The Case for LEDs--Are They Ready?

The Holland Tunnel plans to retrofit their lamps with Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), which use 90 percent LESS electricity than CFLs, but DO THEY WORK?

Let's hope so.

"December 13, 2007 -- AP -- The Holland Tunnel has gone green. Crews overnight replaced fluorescent lights with light-emitting diode units. The LEDs distribute light more efficiently, require less energy and last 15 years, compared to 1.4 years for fluorescent. More than 1,700 LED fixtures replaced some 4,000 fluorescent ones in the tunnel. Port Authority officials say they'll save $340,000 each year in energy and maintenance costs. The George Washington Bridge's "necklace" of 156 mercury vapor fixtures are to be replaced with LEDs in January."

Some argue that they technology exists, but it is not yet available in Connecticut due to those with financial interests in keeping our current energy supply in tact keeping the lid screwed down tight on the technology.

Others claim that LEDs are in fact available, but they don't work.

The point here is that no matter how the cookie crumbles, we need LED technology if we're going to satisfy our energy needs with clean and renewable sources like solar, wind and small hydro. If not, we risk the nuclear power industry using carbon emissions from fossil fuels as an excuse to open up lots of plants that threaten our survival on Earth.

Comments

[Gruppie Girl]

I'm really interested to hear how their LED lights work too.

From what I can tell, the quality of LED light varies wildly.

The strand of solar LED lights that I bought for an outdoor Chrstmas tree left me deflated. The lights were barely a twinkle (maybe the fault of the solar) and the lights appeared blue instead of clear.

The lights on the Christmas tree in NYC were also solar LED lights and they shone beautifully.