The emergence of solid state lighting has been discussed in the technical media, at trade shows and in labs for almost a decade. Many of the initial technical challenges have been solved – driving LEDs efficiently, heat management in retrofit LED bulb designs and circuit strategies to ensure reliability and longevity, to name a few. Yet the technology is only now approaching universal acceptance as a valid choice for businesses and home owners.

The outcomes of deployments have been mixed, with the large numbers of unit shipments to retail establishments and hotels contrasting with negative experiences in China – where many LED streetlights failed only months after installation. My opinion is that 2012 will be the year when the technology matures and the hidden revolution in lighting becomes public. The reach of LED lighting will extend beyond the specialists and early adopters and into the consumer mainstream.

In 2011 we saw the early signals of a tipping point in favour of LED lighting, accelerated by stresses on the Japanese electrical grid caused by the tragic earthquake and tsunami. Due to the high efficacy of LED lights, Japanese consumers and businesses have adopted the technology as a key contributor to the country’s energy management strategy.

Of course, the need to conserve power in the aftermath of the disaster was manifestly obvious, but also there was, and remains, a need for re-construction on a huge scale. This has resulted in a huge expansion of LED lighting production which is having a knock-on effect in reducing prices worldwide. Furthermore, Asian investments in material precursors such as sapphire wafers and also in LED production, coupled with a slower than expected ramp of LED TVs, have combined to further depress the prices of the LEDs themselves and increased the marketability of the technology for general lighting.

One other significant development for the company was our move into the discrete diode business. The humble diode (initially demonstrated in 1874) was the first commercially relevant rectifier device and it’s easy to suppose that development must have reached some kind of plateau by now. However, it’s not so easy to ignore the contribution that this pervasive component makes to energy loss and conversely, therefore, opportunities to make substantial efficiency gains.

Both our Qspeed Merged PIN-Schottky rectifiers and SemiSouth’s Silicon Carbide diodes (that we sell) permit the manufacture of power factor correction circuits and AC inverters approaching 98% and 99% efficiency respectively. Efficiency gains enabled by use of advanced diodes will become more important as photo-voltaic solar energy installations, UPS systems and vehicle chargers increase their adoption in a world hungry for green energy and transportation.  Designers versed in the subtle trade-offs between diode types can take advantage of the benefits that they bring to achieve new levels of efficiency or to reduce overall system cost, size, weight and complexity.

With an increase in the pace of development, utility and relevance of the diode – light emitting and otherwise – to the daily lives of people everywhere, it’s my expectation that 2012 be the year of the diode, just 138 years since its invention.

Author: Doug Bailey

Source: Electronics Weekly

For more than 130 years, the world has relied on variations of incandescent and gas-discharge lamps to illuminate commercial buildings. With the rise of the general-illumination white LED lighting only a few years ago, the lighting industry is experiencing its first revolutionary change since the commercialization of the fluorescent lamp in the 1930s. As the semiconductor and software industries converge on the traditional lighting world, Pike Research expects that the lighting industry will see more change in the next five years than in the previous 50. By the end of our 10-year outlook, LED solid state lighting will not only capture over 50% of the global market, but the extraordinary lifetimes of these lamps will drive a steady decline in the commercial lamp market despite a steadily growing base of new buildings and access to electricity in emerging countries.

Source: Pike Research

Minister Shih Yen-shiang.

The ROC government will begin the 3-year replacement project in January 2012. It will involve LED lamp installations in the cities of Keelung, Hsinchu and Chiayi. Shih announced the plan after meeting with LED companies including Everlight Electronics, Epistar and Delta Electronics.“This replacement project will not only provide the nation with energy efficient lighting,” Shih said, “it will also give local LED manufacturers a tremendous boost, as the experience they acquire from manufacturing and installing the new lights will help make them more competitive internationally.”

Shih noted the importance of standards and stated that the government will accelerate its efforts to promote standards for the LED industry. The ministry noted that the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection has already set 49 specifications for the LED industry, on matters such as acceptable power density and energy-efficiency levels.

Government urged to act now

Meanwhile, Taiwan Economic News reported on a conference held in mid-October involving Taiwan manufacturers, think tanks and academia aimed at making the island’s LED manufacturers more competitive worldwide. These participants urged the government to subsidize LED lamp usage in homes and promote LED street-lighting projects. It was also suggested that the Taiwanese government fund LED R&D and coordinate vertical integration among the island’s LED manufacturers.

The conference was organized by the National Taiwan University Technology Policy & Industry Development Center (NTUTPIDC) and the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (TEEMA). Invited representatives included participants from the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER) and Taiwan Research Institute (TRI).

At the conference, YF Yeh of Everlight Electronics cited a study from market-research firm Strategies Unlimited, which showed that South Korea unseated Taiwan in 2009 as the world’s number two LED supplier, which, he said, should be a lesson for the Taiwan government in overlooking South Korean underselling to encroach on market shares held by Taiwan’s DRAM and LCD manufacturers, who were counted on to drive the nation’s economy.

ITRI’s statistics show South Korea accounted for 24.1% of global market for LED packages last year while Taiwan accounted for 19.1%.

The article estimated that replacement of all lighting in Taiwan with LEDs could conserve 22.4 billion kWh of electricity a year, equivalent to that generated by Taiwan’s three nuclear power plants.

Source: http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/8/11/18

Published today in the American Journal of Public Health, the new study has found that fluorescent lighting may cause a 12 per cent rise in UV-related eye diseases plus an extra 3000 cataract cases and 7500 cases of pterygia in Australia each year.

Lead author Dr Helen Walls from the National Centre for Epidemiology & Population Health at ANU said moves to sustainability and a low-carbon economy had involved a shift toward more energy-efficient lighting.

“Many people worldwide are exposed to artificial light sources at home and at work which until recently, mainly entailed incandescent lighting,” she said.

“The shift to fluorescent lighting means those people are now being exposed to ultraviolet radiation, which is compounded by increasing urbanisation and workers spending more of their work time in buildings instead of fields or other outside locations.

“The safe range of light to avoid exposing the eye to potentially damaging ultraviolet radiation is 2000 to 3500K and greater than 500 nanometres. Some fluorescent lights fall outside this safe range.”

UV radiation has been considered a cause of cataracts and pterygia because the photoreceptors in the retina are susceptible to damage by light, particularly UV light, which can lead to cell death and disease. Cumulative dose is also an important component of UV exposure.

Dr Walls said greater control of UV exposure from fluorescent lights was required.

“The replacement of incandescent lamps with fluorescent lighting will lead to significant reductions in greenhouse gases, however, such shifts may increase the population burden of eye disease,” she said.

“The evidence suggests that the least hazardous approach to lighting is to use warm-white tubes or incandescent bulbs of lower colour temperature and longer wave-length light rather than fluorescent lamps.

“Furthermore, we would recommend that UV filters become a required standard, and that further research to improve lighting from artificial sources be carried out.”

Source: Australian National University News

Membership to the LCA represents an important strategic alliance for LED Light Works as they are the peak body in the Australia Lighting Industry.  Their visibility, knowledge base, and relationship with government and regulatory bodies make the LCA a formidable partner, necessary to keep abreast of the ever changing landscape of the international lighting industry.

By their own definition:

Lighting Council Australia:

• advocates the importance of energy efficient, quality, low environmental impact lighting products and systems;
• represents the Australian lighting industry to policy-makers and other key stakeholders nationally and internationally;
• influences international and Australian standards relating to the lighting industry;
• promotes the use of electrically safe lighting that complies with relevant Australian and international standards; and
• encourages good lighting design, education and training

The LCA’s commitment to providing structure and information to Australian lighting manufacturers is more relevant than ever with the proliferation of LED technology.  The LCA formed the Solid State Lighting (SSL) Quality Scheme earlier this year as a tool to dissuade some of the illegitimacies surround the expectations and claims made of LED products.   Ethical manufacturers of LED products now have a sub-industry body to assist in positioning proven and certified LED products to consumers.

To learn more about the LCA visit their website by clicking here.

To close this gap, McKinsey & Company was commissioned by Osram to draw up a market report with an independent perspective on the global lighting market and its likely evolution.

The McKinsey report’s authors will present their findings in a presentation entitled “Lighting the Way: Perspectives on LEDs and the Global Lighting Market” during the Keynote Session at this year’s Strategies in Light Europe in Milan, Italy.

In order to develop a holistic overview of the global lighting market, including an estimate of LED market share going forward, McKinsey conducted a worldwide survey of lighting professionals as well as consumers from seven different countries (the US, Germany, Japan, China, Russia, Brazil, and India).

Based on this survey as well as other input factors, McKinsey developed a lighting market model estimating the size of the global lighting market through to 2020, differentiated by application, geography, and light-source technology.

Projections show that the global lighting market is expected to have revenues of approxi¬mately EUR 110 billion in 2020 – comparable to the global TV market. A number of megatrends underlie this expansion. Global population growth and urbanization are increasing the overall demand for lighting products. Resource scar¬city and climate change concerns are driving the industry trend towards more energy-effi¬cient lighting technologies. This is being accelerated by government regulation on energy efficiency around the globe.

The advent of LED technology – only the fourth lighting technology in the history of human mankind – is set to transform this industry. LED technology has not achieved a com¬petitive cost position in most applications up to now. But heavy investment from various companies is forecasted to cut costs at a rate of 30 percent per annum, and LED is becoming a broadly affordable technology.

Figures suggest that estimated global revenues from the LED lighting market will grow at 30% per annum, amounting to almost EUR 65 billion by 2020 – close to 60 percent of the overall lighting market.

The three most relevant sectors in lighting are general lighting, automotive light¬ing, and backlighting. This market report covers these 3 major sectors with a deep dive in general lighting: this is the largest sector, accounting for approximately 75 percent of the total lighting market.

McKinsey Report – Lighting the Way

Results of a survey of 700 readers of Electrical Contractor magazine indicate a majority of electrical contractors believe LED lamps are now ready or will be ready within a year to replace incandescent and fluorescent lamps.

The publisher of Electrical Contractor, John Maisel, said, “The more we educate [electrical contractors] on the technology and opportunities in the multibillion dollar LED market that’s growing more than 30 percent per year, the greater value they bring to their customers.” Electrical Contractor, which reaches over 85,000 electrical contractors in the US, is published by the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) in Bethesda, MD.

Among those readers who responded to the survey, 33 percent of electrical contractors said LEDs are ready to replace incandescent lamps, compared with 23 percent saying LEDs are ready to replace CFLs and 19 percent claiming LEDs are ready to replace fluorescent lamps (see figure).

Market readiness for LED replacement

An additional 33 percent of electrical contractors believe LEDs will be ready to replace these traditional lamp sources within the next two years. The remaining respondents see LEDs becoming more viable later, or they “don’t know” when viability will occur. Of those who said LEDs were not ready or they didn’t know, 19 percent said that high cost was a factor, while 10 percent mentioned needed improvements in performance.

The survey was conducted by the firm Renaissance Research & Consulting (New York, NY) in the Fall of 2010. Participants included contractors working on residential projects, commercial/industrial/institutional (CII) projects and non-building projects (see figure).

Lighting work performed by construction type (Res, CII, NB)

All things to all people?Lighting is an inherent part of the electrical contractor’s job. As such, it comes as little surprise that 97 percent of respondents indicated they work with indoor or outdoor fixtures (on a combined basis), while 95 percent perform work with lamps, 93 percent with ballasts and 85 percent with controls.

A substantial portion, between 45 and 60 percent of electrical contractors, perform all functions on the job including buying, specifying and installing lighting products. Ninety percent of contractors perform some lamp work, while about 60 percent work on all aspects, meaning they specify and install lamps.

Regarding lamp types, contractors mentioned fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps the most, while LEDs actually were mentioned the least. However, the report says “ECs are proportionately more involved in LED specification than with other lamp types.”

LEDs on building projects

Beyond this recent survey, Electrical Contractor featured a special supplement entitled The LED Revolution, with its July issue. With articles addressing initial cost and payback, dimming and required drivers, compatibility with controls and LED standards, the issue provides a useful overview to contractors and distributors.

Out of the readership survey came important tips for electrical contractors. For instance, contractors should specify LED luminaires with well-designed optics to ensure the light reaches the intended surfaces. Controls are considered the largest contributor to improved efficiency through sophisticated addressable ballasts along with daylight and motion sensors.

  About the Author Laura Peters is a Senior Technical Editor with LEDs Magazine.

Source: http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/8/8/16 ]]> http://www.ledlightworks.com.au/industry-news/leds-may-have-reached-tipping-point-with-electrical-contractors/feed/ 0 http://www.ledlightworks.com.au/articles/led-solutions-for-mining-applications/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=led-solutions-for-mining-applications http://www.ledlightworks.com.au/articles/led-solutions-for-mining-applications/#comments Thu, 15 Sep 2011 01:26:12 +0000 tully http://www.ledlightworks.com.au/?p=1259 Worldwide, organisations are looking to implement technology that is environmentally conscious while providing increased efficiencies.  LED technology meets these criteria through its reduced impact on our environment and low cost of ownership.

Within the mining and industrial sectors the dependence on energy hungry HID (high intensity discharge) luminaires has further added urgency to the emergence of an environmentally sustainable alternative.  As late as 2 years ago there was very little choice for companies looking for an alternative, but with LED technology having matured with improvements in efficacy, design, thermal management, and lowered its overall cost, LEDs are now a viable and attractive alternative to traditional lighting technologies.

The following are 4 very good reasons (both financial and environmental) to consider an LED solution for new projects or retrofit into existing infrastructure:

1. Electricity Reduction – high efficacy (typical 80 lm/W, but now up to 95 lm/W) as well as direct, usable light means that applications requiring 400W MH (metal halide) can be replaced with as low as a 150W LED, effectively reducing electricity costs by >50%.

LED luminaires are also controllable and without re-strike times, and due to their instant on/off & dimmable capabilities are ideally suited to photo sensors and motion sensors.  Light is there when required, otherwise it is off, further conserving electricity.

In addition low inrush and operating currents mean reduced peak rates and start-up demands. A 150W LED will start up at 0.5 A, and run at 0.5 A.  Compared to an MH with a start-up of 15 A, and running current of 3 A.

This reduction in electricity usage corresponds directly to a reduction in C02-e generation.  With lighting typically being a large component of overall electricity use, a >50% reduction to C02-e emissions in this area is significant.

2. Maintenance & Replacement Savings -  many luminaires in the mining and industrial sector are critical to safe operation and are often in challenging environments.  This fact requires a diligent maintenance schedule and quick changes of non-functioning lamps, often requiring equipment (scissor lifts, scaffold) and electricians.

Current HID technology is susceptible to damage due to the presence of filaments, and bulbs, and typically has a maximum lifespan of 15,000 hours.  LED lamps are extremely durable, vibration resistant, and have lifespans in excess of 50,000 hours (L70), effectively halving maintenance and replacement costs.

As a further benefit to the environment, LED lamps do not contain any mercury (Hg), and are fully recyclable.  Traditional HIDs can contain up to 80 mg of Hg per lamp, the cost of which is ~$350 per kilo (of lamp) to dispose of properly.

 LED Solution Snapshot

*Calculations based on 24/7 runtime and QLD emissions factor of 0.89 kg CO₂-e/kWh.

3. Increased Safety – another inherent benefit of employing an LED solution is increased safety for employees.   Metal halide technology requires specialised UV filters to ensure that employees are protected from unwanted exposure.  If these filters become cracked or damaged employees can unwittingly be exposed to dangerous amounts of UV radiation.  LED lamps do not generate any UV, and do not require filters.

Should a metal halide HID be damaged or fail catastrophically employees in the immediate area may be subject to vaporised Hg, as well as hot glass and metal.  LED lamps do not fail in this manner and as mentioned, do not contain mercury.

4. Reduction of Light Pollution – considering the amount of light required and generated by mining operations, light bleed for surrounding communities and wildlife is a concern.

The direct nature of LED light, instant on/off capabilities and customisable beam angles limits unwanted light bleed.  Where required LED luminaires can also be customised to limit impact on sensitive wildlife.

For instance, LED lights in the higher wave spectrums (590nm) are being used with EPA approval in areas where there are nesting Sea Turtle populations.

With benefits extending across finance, safety and the environment more and more organisations are making a concerted effort to retrofit or specify LED technology.

Kevin Day

Kevin Day is the CEO of LED Light Works, an Australian company providing high quality LED technology to the worldwide market.  www.ledlightworks.com.au

SC Daily news 16 Aug 2011

All in a Day’s work