Popularising eco-friendly bulb LED

In the era of continued higher demand for energy, innovations are a normal feature. So are the options that remain open before the people. Choosing the LED lamp over other lighting sources not only leads to energy saving, the lamp is also suggested for cost-effectiveness. It lasts long. The light-emitting diode (LED) bulb these days has started entering the lighting market industry in Bangladesh and other countries in the world. Although it is yet to be accepted widely, it has begun making its presence felt in the electric bulb manufacturing industry. More and more private and public entrepreneurial and business sectors, and residences are upgrading their lighting installations to LED lighting technology with a view to benefiting from the eco-friendly and cost-saving bulbs.

In recent years, terms like 'going green' and 'eco-friendly' have become frequently used phrases in TV talk shows, commercials and packaging products. The term 'eco-friendly' is being used for so many products and activities that its meaning is in danger of being distorted. By understanding the true meaning of eco-friendliness, we can help introduce the practices that will lead to healthier survival of the planet and its inhabitants. Bangladesh is no exception. Things which are 'eco-friendly' are earth-friendly and are not harmful to the environment. This term most commonly refers to products that contribute to green living or practices that assist in conserving resources such as water and energy.
While making truly eco-friendly products, the manufacturers keep both environmental and human safety concerns in mind. They would like to ensure that the products are non-toxic. Other eco-friendly aspects that they remain mindful of include the use of sustainably grown or raised ingredients, production in ways that do not harm the ecosystem. Organic ingredients or materials are grown without toxic substances. On the other hand, products made of recycled materials contain glass, wood, metal or plastic particles left by the waste products and made into something new. Biodegradable products break down through natural decomposition, which is less taxing on landfills and the ecosystem as a whole. The new type of bulb meets the requirements of eco-friendliness.
LED is a special kind of semi-conductor device that converts electrical energy into light energy. Electroluminescence -- a phenomenon where light is emitted in a material after an electrical current is passed through it --- was first discovered in 1907. Thereafter, the blue LED was developed in 1993, followed by the white LED in 1996. LEDs became available in a wide spectrum of colours after the successful production of the basic colours of red, green, blue, and white. LED lighting has recently attracted increased attention due to the phasing out of inefficient lighting and reduction in LED lighting prices. It is predicted that countries around the world will start banning the use of traditional lighting sources.

 In the recent past, the European Union (EU) and the United States had planned to prohibit the sale of incandescent lamps as of 2012 and 2014, respectively. Korea had plans to phase out the use of incandescent lamps from 2012, and launched a plan that envisioned LED lighting to comprise 30 per cent of the domestic lighting market by 2015. This is expected to reduce power consumption by 16 billion killowatt-hours and CO2 emissions by 6.8 million tonnes a year. After previously being limited to uses such as outdoors and decorative lighting, LED lighting has recently expanded into general usage due to technological advancements and price declines. LED lamps have recently gone from costing twenty times to about ten times more than fluorescent lights. To show the picture 'Prospects for Global Lighting Market' is presented here in Table-1:   

 The existing types of lighting such as fluorescent and incandescent lamps are problematic in that they consume high amounts of energy and pollute the environment. Lighting accounts for 12-15 per cent of annual global power consumption, creating 1.7 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Traditional lighting sources are particularly harmful to the environment because they contain mercury and have a short life-span. According to the International Energy Agency, improving lighting efficiency by 20 per cent can reduce total power consumption by 3.8 per cent and cut total CO2 emissions by 0.8 per cent. However, given the technological limitations to improving fluorescent and incandescent lighting, the need for a new, highly-efficient, environment-friendly lighting source is growing, placing light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in an increasingly favourable light.
Replacing the existing lighting with LEDs can save up to 85 per cent of our energy costs. Considering the following facts, we can definitely prefer LED lighting to any other traditional lighting sources:
1. Flexibility
* Wattage ranges from 1 watt up to 18.
* Up to four basic colour temperatures available.
* Variety of beam spreads; spot, narrow flood, flood and wide flood.
* Flexible design capabilities and easily interchange lamp wattage.
* Retrofit existing installations for immediate energy saving up to 85 per cent.
2. Sustainability and eco-friendliness
* Free from hazardous chemicals.
* Sustainability with solid brass and copper fixtures with long life.
* Reduction in carbon footprint and CO2.
* Mercury-free light source.
* Long-life brass and copper fixtures do not corrode like short-duration aluminum products.
3. Durability:
* FLEX Thermal Management System is scientifically designed to dissipate heat for the long-life LED.
* Life span of over 50,000 hours.
* Operating temperature 4-degree F to 122-degree F.
* Tested in an environmental chamber at high ambience and 100 per cent humidity.
LED light bulbs are becoming popular for their unique design and green technology.  They require less electricity, last longer, and emit more light than traditional incandescent bulbs. Moreover, the bulb is a popular alternative to the conventional light bulb for several reasons. Firstly, they usually last a lot longer than conventional bulbs. The luminous efficiency of a LED bulb is ten times and 1.1 times that of incandescent lamps and fluorescent lamps, respectively.
An LED has a life-span of over 50,000 hours, more than ten times that of conventional lamps. Secondly, LED lamps cost ten times more than existing lamps, but the price relative to performance is plummeting thanks to accelerated technological advancements that are given below, in Table-2:

Thirdly, LEDs do not contain any mercury (an element which is famously environmentally hazardous), as is the case with CFL lights (compact fluorescents). Fourthly, LEDs are also very durable, and can handle more wear and tear than conventional light bulbs. They are not climate-dependent either, i.e. humidity and low temperatures have no effect on the performance of the bulb which is not the case for some alternatives. Finally, the bulb demands increased use from an environmental standpoint. Carbon dioxide emissions related to an LED light bulb are only around 10 per cent of those related to a traditional bulb.
As LEDs do not contain significant amounts of any harmful components, they are classed as RoHS compliant. RoHS stands for the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment, which came into effect in the UK on July 01, 2006. These restrictions prevent the sale of equipment containing harmful levels of mercury, lead, cadmium, PBB, PBDE and hexavalent chromium. Due to this compliance, LEDs can be disposed of and recycled in the same way as an ordinary light bulb.
New researches at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) indicate that light-emitting diode light bulbs are more environmentally friendly than compact fluorescent and incandescent lights. Today's light-emitting diode light bulbs have a slight environmental edge over compact fluorescent lamps.
And that gap is expected to grow significantly as technology and manufacturing methods improve in the next five years, according to a new report from the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and UK-based N14 Energy Limited.
"The light-emitting diode lamp is a rapidly evolving technology that while already energy efficient, will become even more so in just a few short years," said Marc Ledbetter, who manages PNNL's solid-state lighting testing, analysis and deployment efforts. "Our comprehensive analysis indicates technological advancements in the near future will help people who use these lamps to keep shrinking their environmental footprints."
The report examines total environmental impact, including the energy and natural resources needed to manufacture, transport, operate and dispose of light bulbs. Fifteen different impacts were considered when evaluating environmental footprints, including the potential to increase global warming, use land formerly available to wildlife, generate waste and pollute water, soil and air. The report examines the complete life cycles of three kinds of light bulbs: light-emitting diodes, also called LEDs, compact fluorescents, or CFLs, and traditional incandescent light bulbs and finally puts emphasis on LED lighting considering the relevant key factors.
But different opinion has also been found regarding LED lights. A recent study by researchers at the University of California found that most LED lights contain a high proportion of nickel, and that coloured LED bulbs contain large amounts of lead. On top of this, trace amounts of arsenic are also present. Not only can these elements be damaging to the environment, they can also cause health problems. Though overall LED lights are more environmentally-friendly than conventional, incandescent bulbs, it is still important to discompose LED bulbs in a correct way; otherwise, this could have long-term environmental effects.
Nowadays, it can be considered to be a positive sign among the people of Bangladesh that the eco-friendly LED lighting technology has drawn the attention not only of the common people but also that of the business communities. In this connection, the general people expect that the government will take measures on reducing the price of LED lights. Besides, efforts ought to be in place to provide LED bulbs free of cost among the poorer segments of society.

The writer is Senior Assistant Secretary, BKMEA.
 ranaduttabkmea@gmail.com