Space Zoo Patrol – Next Generation Lighting

By:  the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES)

Brienne Musselman, Director of Education and Standards

 

Background

  • What is this technology called?

LED (Light Emitting Diode) Lighting is also called Next Generation Lighting or High Performance Lighting.

  • How does it work?

Other light sources from our history produce light by first converting electrical energy into heat, then into light. LEDs convert electrical energy directly into light, and waste little energy in the process. These individual diodes (which are very small, and printed on a circuit board or substrate) are grouped together into what is called LED packages or arrays. The amount of LEDs grouped together depends on how bright we need the finished light source to be and the intensity of each LED can vary. Placed over the individual LEDs or over the LED array is an optic, sometimes called a lens, that helps control the direction of the light. Placed behind the LED array is generally what we call a heat-sink, which helps the LEDs stay cool as they emit light. LEDs are the most efficient widely-available light source available to consumers today.

LEDs emit a monochromatic (or single-color) light as individual diodes. These are very useful in colored lighting needs, like exit signs. For us to use LEDs as a white light source in our homes and businesses, a coating over top called a phosphor is sometimes used, to color-correct them. This process is called phosphor conversion.

  • Who invented it? And when and where?

LEDs have been around for decades, first manufactured in 1962, and originally used as indicator lights for various electronics like instrument panels in vehicles, and appliances, etc. However, these LEDs were not bright enough to be used in our homes or workplaces as white light. The invention of LEDs that allowed us to accomplish bright white light is associated with Shujia Nakamura, Isamu Akasaki, and Hiroshi Amano. The three Japanese men won the 2014 Nobel Prize for Physics “for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes, which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources”.

 

 Advantages

  • What are the environmental advantages?

LEDs consume much less energy than other sources of light. This reduces the damaging carbon emmisions produced by generating power. When you reduce energy you need fewer panels, turbines, wiring, and other components. They are long-lasting, and lack infrared and ultraviolet (UV) emissions when designed for general use which means less damage to materials from heat and UV emissions. 

  • What are the life cycle financial advantages?

LED lighting typically lasts far longer than conventional light sources. According to the Department of Energy, “LED lighting products are expected to have a useful life of 30,000 to 50,000 hours or even longer. A typical incandescent lamp lasts about 1,000 hours; a comparable CFL (chloroflourocarbon), 8,000 to 10,000 hours; and the best linear fluorescent lamps, more than 30,000 hours”.

  • What jobs are created?
  • Designers of LED light sources and components
  • Designers of spaces that need light (architects, interior designers, lighting designers)
  • Manufacturing of LED light sources
  • Sales and distribution (shipping, handling, etc.) of LED products
  • Installation of LED products by contractors and electricians
  • Research for energy-efficiency improvements
  • Energy auditors for lighting replacements
  • Educators to teach the our communites and designers about LED products
  • Lighting is converging with other industries and some of the technology needs expertise that knows how to make these wireless protocols and other elements work together. These ‘system integrators’ are in high demand now and expected to be more so in the near future. 

 

Energy Efficiency

  • How efficient is this technology?

According to the US Department of Energy “Residential LEDs — especially ENERGY STAR rated products — use at least 75% less energy, and last up to 25 times longer, than incandescent lighting.  Widespread use of LED lighting has a large potential impact on energy savings in the United States. By 2035, the majority of lighting installations are anticipated to use LED technology, and energy savings from LED lighting could top 569 TWh (Tera Watt Hours) annually by 2035, equal to the annual energy output of more than 92 1,000 MW (Mega Watts) power plants.”  Commercial and industrial lighting LEDs often exceed the 75% less energy number cited above.

  • How many units are needed for 1 house, 1 school, 1 community?

This depends on the size of house, school, and community. LED lighting can be in any table lamp, floor lamp, street light, classroom, gym…anywhere you see lighting, that could be LED.

  • What percentage of total population (US, world) uses this technology today?

According to the US Energy Information Administration’s RESIDENTIAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION SURVEY (RECS) in 2020, 82% of homeowners reported using at least one LED light bulb, and 47% of homeowners reported that “all or most bulbs are LED” in their homes.  

According to the US Department of Energy’s LED Adoption Report (2020) The outdoor lighting market has seen greater usage of LEDs (51.4%) than indoor lighting (29.8%), but total LED installations are considerably higher for indoor applications (2.2 billion vs. 100 million).

  • What percentage of total population (US, world) could use this technology?

This could be 100% if we work on it.

  • What geographical areas can this be used in?

This can be used in every geographic location inhabited by people.

 

Engineering / Mechanical

  • How is it manufactured?

Semiconductor wafers (a thin slice of chrystalin silicon -sand- used as the backboard for micro chips) are manufactured under very strict ‘clean room’ requirements.  Light emitting diodes (LED) are bonded to the wafers with electrical wires that are as thin as a hair.  This requires precision machinery due to the very small size.  These can be joined together in packages or arrays for more intensity or color mixing. These arrays and packages are then integrated into LED products that we see in our homes and other buildings (LED light bulbs, integrated LED products, etc.).

  • Where is it manufactured?

The top 10 global lighting LED manufacturers include two each from the US, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan with China and Germany each having one manufacturer. The United States has many manufacturers who assemble LED light fixtures using imported LEDs.  LED product designs are often done in North America.

  • What maintenance is required?

Because of their long-life there is no need for frequent lamp replacement.  The LED is a sealed component but the light fixtures that hold the LEDs does require some maintenance especially when used in dirty environments.  Dust and dirt inside can reduce the life and light output of the light fixture.  When LED components need to be replaced, energy service companies and contractors are familiar with the options for replacing or upgrading.  The LED declines in light output as it ages and the industry standard is that an LEDs useful life is when the light level drops to 70% of the initial output.  The Illuminating Engineering Society publishes a document on lighting maintenance (RP-36-20).

 

 Education

  • What classes should I take in school to work on this technology?

The lighting industry needs: artists, engineers, scientists, interior designers, marketing, product designers, architects. Any classes that spark creativity, help to facilitate new product ideas and development, and better understanding of science are a good idea.

 

Pictures:

Next Generation Lighting 1
  • Links:

  Illuminating Engineering Society https://www.ies.org