- 28 April 2006 -

LED prototype achieves 15% of the power of standard 65 W incandescent lamp

Morrisville, NC, USA, based LED Lighting Fixtures, Inc. (LLF) proudly announced that an independent third-party's testing confirms that LLF's recessed luminaire has an efficacy of 73 lumens per watt. It describes this as "a staggering gain in efficacy of 35% over test results of its predecessor just two short months ago". This is important because it paves the way for wider acceptance of LED technology in the lighting market worth some $12 bn annually. LLF used LEDs supplied by Cree, Inc.

In recent testing conducted at CSA International's Lighting Laboratory in Atlanta, LLF's fixtures continuously produced more than 700 lumens using less than 10 W from a wall-plug AC source. This result was significantly higher than the company's 54 lumens per watt achieved in February. Colour temperature was measured at 3200 K, with a colour rendering index of 92. LLF's proprietary white light technology allows for a wide range of desired colour temperatures.

"Our results were documented by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory using stringent scientific standards," said LLF CTO Gerry Negley. "The tests were conducted using a six-inch recessed fixture and the light source was measured with an integrating sphere after reaching thermal equilibrium. Because our fixtures use less then 10 watts they are completely cool to the touch."

LLF's latest prototype fixture operates using less than 15% of the power of standard 65 W incandescent bulbs and 50% of the power of compact fluorescent bulbs, while delivering equivalent warm white light as measured in lumens. The company's LED fixtures produce virtually no heat and can provide 50,000 hours of light, as compared to the average 2,000 hours provided by conventional 65 W bulbs.

Homeowners accustomed to replacing burned-out bulbs every few months will be delighted to learn that LED lights can function for 20 years under normal usage of five to six hours per day, it said.

Negley adds that, "LLF's technological advances shatter conventional thinking regarding the projected timeline and quality of light offered by LEDs for general lighting applications, and represent a radical improvement in the cumulative environmental and economic impact of traditional lighting. In fact, our results far exceed the 2010 objectives set by the US Department of Energy. This revolutionary 'reinvention' of light could have global implications for decades to come."

LLF is committed to enlisting strategic partners who embrace the vision that LEDs provide consumers and the nation with viable solutions to combat our energy crisis. The company is working diligently to accelerate production and distribution of this product by the end of the year for new and retrofit markets.

"I've had the opportunity to help build a few substantial businesses in my lifetime," said Neal Hunter, the company's chairman and CEO.

"However, the greatest obligation lies before me in helping the LLF team deploy this technology to the world."

The LED approach has several other advantages, unlike fluorescent lights, LEDs contain no mercury or other toxic substances and present no risks in handling or disposal. Conversion of household lighting to LED sources will significantly reduce the number of discarded light bulbs in the waste stream. Additionally, standard 65-watt incandescent bulbs found in typical recessed lights generate dangerous levels of heat and force air-conditioning systems to work much harder to cool the home or business.

According to the US Government-sponsored ENERGY STAR program, if every American household installed energy-efficient bulbs in five of their most frequently used light fixtures, the resulting drop in energy consumption would keep more than one trillion pounds of greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere; equivalent to eliminating the air pollution caused by more than 8 m cars driving for an entire year.

"Our product provides comfort, convenience, safety, and savings, while contributing to the reduction in global energy consumption," said Hunter. "We believe we must deploy our technology on a rapid global basis to help relieve the pressures on our energy infrastructure."

Web: www.ledlightingfixtures.com