In the world of lighting, it's hard to dispute that in just a decade solid-state lighting (SSL) has "progressed beyond the limited world of traffic signals, exit signs and Christmas lights to become a player to be reckoned with in a growing number of general illumination applications". We must however keep in mind that "the technology is still at a relatively early stage of its development" (Brodrick, 2013).
Through our collective efforts to determine where solid-state lighting resides on the technology life cycle, the Norlux team found an interesting perspective from a March 2013 Department of Energy article titled "It's Halftime for Solid-State Lighting". Author James Brodrick (Lighting Program Manager for the U.S. Dept. of Energy) offers a succinct view of where LEDs exist presently in commercial applications and what pitfalls must be negotiated for the technology to thrive well into the future.
Brodrick believes the forward momentum of SSL hasn't quite reached the level of persistence that sharks embody, but users of the technology must keep making consistent progress. "'Move forward or die' might be an overstatement, but as SSL reaches the mid-point of its potential, it must continue to make steady strides or risk becoming a novelty" (Brodrick, 3/13). James continues: "As tempting as it might be for SSL manufacturers to ease up a bit on the throttle that would be a big mistake, because the technology is at a turning point. Despite the dizzying acceleration in the sales of LED lighting products, they still only represent a drop in the bucket compared with the total universe of lighting installations—and, what’s more, increasingly find themselves in competition not only with CFLs and linear fluorescents, but also with earlier generations of LED products. So in order to turn the corner and achieve the widespread adoption necessary to make a significant dent in our energy consumption, SSL has to continue to improve" (Brodrick, 3/13).
To state it in sporting vernacular, James believes SSL technology has reached "half-time". James states "according to the best estimates, it’s roughly at the halfway point in terms of its potential. For example, checking the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) LED Lighting Facts database of SSL products on the market, we find some good ones that have efficacies in the 90-100 lumens per watt range and are used in a number of different applications. While this represents a huge leap from even the best efficacies a few years back, DOE’s ultimate goal—which most people in the industry consider achievable—is to surpass luminaire efficacies of 200 lumens per watt" (Brodrick 3/2013).
One advantage of a maturing technology is the declining cost associated with that technology; and SSL is no different. "While efficacies are on the rise, prices are heading in the opposite direction. For many SSL luminaires, the LED package still comprises a significant portion of the cost, but those prices are dropping quickly, to as low as $5-$7/klm, which is on track with the projections in DOE’s SSL R&D Manufacturing Roadmap. In order to meet the needs of an increasing number of applications, LED packages are also becoming more and more diverse—though, fortunately, not at the expense of efficacy" (Brodrick, 3/13).
On the flip side, James explains some of the challenges facing SSL moving forward, stating "there’s a need for better greens and reds, and also for multichip monochromatic sources. It’s also essential to address such performance issues as dimming, flicker and reliability. The widespread claims that LED lighting products are fully dimmable often get contradicted by what happens in real-world installations—particularly with phase-cut dimmers, which are designed to work with incandescent lamps and thus can have compatibility problems with LED drivers. Those drivers are also the key to SSL flicker, with some drivers producing no visible flicker regardless of the light output, others causing noticeable flicker at all output levels, and others flickering only when dimmed" (Brodrick, 3/13).
We at Norlux agree with James that LEDs offer endless innovative possibilities in lighting because of the unique qualities of the technology. These attributes, if fine-tuned and constantly re-immagined will keep SSL on the fast-track to even greater adoption. "The keys to SSL’s market penetration are its unique attributes, which will function as value-added differentiators. One such attribute is SSL’s controllability, which makes it especially suited for use in smart lighting applications, where sensors can give a significant boost to energy savings. There’s also the potential to control SSL’s visible spectrum, which makes it possible to change chromaticity—not just for aesthetic reasons, but also to optimize our mood, productivity and health" (Brodrick, 3/13).
Norlux is the North American leader in high-brightness LED applications and complimentary technologies; contact us today!
Source: "LED Watch: It's Halftime for Solid-State Lighting" by James Brodrick; March 2013.
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/led_watch_03-04-13.pdf
