Designing a new lighting system?
Well, today, the LED option cannot be ignored.
Although initial costs of LEDs are still high for large scale deployment, thanks to a strong marketing push by manufacturers and greater awareness amongst users, LEDs are often coupled with commitment to saving energy.
The price of LEDs is in multiples of traditional lighting options. Is it then worth paying the extra buck for LED technology?
A comprehensive framework to evaluate use of LED technology for different contexts (application, advantages etc.) is the need of the hour. In this newsletter we attempt to point out some important parameters that could be useful in building your framework for evaluating LEDs.
LEDs are unique in several ways, mostly because of the flexibility and other advantages in various aspects over traditional lights. LEDs must be evaluated based on the relevance of these unique advantages and limitations for the usage environment.
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LED Advantage
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LED Limitations
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| Precise Control: Unlike the traditional lighting options, LEDs love to be controlled. LED lights as well as the controls for lighting work on digital logic and can achieve a far greater accuracy.
Programmable: If you have an integrated lighting strategy LEDs will simplify your work like no other lights can do. Each LED unit is programable on different parameters. This offers immense flexibility in configuring lighting systems for scheduling, dimming, daylight harvesting or any other lighting strategy. With use of advanced controls, LEDs can be programmed to effectively respond to complex and dynamic working environments. Intelligent luminance controls or responses to utility demands are some of the examples. Network enabled: LEDs can be efficiently networked, where the lights as individual or in cluster form interact with other clusters and generate intelligent responses. Further, LED networks can be guided to achieve specific goals like energy optimization or maintaining a specific luminous etc. Longevity: Life of LED lights is several times higher than the conventional lighting technologies. While this works as a clear advantage in areas where it is difficult to replenish the lights after expiry, it also means a better return on the investments. Less Heat: LEDs are also known to produce negligible heat as compared to conventional lighting technology. |
Expensive: Currently, LEDs are highly expensive on a price per lumen or an initial cost basis when compared to traditional lighting technologies.
Although, LEDs are a good option when considered on a Total Cost of Ownership approach, locking in money/ investments in lighting might not mean a compelling proposition to many. Long way to go: Scientists are working on several new approaches such as nanoimprint lithography to improve the brightness of LEDs. A break-through is expected in near future and that is when LEDs will provide serious competition to compact florescent lights. Surprise Costs: While LED lights may need less maintenance, the circuitry that controls the lights is both costly and needs good maintenance.
Safety issues: There is an increasing concern about blue and while LED lights exceeding safe limits of the blue-light hazard in eye safety. Some practitioners do not recommend usage of LEDs in work areas. |
Applications where the benefits are maximized and the problems minimized are most logical picks for deploying LED technology. Currently, LED systems on a large scale will be more effective in terms of their returns on investments in automated, networked environment as compared to static, stand-alone systems.
We hope this aggregated view of the advantages and limitations of LED technology will help you to make a more informed decision on using LEDs.
Meanwhile, interestingly, artists across the world have found a dynamic tool in LEDs to express their creative energies. Here are a few instances of some of the most creative uses of LEDs in Art….
In addition to art, LEDs have found to be extremely useful in several other applications with huge potential for growth. But the depth and spanse of the topic merits an eloborate, seperate note.
We will discuss some interesting, specialized applications of LEDs in future editions of e-power. Keep reading!
