LED lights are on track to be the preferred lighting source of the future - that future being, well, probably some time later today. Compact fluorescent lights (CFL's) have of course proven themselves leaps and bounds ahead of the incandescent lights (old-fashioned light bulbs) that only the most vehement Burkeans among us, loath to part with age-old traditions, are still clinging to. And CFL's are great; they burn longer than incandescents, use a ton less energy, and they're affordable. Still, the technology has some minor glitches - they take a couple seconds to get up to full power, make a little bit of noise, contain mercury that makes disposal complicated - which, far from relegating them just yet to the trash-heap of history, at least reminds us that we could still do better - which is probably why a good chunk of the cutting-edge research in lighting technology is going into LED's. A ton of progress has been made. Light-emitting diodes were first discovered in the early twentieth century, they've been used in calculators and appliances since the sixties, and are just now becoming available in light fixtures that you can use around the house. And researchers at Cambridge University just last week discovered a way to manufacture the lights using inexpensive silicon wafers instead of the sapphire ones usually used, meaning that in the near future you'll be able to buy them at a price similar to incandescents or CFL's. But until then, their efficiency, longevity, and a slew of other big-picture benefits make their ROI (return on investment) pretty sound, even as early as right now.
Not only does an LED light bulb use less energy (at least 75% less than an incandescent, and getting more efficient all the time), last longer (running for three hours a day an LED will last well over twenty years), but it produces less heat than than an incandescent or a compact fluorescent bulb. This is, of course, a benefit in warm climates, where LED lights mean lower cooling costs; but can address some problems in cold climates as well. The excessive heat produced by recessed incandescent lights, for example, can be a cause of ice dams, which can cause leaks in the roof and lead to huge and expensive problems - just a small leak could ruin your ceiling, for example, and set you back several grand. Installing an LED recessed light alone obviously won't safeguard your house from ice dams; but if you're thinking of installing recessed lights anyway, these guys at least won't make your house more prone to ice-dam accumulation, and may just reduce the threat from "code orange" to "code soft, ethereal yellow glow." One of the best models of LED recessed lights out there is the Cree LLF Dimmable Downlight Module LR6 LED Light; it puts out high-quality light, eats up only 12 watts and will last until your toddlers are well into grad school.
Still, the strongest argument in favor of LED lighting is probably just that it's awesome. Check out how Dean Kamen (the Segway guy) decked out his island, cutting his house's energy consumption by 75% in the process. And with the improvements in this technology yet to be made - this stuff's literally getting better every day - all signs are suggesting that that shining city on the hill will be illuminated with energy efficient LED lighting.
Comments
This is a fascinating article on lighting options. Many of us are trying our best to be energy efficient, but it's hard to find current, relevant information. I had not even heard of LED lighting until now, but am very interested in this option after reading this blog. ..... I liked the optimism of this blog referring to the 'city on the hill'. We need to be more positive about our energy future.
Posted by jayne lello on Feb 17, 2009 7:16am