LED bulbs are not only unique and innovative, but also significantly economic in terms of energy consumption. They serve much longer than incandescent bulbs and economic bulbs. And LED bulbs are also environmentally friendly, because they do not contain harmful chemical compounds.
As already known, European Commission has adopted a decision that till September 2012 European Union member states have to refuse from using the common incandescent bulbs, and start using other bulbs. Incandescent bulbs of 100 watts have been removed from the sales since September 2009, therefore consumers have to seek for new lighting alternatives. Luminescent bulbs are also a temporary alternative only, because many of those contain mercury, which is harmful to humans and nature. Lifetime of a luminescent bulb is adversely affected by the frequency of its switching on and off. Jānis Siliņš, director of ESM GROUP emphasizes that "the mentioned negative aspects have been eliminated with the technology of light emitting diodes (LED), which rapidly develops all over the world and is a great lighting alternative."
LED bulbs consist of light emitting diodes, which depending on the semiconductor material emit different colour light. Specific LED light output (lumens at one supplied electric power watt) is ten times higher than for incandescent bulbs and their lifetime reaches up to 100 000 hours (for incandescent bulbs only 1000 hours). The tests carried out in foreign laboratories, as well as in the Latvian Electronic Equipment Testing Centre have proven that energy savings, if comparing luminescent and halogen bulbs with equal application LED bulbs can reach from 60% (luminescent bulb) up to 92% (halogen bulb).
LED bulbs are suitable not only for household use, but are especially appropriate for commercial areas, where the daily saved energy will make the difference immediately apparent. J. Siliņš mentions calculation example: "If at a supermarket parking lot, that is currently illuminated by 1000 luminescent bulbs, operating for the average of 18 hours a day, the cost for electricity is about LVL 1395 per month, then exchanging the existing bulbs to equal light output LED bulbs, electricity costs will add up only LVL 561 per month. The same, when using common luminescent bulbs, additional costs will be created by regular exchange of the burn out bulbs. But using LED bulbs, which serve for significantly longer periods, these expenses will occur more rarely." The first LED bulbs were available on the Latvian market already several years ago, but their light emission quality did not conform to the consumer's demands. The development of LED technologies in the world has been vast, and now also in the Latvian market it is possible to purchase functional and decorative lighting LED bulbs that conform to the consumer's requirements.
To promote the development of energy-efficient lighting in Latvia, JSC "Latvenergo" has organised several professional seminars that gather many professionals of this field as well as all those who are interested in the subject. At one of such seminars, dedicated to lighting, Riga Technical University Department of Power Supply Associate Professor Kārlis Timmermanis proved that within the next years LED lamps will replace not only the incandescent bulbs, but also to great extent the luminescent bulbs.
Article in cooperation with SIA ESM GROUP and Riga Technical University Department of Power Supply Associate Professor Kārlis Timmermanis.
Media references:
http://www.diena.lv/lat/business/presrelease/trade/ka-ieekonomet-elektroenergijas-izmaksas
http://www.tvnet.lv/zinas/tehnologijas/popsci/article.php?id=598815
