20+ Benefits of LED Lighting

LEDs are the future of lighting, indoors and out. Everything points to LED in terms of cost, impact on the environment and long-term use. The US Department of Energy says that well-made LED products can use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last 25 times longer. Statistics like these are always being thrown around, but what do they really mean? Here are 23 good things about LED lighting that should answer your questions.

1. The quality of light from LEDs is better

When LED lighting first came out, people worried about the quality of the light compared with more traditional options. It took many years for LEDs, using a mix of different coloured chips, to be able to make clear white light — but today's lighting technologies use LEDs to make light that is just as good or better.

2. LEDs waste far less energy as heat

LED lights use energy much more efficiently than incandescent bulbs, which waste up to 90% of their energy as heat. This means they are safer and cheaper to run.

3. LEDs shine in one direction

LEDs are directional, so the light they give off is aimed where it is wanted. Some traditional light sources make it hard to control where the light goes, so reflectors and diffusers are needed to direct it. Because LEDs are so small, that need is reduced or disappears altogether.

4. LEDs last longer than other kinds of light

LEDs can last up to 25 times longer than more traditional lighting. That means you spend much less on repairs and replacements.

5. LEDs provide modular lighting solutions

Modular LED lighting lets you make the lighting fit your needs, so you can save energy and make your lights last longer.

6. LEDs are safer

Because they produce less heat and run at lower temperatures, LED lights carry a much lower risk of starting a fire than conventional lighting. That makes LEDs safer to use in domestic and industrial settings, as well as outdoors.

7. LEDs don't use mercury

LED bulbs do not contain mercury, unlike compact fluorescent bulbs. This means they have a much smaller effect on the environment and are easier to dispose of. As LED technology improves, the environmental benefits of LED over fluorescent will only keep growing.

8. LEDs emit no ultraviolet radiation

The absence of UV radiation is another advantage of LED lighting. It is ideal for sensitive environments such as museums and galleries, since it emits no harmful ultraviolet light.

9. LEDs are easy to install

Because LED lights use so much less energy than other kinds of light, a single circuit can run many more fittings without being overloaded. For example, you can run up to 25 strings of LED Christmas lights from the same socket without blowing a fuse.

10. LEDs stand up to the weather

Part of the reason LED lights last so much longer is that they handle the weather better. Their lenses are made of epoxy rather than glass, which makes them much less likely to break.

11. LEDs save energy

Because LED lights don't let heat go to waste the way incandescent bulbs do, they use six to seven times less energy. Studies have suggested that LED lighting could cut the energy used for lighting in the US by 50% and save the country $250 billion in energy costs.

12. Running LEDs costs less money

Using less energy also means LEDs cost less to run. Up to 90% of the energy used by an incandescent bulb is turned into heat — so 90% of what you pay for doesn't even help you see. LED lights give off very little heat, and your electricity bills are lower as a result.

13. LEDs are easier to dispose of

Because they contain a small amount of mercury, compact fluorescent lamps can be hard to dispose of. You still need to take care when disposing of LED lights, but it is much less of a problem now that LEDs last so long.

14. LEDs are available in many designs

People used to say that LEDs were ugly, or didn't offer enough options for architects and designers to live with. Those days are long gone. LED fixtures are now made to look good in industrial, commercial and residential settings.

15. LEDs can be added to existing fixtures

Some people think that switching to LED lighting means putting in all-new fixtures. With today's LED technology that is no longer true. LED lights can be added to fixtures that are already in place, which makes the cost of installing them much lower.

16. The price of LEDs keeps going down

Between 2011 and 2012 the price of an LED bulb giving the same light as a 60-watt bulb dropped by almost 40%, and LEDs keep getting cheaper every year. It is expected that by 2030 LEDs will be cheap enough to make up 75% of all lighting sales.

17. LEDs reduce carbon emissions

Because LED lights use so little energy, they cut carbon emissions substantially. If everyone in the US switched to LED lighting over the next 20 years, it could save about 1.8 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide.

18. LEDs turn on and off immediately

Traditional lighting can take time to warm up, which means the light you see when you first switch it on isn't the full output. With LEDs, what you see is what you get — there is no waiting for the light to brighten.

19. LEDs come in many colours

It took decades for LEDs to be able to produce white light. Today white is the most common colour, but LEDs are also available in other colours such as red, blue and green.

20. LEDs can operate in hot and cold conditions

Because LEDs don't release their energy as heat, they are better able to work in very hot conditions. They also don't dim in cold weather the way fluorescent lights do, which makes them a great choice for outdoor lighting in winter, walk-in freezers and similar places.

21. LEDs work well both indoors and outdoors

LED lights suit a wide range of indoor and outdoor uses because they use less energy and cost less to run than other types of light. In recent years they have proved their worth in settings from shopping centres and schools to roads and car parks.

22. Solar power and LED lighting work well together

Because LED lighting uses so little energy, solar power is a good way to run LEDs outdoors. Traditional light sources can be hard to power from solar energy, but LEDs usually need so little that the output of a solar panel is enough.

23. LED lighting keeps improving

The last good thing about LED lighting is that it is always getting better. Every day the LED industry finds new ways to make it better, cheaper and more environmentally friendly.