LED lighting is currently available in a wide variety of home and industrial products, and the list is growing every year. The rapid development of LED technology leads to more products and improved manufacturing efficiency, which also results in lower prices. Below are some of the most common types of LED products:
Industrial and Commercial Lighting: The high efficiency and directional nature of LEDs makes them ideal for many industrial uses – LEDs are increasingly common in street lights, parking garage lighting, walkway and other outdoor area lighting, refrigerated case lighting, modular lighting, and task lighting
Kitchen Under-Cabinet Lighting: Because LEDs are small and directional, they are ideal for lighting countertops for cooking and reading recipes – The color can appear more cool or blue than is typically desirable in a kitchen, and there can be some excessive shadowing in some fixtures, so it is important to compare products to find the best fixture for your space
Recessed Downlights: Recessed downlights are commonly used in residential kitchens, hallways, and bathrooms, and in a number of office and commercial settings – Department of Energy estimates there are at least 500 million recessed downlights installed in U.S. homes, and more than 20 million are sold each year. Both CFL and LED technology can decrease downlight wattage by 75% or more – Visit the Solid-State Lighting website for a quality comparison of incandescents, CFLs, and LEDs in downlights
LED lighting is very different from other lighting sources such as incandescent bulbs and CFLs. Key differences include the following:
Light Output: LEDs are a lighting marvel – Technological advancements continue to improve the lumen output for each watt of consumed electricity – In other words, the light output of LEDs continues to increase while the energy consumption remains unchanged
Direction: LEDs emit light in a specific direction, reducing the need for reflectors and diffusers that can trap light – This feature makes LEDs more efficient for many uses such as recessed downlights and task lighting – With other types of lighting, the light must be reflected to the desired direction and more than half of the light may never leave the fixture
Heat: LEDs emit very little heat. In comparison, incandescent bulbs release 90% of their energy as heat, and CFLs release about 80% of their energy as heat – During the summer, heat generated from lighting causes the air conditioner to run longer
LED is a highly energy-efficient lighting technology and has the potential to fundamentally change the future of lighting in the United States. Residential LEDs — especially ENERGY STAR®-rated products — use at least 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lighting.
Widespread use of LED lighting has the greatest potential impact on energy savings in the United States. By 2027, widespread use of LEDs could save about 348 Terawatt-hours (compared to no LED use) of electricity: This is the equivalent annual electrical output of 44 large electric power plants (1,000 megawatts each), and a total annual savings of more than $30 billion at today’s electricity prices.
A light-emitting diode, or LED, is a type of solid-state lighting that uses a semiconductor to convert electricity into light and is one of today’s most energy-efficient and rapidly-developing lighting technologies. Quality LED light bulbs last longer, are more durable, and offer comparable or better light quality than other types of lighting.
LED Replacement Bulbs: With performance improvements and dropping prices, LED lamps can replace 40-, 60-, 75-, and 100-watt incandescent bulbs. It’s important to read the Lighting Facts label to make sure the product is the right brightness and color for the intended location. When chosen carefully, LED replacement products can be an excellent option.
Holiday Lights: LEDs consume far less electricity than incandescent bulbs, and decorative LED light strings such as Christmas tree lights are no different. Not only do LED holiday lights consume less electricity, they also have the following advantages:
Safer: LEDs are much cooler than incandescent lights, reducing the risk of combustion or burnt fingers.
Sturdier: LEDs are made with epoxy lenses, not glass, and are much more resistant to breakage
Longer lasting: The same LED string could still be in use 40 holiday seasons from now
Easier to install: Up to 25 strings of LEDs can be connected end-to-end without overloading a wall socket
