Royal Philips Electronics announces a new innovation in LED lighting, creating the world’s most energy-efficient LED lamp suitable for general lighting applications. Philips researchers developed a tube lighting replacement TLED prototype that produces a record 200 lumens per watt of high-quality white light (compared with 100lm/W for fluorescent lighting and just 15lm/W for traditional light bulbs). This prototype TLED lamp is twice as efficient as predecessor lamps, basically halving the energy used.
With lighting accounting for more than 19% of the world’s total electricity consumption, this innovation promises to drive massive energy and cost savings across the globe. The 200lm/W TLED lamp is expected to hit the market in 2015 for office and industry applications before ultimately being used in the home.
The new TLED prototype lamp from Philips marks the first time that lighting engineers have been able to reach 200lm/W efficiency without compromising on light quality, with all parameters required to meet the stringent requirements for office lighting. “This again is a major breakthrough in LED lighting and will further drive the transformation of the lighting industry,” explains Rene van Schooten, CEO Light Sources & Electronics for Philips Lighting. “After being recognized for our quality of LED light (mimicking traditional light bulbs) to creating new experience with Philips Hue (the connected light system for the home), we now present the next innovative step in doubling lighting efficiency. It’s exciting to imagine the massive energy and cost savings it will bring to our planet and customers.”
Significant energy and cost savings
The TLED lamps are intended to replace fluorescent tube lighting used in office and industry, which currently account for more than half of the world’s total lighting. Conversion to the twice-as-efficient 200lm/W TLED lamps will generate significant energy and cost savings.
In the US alone, for example, fluorescent lights consume around 200 terawatts-hours of electricity annually. If these lights were all replaced with 200lm/W TLEDs, the US would use around 100 terawatts-hours less energy (equivalent to 50 medium sized power plants) saving more than US$12 billion and preventing around 60 million metric tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere.
