Recently in Energy Efficiency of LEDs Category

Efficiency Benefits Up to 82% in Energy Savings!

According to Flex Your Power, documented studies have proven the energy savings potential of LEDs:

	Replacing a red incandescent traffic signal head with a red LED unit cuts energy use by an estimated 82 to 93%. The use of LED traffic signals in cities can save 1 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy and nearly $70,000 a year for every 100 signaled intersections replaced. The payback period is approximately two-and-a-half to three years through energy savings alone. There are 100 million exit signs in the United States containing incandescent lamps that consume a total of 20 billion kWh of electricity per year. LED lighting could save approximately three-quarters of this energy. By purchasing 1,000 exit signs for an initial investment of $30,000, a state government could save a net $455,562 over the products’ lifetime. The new signs would pay for themselves in six months. LEDs can replace neon, offering an 80% electricity efficiency improvement.

The benefits of LED lighting technology go far beyond reducing electricity consumption.

Even with a higher initial investment, dollar savings and quality improvements significantly outweigh costs.

LED technology's numerous benefits also include:
Long life and reduced maintenance cost High quality light output Increased safety as a result of LED's lower voltage Smaller, flexible light fixtures Increased durability (no filament to break) Lower lighting infrastructure load and cost for expansion

The California Department of Transportation has been involved with the development of LED traffic signal modules for more than a decade. The recent energy crisis played a key role in speeding up the statewide conversion from incandescent lights to LEDs.

Caltrans is one of the largest users of LED traffic signal modules in the world. Since January 1998, Caltrans has purchased more than 230,000 units for deployment at signalized intersections, ramp meters and flashing beacons. This number does not include the 8,000 units deployed prior to 1998 in the Fresno and San Francisco Bay areas of California.

With the current deployments at signalized intersections and ramp meters, Caltrans has dropped its power demand by 10 megawatts and has reduced electrical consumption by 71 million kilowatthours per year. This translates to taxpayer savings of $10 million per year for the California state highway system alone.

Caltrans operates about 10 percent of the traffic signals in California; therefore, the statewide energy savings are far greater if all traffic signals are converted.

The availability of LED traffic signal modules led the California Energy Commission to introduce rules prohibiting the use of incandescent lamps for traffic signal indications on future traffic signal installations.

The energy crisis did play a key role in speeding up the statewide conversion from incandescent lights to LEDs for Caltrans as part of a statewide effort to relieve pressure on the electrical grid. Prior to the crisis, the energy and maintenance savings for Caltrans were more than enough to justify the increased expense of LED modules. The energy crisis accelerated the rate of deployment by about three to four years. The rising cost for energy as a result of the crisis simply increased the economic viability of LED modules. 

Energy requirements and prices for LED modules have decreased. Not using LED modules now is an unwise business practice. 

Caltrans' involvement in LED traffic signal modules began in 1992, when the department's Fresno-area electrical crew supervisor, Gerald Tripp, came across a company with the idea to use LEDs to replace incandescent lamps in red indications. A large eight-phase intersection in the city of Clovis, CA, (near Fresno) was the main reason Tripp looked into LED modules. The newly installed signal in operation at the intersection was too large and often overloaded the electrical system, causing constant signal malfunctions.

One option was to redesign the intersection to allow for the traffic signal, which would have been expensive and would have taken years to finish. Instead, Tripp initially installed eight LED pedestrian signals. This helped, but it was not enough. Tripp knew he needed to find a low-power lamp replacement for the red signals.

After talking with a local supplier, he replaced the red indications at the intersection with LED modules. The overloading problems disappeared. The current draw decreased from more than 50 amps to 14 amps. Tripp also found that energy usage for the intersection dropped significantly-more than anyone expected from simply replacing red indications. In addition, as one would expect, dollar amounts were greatly reduced because less energy was used.

Tripp and his supervisor, Jerry McElroy, began a mission to change traffic signal operations in California. Tripp suggested the idea to Caltrans management and was rewarded for his ingenuity and innovative style through the State of California Merit Award Program.

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LED lighting options are growing and developing rapidly. Many applications are now cost effective with LED, despite the higher upfront costs. How affordable? Check it out for your own applications with an LED Payback Calculator.

BetaLED is a respected manufacturer of THE EDGE fixtures that contain no mercury or lead. Longer light component life also means less waste. THE EDGE also complies with both Dark Sky (IESNA full cutoff) and Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHs) regulations. Beta Lighting brings continuous LED innovation to the workplace and their Total Systems Approach allows them to build innovation from the ground up.

To meet today's general lighting standards, Beta Lighting works with top-tier LED suppliers from around the world. Their primary LED partner, Cree of Raleigh, North Carolina, controls all aspects of its LED manufacturing.

It's easy to prove that Beta LED has the EDGE over HID. Adjust the cells to get a quick estimate on how THE EDGE can reduce your energy and maintenance cost.

LED Payback Calculator

LED Payback Calculator

SciWorks has new exhibit space focusing on the cranks, levers and lasers that are behind the basic science of physics.

In the new PhysicsWorks, displays are grouped by concept into mechanics, light and color, electricity, motion and perception.

The beginning of the exhibit starts with simple displays of levers, gears and pulleys, then moves on to flashier kiosks for electricity and lasers.  Sanford explains, "Not everybody is going to be a scientist, but everybody is going to have to deal with it at some point."

They include a room that captures a photo of your shadow on photosensitive material with an LED flashing light and a game that shows off the focused intensity of lasers.

There are also displays that are more like low-impact rides, such as a kid-size gyroscope, where you sit on a bicycle seat, and holding a spinning wheel by its axle, you turn around. That's the same concept used in the space and air industry to keep shuttles and planes straight, Sanford said.

<a href="http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2008/jun/28/physics-area-at-sciworks-is-expanded-and-updated/?entertainment">READ MORE</a>

According to the Federal Highway Administration, in 2000 there were 106,000 crashes from running RED LIGHTS, with 89,000 injuries and 1,036 deaths.

Blue lights above traffic signals  are called "tattletale lights" or "red light confirmation lights." Whenever the traffic signal is red, the blue light is on.

Police previously had to testify that a vehicle was in an intersection when it ran a red light.

Now, officers only have to see the blue light to know the vehicle ran the red signal.

Florida Department of Transportation officials are paying for the lights at intersections on state roads in nine Central Florida counties, reported a representative from the Florida Department of Transportation.

Originally, the DOT put up small white lights at a cost of about $100 each. The DOT is switching to less-expensive blue lights, which are LED (light emitting diodes) that run cooler and need less maintenance.

Running a red light in Florida can bring a fine of $188.50.

Violators also face adding three or four points to their driving record, unless they complete a state-approved driver-safety course.

In two recent articles the Daily News reported that the city of Fairbanks, Alaska spent over $880,000 dollars on electricity each year.

HolidayLEDs.com an online retailer specializing in LED Christmas lights and LED decorative lighting is offering to donate energy-efficient LED Christmas lights to the City of Fairbanks to help the city in its efforts to reduce its energy consumption.

I read an article in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner about the Cities' efforts to reduce its energy consumption and decided we would offer to help

"I read an article in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner about the Cities' efforts to reduce its energy consumption and decided we would offer to help," said Philip C. Curtis, President of HolidayLEDs.com.

Fairbanks city engineer, Mike Schmetzer, and his energy task force were reported to have set out to figure out how the city could reduce its energy costs. Some of the proposed solutions of the task force including turning off non-critical streets lights and eliminating Christmas light displays.

"Its commendable that the City of Fairbanks is taking a serious look at its energy consumption--we should all be doing this--but Christmas lighting displays are such an important part of the Christmas celebration it would be a shame if the residents of Fairbanks had to eliminate this tradition," Curtis added.

LED Christmas lights are 80-99% more efficient than standard incandescent lights and substantially reduce the cost of operating a holiday display.

"If Fairbanks replaced its incandescent lights with LED Christmas lights the amount of power consumed would be de minimus and we'd like to help the City make the switch by offering to donate four cases of lights to the City," Curtis explained.

Curtis' company shipped a substantial number of LED Christmas lights to the State of Alaska in 2007. "The residents of Alaska have been good customers to us and we are glad that this opportunity arose to help the citizens of Fairbanks," Curtis concluded.

For more information about HolidayLEDs.com and energy-efficient LED Christmas and decorative lighting visit http://www.holidayleds.com.

D.Light, a startup officially announced its products in June 2008.

The company is in the process of moving its offices to Shenzhen, China, from Mountain View, Calif., to manufacture three LED and solar-based lighting products that cost just $10 to $30 and are meant to replace kerosene lanterns.

The Nova will sell for approximately $12 to $25 and one hour of solar charge can provide one hour of LED light on the medium setting.
 
In many regions of India and Africa that are not connected to the electric power grid, kerosene lanterns provide much of the lighting. But kerosene lanterns can be unsafe and cause respiratory problems; they’re also generally pretty dim and are a contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

D.Light President Ned Tozun tells us that, while no one would argue replacing kerosene lanterns is a bad idea, technologies such as LEDs and solar panels have just started to become cost-effective replacements.

D.Light was founded by Tozun and his business partners at Stanford with  backing from Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Garage Technology Ventures, Mahindra & Mahindra, Nexus India Capital, Acumen Fund, Gray Matters Capital and Michael Marks (the Chairman of Flextronics). D.Light is working with Seoul Semiconductor for its LEDs and plans to produce in “the millions of units” and strongly focused on getting its goods to the developing world first.

Energized by the prospect of bringing the latest white LED lighting technology to commercial spaces, a team of lighting industry veterans established Gallium in 2006 to develop specification-grade LED lighting systems. This team combines over forty years of lighting industry experience leading some of the largest and most prestigious fixture manufacturers in North America.

Gallium is dedicated to bringing architects the latest innovations in state-of-the-art LED technology,

Dr. Keith Bahde, President

Dr. Bahde has 20 years of lighting industry experience with three of the four largest lighting fixture manufacturers in North America. Keith was quick to recognize the benefits of white LEDs for general illumination, and founded Gallium Lighting to accelerate the adoption of LED technology in mainstream architectural applications. His academic credentials include an MBA and a PhD.

“White LEDs are the most promising new light sources since fluorescent lamps appeared on the market almost 60 years ago. We are proud to be on the forefront of commercializing LED luminaires for mainstream architectural applications. Leading the enthusiastic Gallium team in making this vision a reality is a real privilege. We greatly appreciate the phenomenal support and guidance we have received from specifiers and sales representatives, and we welcome your continued suggestions as we expand our product line.”

Keith P. Bahde, Ph.D.
President
Gallium Lighting, LLC
(831) GALLIUM (425-5486)

keith@galliumlighting.com

SYLVANIA LED lighting products are rated by several certification agencies to provide customers with choice to meet their commercial and residential lighting needs, requirements and prerequisites for green building rating systems.

Three widely recognized lighting quality and application systems are listed below.  Sylvania products are regularly submitted for these kinds of certification and compliance programs.  Check their website for specific technical informatino.