As we all know, the great energy alternative that came in to replace traditional light bulbs was the LED. LED bulbs are very energy efficient, but maintain the look and feel of an incandescent bulb.
And technically, LED bulbs are not light bulbs: LED stands for “light emitting diode”. They are tiny semiconductors (diodes) wrapped in plastic to protect the elements and focus the luz.
When we talk about a “traditional light bulb,” we mean an incandescent light bulb, the type that has been around since Thomas Edison patented his invention in 1879. These bulbs They have filaments that glow, producing heat and light when energy flows through them.
LED lights, on the other hand, have electrons flowing to create photons: light that we can see. Photons generate almost no heat. LED lights also require much less energy to create the same amount of brightness as incandescent lights and last much longer.
LED bulbs use 75% less energy than traditional lighting. At low power levels, the difference is even greater. However, today we are not here to talk about the advantages of LED compared to lightning traditional.
Today’s topic focuses on how the LED boom has caused us all to go crazy and completely change the lighting in our homes, companies and all types of establishments, but really We are only increasing consumption.
Despite LED efficiency, we may not be saving as much as we thought
According to data consultancy IHS Markit, LED lights use much less energy per lumen produced. LED lighting uses an average of 40% less energy than fluorescent lamps, and 80% less than incandescent lamps to produce the same amount of light.
The big problem comes when we make the big change to this novelty and begin to illuminate our rooms, whatever they may be, with more light than we really need. Lighting is now more economical, but we are making exorbitant use of these new forms.
A study published in the journal Science Advances used photos from space to show that We are using more lighting than ever. The artificially illuminated surface of the Earth at night increases in luminosity and extent. Of course here, a picture is worth a thousand words.
“Although a central goal of the lighting revolution is decreasing energy consumption, the goal could be undermined by a rebound effect due to increased energy use in response to lower lighting costs.”they explain.
We may be fighting against air pollution, but we must now add a new opponent to this battle: light pollution. And of course, logically for manufacturers this is a bottomless pit of profits that they are not willing to give up.
To this we must add the “problem” of tolerance to play with the values of their products. To understand, tolerance in terms of measurement is the difference between the maximum and minimum dimensions of the errors that are allowed.
European light bulb tests allow a tolerance threshold of 10% (there may be a gap of up to 10% between what is indicated and reality)which means that a bulb rated at 600 lumens, a measurement of brightness, could actually be 540 lumens, although of course, they’re charging you more.
Indeed, we must also take into account the lifespan of the bulbs, since manufacturers promise more than 1,000 hours of use for incandescent bulbs, although there are some that have been in use for 120 years.
LED bulb manufacturers such as Philips guarantee their LED bulbs for 15,000 effective hours of use and 20,000 switching on. But not all manufacturers have the same guarantees.
In the writing of NoticiasVE We have seen how LED bulbs from other brands have burned out in our homes long before those 15,000 hours of use, so the supposed savings are called into question.
Another of the big problems that favors manufacturers and electrical companies
To all this, as if that were not enough, we must add that The only real winners from this boom are the manufacturers and power companies. On the one hand, manufacturers are interested in this new system, since instead of selling traditional light bulbs, they can now sell LED replacements inflated by excessive marketing, although their prices are no longer a problem.
On the other hand, power companies have a faulty infrastructure if we consider a maxed out power grid. It would cost them billions to renew the entire system, so they encourage companies and governments to spend their money on new LED lighting.
In short, LED lighting has its undeniable advantages. It is excellent for the environment and will reduce your carbon footprint, but financially speaking, a business is being generated behind it in which we always end up losing ordinary consumers, although we are not making mature use of this new way of lighting our homes and companies.
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Tags: Economy