Low Energy, Bright Future with Light Emitting Diodes

February 6, 2005 – Vol.9 No.46

LOW ENERGY, BRIGHT FUTURE WITH LIGHT EMITTING DIODES.

Not every green energy technology can be considered a resounding success - yet. (Many may be technologically OK, but too expensive, for now.)

One technology that is a breakthrough green technology is LED (light emitting diode) lighting. LEDs, for the same light output can use 90 percent less electricity than incandescent bulbs and last tens of thousands of hours. And for a new technology they’re relatively inexpensive.

So little power is needed to operate LEDs that if the power requirements for a typical home were only lighting, small solar systems could easily power an LED lighting system. (It’s the energy-hungry appliances and heating/cooling systems that require large amounts of power.)

White light LEDs had been a stumbling block for LED lighting in domestic use in the past. The white light emitted had a bluish cast - too uncomfortable for those accustomed to the warm, yellowish hue of incandescent bulbs. The secrets to correcting this problem has been to create light engines that use a combination of LED colors to make a more pleasing white, or just improve upon white light LEDs themselves.

The companies, products and technologies available are growing in all LED product categories.

--- Siemens, with a new LED lighting technology developed for use in portable projectors, uses multiple LEDs in an array to create white light, or any color for that matter, depending on the electronic signal sent to the array.

The LED technology Siemens calls Ostar uses four LED chips (one red, one blue, two green) in an array that could be used in a wide variety of applications including automotive and domestic lighting. The new technology is bright too - 120 lumens. A number of these would be needed to replace a household light bulb. Visit Siemens Ostar at http://www.siemens.com/osram-picture/soosram200406

--- Lumileds has announced an expansion of its Luxeon LED emitters. In white the emitters will have an output of 65 to 130 lumens. The LEDs were designed to be used where high heat within the circuitry is problem. Visit Lumileds at http://www.lumileds.com/ .

--- Lamina Ceramics has set another world record for the brightest ever LED array. The light engine branded the Aterion (tm) White has a light output of 28,000 lumens, but needs only 1400 watts of electricity to power it.

The 5-inch square array has 1120 LEDs and has white light color temperature of 5500 degrees Kelvin (similar to sunlight).

The solid state array generates no heat, is instant on, and is fully dimmable. Lamina Ceramics LED arrays were used in the headlamps of Volvo’s concept electric car, the 3CC. Visit Lamina Ceramics at http://www.laminaceramics.com/

--- Carmanah has introduced two new roadway signs; Edge-Lit LED Street name Sign and Edge-Lit LED traffic signs.

The LED sign technology could save municipalities up to $1000 per intersection if used to replace conventional street sign lighting.

For remote areas - where a power grid connection isn’t available - the signs can be powered by solar energy, backed-up by batteries. Visit Carmanah’s self-contained, solar powered LED road signs at http://www.roadlights.com/ .

--- Permlight and Chloride Systems have jointly developed an emergency lighting system for use in hospitality and commercial buildings.

Connected to a building’s wiring system the LED lights detect power outages and automatically provide lighting via battery back up. The product, known as PathMaster, uses 3, 1-watt LEDs mounted in a modular and replaceable housing that can accept 12 volt AC or 12 Volt DC input. Visit Permlight at http://www.permlight.com/ and Chloride Systems at http://www.chloridesys.com/ .