US Department of Energy to foster LEDs
"Nationwide, lighting consumes seven quadrillion BTUs or more in a given year, or 7% of all energy usage," said Abraham. "On top of that, less efficient incandescent bulbs produce large amounts of heat that our climate control systems must manage, so we pay an additional energy penalty as well."
Abraham s remarks were made to the US Energy Association at the 13th Annual Energy Efficiency Forum held in Washington, DC in early June, and mark the first time the US government has endorsed LEDs for solid-state lighting. LEDs are low power consumption devices that offer a much longer life cycle than conventional lighting sources. Currently the most advanced white LEDs deliver around 30 lm/W, and are expected to provide energy savings of 90% compared to incandescent lamps by the year 2020.
"Unlike conventional lighting, which throws off substantial amounts of wasted energy in the form of heat, an LED directs its energy entirely toward providing light," said Abraham. "The benefits are obvious: close to no wasted energy, more efficient lighting and lower electricity bills for homes and businesses."
Abraham said that the Department of Energy plans to form a partnership with industry to devote more resources to next generation solid-state lighting as one of the Government s energy policies. Abraham s remarks refer to the Next Generation Lighting Initiative. This initiative is currently under consideration by the US Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and encourages the US administration to provide support for an industry consortium and to research organizations investigating white LEDs.
Currently, LEDs are not as efficient as fluorescent lamps [~70 lm/W], but have a considerable advantage over this technology because mercury is not used in the processing steps. This reduces health hazards that are associated with fluorescent lighting.
"While modern florescent bulbs with electronic ballasts are more efficient, they remain glass nodules filled with gas not unlike the vacuum tubes of the last generation of electronics," said Abraham. "The inorganic LED is to fluorescent lamps what transistors were to vacuum tubes, or what the automobile was to the horse-and-buggy. It s a revolutionary technological innovation that promises to change the way we light our homes and businesses," he concluded.
