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Will LED lights be a bright choice?

They Last Up To 10 Years, Save Energy, No Toxic Concerns

Jayashree Nandi | TNN 
 

Bangalore: It’s like one of the many thousands of street lamps on the Richmond Road flyover. But not many know that this lamp — an LED — is not only brighter, but saves massive energy. 
    While it is true that CFL (Compact Fluoroscent Lamps) have picked up in the market and energy-wasting incandescent lamps are on their way out, the mercury content in CFLs and the disposal concerns related to it are the inhibiting factors. LEDs (light emitting diodes) are the technology of the future, but they have a long way to go as the prices are twice as that of CFLs. 
    And resident welfare associations (RWAs) are exploring their potential. The ‘FORWARD 150’, RWA of ward no. 150, Bellandur, has installed two LED street lamps off Sarjapur main road. An RWA in Whitefield is also planning to install it to see its potential. 
    LEDs are semiconductorbased devices that operate with no more than 30-60 milliwatts [mW] of electrical power. Though still in the research stage, LEDs are now being used in the industrial indoor lighting and in very few outdoor lighting set-ups. 
    There are seven to eight LED manufacturing companies in the market currently. Vignani Solutions, a Bangalore-based company, has offered these street lamps to be tested in Sarjapur road and in Whitefield. 
    “There are three reasons why this technology will take off soon: it lasts up to 10 years, it consumes 60% less energy than CFLs and has no concern of toxic elements like mercury as in CFLs. But there is yet no standard prescribed for LED lighting in India. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is in the process of setting the specifications and standards. 
TOWERING COSTS 
The costs are almost twice as much as that of CFLs. For instance, each streetlight can cost up to Rs 10,000. Bulbs that can be used for domestic purposes are in the process of being evolved. 
    The LED light is unidirectional. It falls straight downward and that is why doesn’t have the associated problems of glare, over-illumination and wastage of energy. 
RWAs KEEN ON TACKLING ‘LIGHT POLLUTION’ 
“Sodium vapour lamps are a major cause for light pollution. There is a lot of unwanted light and it does not help in any way because not enough light falls on the road. We got this lamp installed because we wanted to prove that there are energy-saving options,” said FORWARD 150 (RWA) member Ramesh Sivaram. 
    Asked about what happens when the lamp expires, he said: “It will last for 10 years. By then a new technology might enter the market.” 
iGate LIGHTS UP WITH LEDs 
With the trend of IT companies going the green way and targeting for carbon neutrality, iGate Global Solutions is one of the first few companies to switch to LEDs. Its Bangalore facility at Whitefield has 98% LED lights. 
    The investment has been quite high (5% of the total project cost on greening initiatives), but they are more keen on enjoying the returns on investment (ROI). 
    “Lighting consumes 15% of our energy and LEDs consume 60% less. So we are saving almost 9% on our total electricity bills. The lights are maintenance-free and we do not need to worry about them for 10 years,” said Ravi B, senior group manager, administration. 
    There are 900 big LED lights and 1,800 small LEDs. There is also a 20 KW solar panel that powers these LEDs. Installations like these are there in Korea and Japan. 
    toiblr.reporter@timesgroup.com 

 

BRIGHT IDEA: LED lights in use at Vignan Solutions