New avenues for LED
Swapping to the
energy-efficient lamps would not only save a
huge sum of money
but also stop a
significant amount of
carbon dioxide from
being released into
the atmosphere
Experts, particularly environmentalists, have been singing the praises of LED (Light Emitting diodes) lights in domestic applications for some time now, but innovations in LED lighting have opened up new avenues for LED applications in all sorts of other areas including industry. According to our Sunday Special report citing a study said that the use of LED lights instead of fluorescent ones in the industry can reduce energy consumption by 50 per cent and expenses by 30 per cent. This indeed is great news for this energy starved country. Not only are LEDs generally considered to deliver a better quality of light, but they are also built to last and save energy. A typical domestic LED light bulb will last 25 times longer than an incandescent bulb. As LED lights are resistant to shock, vibrations and external impacts, they make great outdoor lighting systems for rough conditions and exposure to weather, construction or manufacturing sites.
About 90 per cent of the electrical energy used by the LED bulb is converted into light, while 10 per cent is lost as heat. In contrast, an incandescent bulb uses about 5 per cent of the electricity to generate light and 95 per cent to generate heat. This is money wasted in high consumption. It said the prototype tube lighting LED is twice as efficient as those currently used in offices and industry but offers the same amount of light. Being able to halve the amount of energy used could bring huge cost and energy savings. Swapping to the energy-efficient lamps would not only save a huge sum of money but also stop a significant amount of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. Also one of the biggest benefits of LED lights is that unlike traditional bulbs, LEDs do not contain mercury, which in fact is a great threat to the environment.
The invention of LED has revolutionised lighting. Bangladesh should fully adopt this revolution, replace all other sources of lighting with LEDs, knock about 15 per cent off its consumption of electricity, take due credit for climate change efforts and, in the process, improve the lot of millions of people across the country. The authorities should do all it can to accelerate the growth of an LED lamp-producing industry in the country.
