Greentech Lead U.S: LED light — which is
celebrating the 50th anniversary this year — is transforming the lighting
industry, especially the street lighting industry. Pike Research now predicts
that unit shipments of LED lamps for street lights will rise from fewer than 3
million in 2012 to more than 17 million in 2020.
In addition to the gaining popularity of energy-efficient
LEDs, the market for street lighting is also influenced by the advent of
networked systems for central monitoring and control is enabling a range of
intelligent management and energy savings options, the report “Smart Street
Lighting” said.
“LED lamps allow for better dimming control than standard
street lights, and their electronics allow for easy integration of control
nodes,” said senior research analyst Eric Woods. “Rising sales of LED lamps
will therefore drive up the adoption of smart street lighting systems, which
promise to bring new levels of control and efficiency to the illumination of
our cities, communities, highways, and public spaces.”
However, nearly all smart street lighting projects are
still in a pilot phase, with only a handful of large-scale installations in
place to date. LED street lights currently cost roughly four times as much as
their high pressure sodium counterparts, placing them out of reach for many
cash-strapped municipalities.
The financial case for networked control systems can be
even more difficult, according to the report. For this reason smart systems are
being installed primarily to reduce maintenance costs, improve monitoring, and
enhance public safety, rather than energy savings alone.
Promptec, a producer of LED lighting solutions, recently
told Greentech Lead that new technologies are being developed to improve energy
efficiency and lifespan of LEDs. Some of the key innovations are significant
improvements in Lumens/watt in LED over last 2 years. One of the most important
challenges facing LED lighting industry is thermal management and the need for
good quality electronic drivers.