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LED technolgy outshines the competition

Posted: 15/05/2007

New lighting technology means homeowners could reduce their lighting bills by up to 90 per cent, as well as cutting their CO2 output. The latest LEDs, termed 7x1W, use only 7.7 watts of electricity and yet produce 382 foot-candles of light on a surface 600mm away (a typical 75-watt light bulb produces only 21 foot-candles of light on the same surface).

The LED's also mean no mercury is required, as in flourescent energy saving bulbs, or excessive energy usage as with incandescents.

Made of aluminum alloys and electronic LED components, the light isn't exactly a bulb. It's more like a spotlight, so it's useful in applications like desk lamps, recessed lighting and down lights. Switching from a 75-watt light bulb to the LED's 7-watt light saves money in electricity costs over the life of the bulb and reduces CO2 emissions substantially.

The light produces no IR or UV radiation, so it will not affect dyes, paintings, fabrics or harm the eyes, making it ideal for use in museums, medical offices and commercial applications. It also runs cool, making it a safer option for homes, and offices.

LED lights are also far safer for the environment than compact fluorescent lamps. All fluorescent lamps contain mercury, with enough mercury in a single compact fluorescent light bulb to contaminate 7,000 gallons of fresh water. Simply breaking one fluorescent light in your home could release enough mercury to pose a health hazard.

The new generation of LED lights far exceed the luminosity of the first-generation LED lights previously available. The new LED lights are bright enough to replace incandescent lights in directional lighting applications with much less environmental impact, and would be a boon to anyone using off-grid, renewable electricity generation as well as those simply looking to reduce their bills or their carbon footprint.

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