 100 times that of ordinary light bulbs, if consumers almost do not need to change the bulb, manufacturers and how to profit? In addition, the price factor is greater. Standard 60 watt incandescent lamp for a price of less than $1, you can save electricity by 2/3, life expectancy of up to ten times the fluorescent (compact) is only $2. But in September this year, PHILPS will launch Ledino in Europe, which is the first to replace the standard incandescent bulbs consumer products, each price is as high as $107.

Efficiency has not been in place prices

PHILPS vice president of lighting, said the effectiveness of LED has been in place, but the price is not enough. Even if each sold 10 to $15, consumers will not buy. However, in a number of commercial buildings, LED is rapidly replacing the old lighting equipment, they seem to believe that the new low-cost LED lamp, relying on a strong energy efficiency, will eventually replace the domestic incandescent. Lighting design companies are particularly optimistic about the changing color and brightness of LED powerful features, can create a painting like artistic effects for residential.

In addition, PHILPS is also committed to reducing the popularity of small fluorescent lamp, that this is only a transitional technology, LED is the hope of the future. The company's lighting division chief executive said the company did not spend any money on the development of small fluorescent lamps. On the contrary, most of the R & D budgets are devoted to the study of LED. PHILPS expects the next two years, LED sales will account for 20% of its professional lighting revenues.

Source: Taiwan evening news joint