Top 5 Myths About The LED Streetlight

Time：2016-04-29　Views：2422　Compile：SUNPER

The rate at which technology is changing currently is very high almost in all fields especially in LED lighting technology. These changes have given rise to retrofit revolution of the LEDs. Municipalities are preferring to switch to LED lighting from their older street lighting across the entire world. The main reason for this is because of the benefits associated with the LEDs such as being energy efficient. However, the most unfortunate thing is that these changes have also led to wrong information about the LED products, dark skies as well as safety and environment. Below are the top 5 most popular myths concerning the LED streetlight products.

1. By using the LEDs, light pollution is reduced and LEDs are good for the dark skies as they are energy efficient.

It is true that the LEDs are more energy efficient. This fact can ironically lead to more light since cities usually spend money saved to buy more lighting. When this happens more often, there comes a tendency to use more than required. This is according to the Jevons Paradox law in economics that if the price of a product goes down, we tend to use more. Majority usually assume that gains will lower consumption of resources and ignore the possibility of the Jevons paradox occurring. The retrofit revolution is susceptible to this paradox since demand for lighting across the globe is increasing day by day. Cities are also lighting at higher levels since it is cheaper.

2. LED lighting products reduce light pollution since it is easier to control when you want the light to land on the target.

It is true that LEDs are better at confining light to the ground and thus it does not go into the sky. Unfortunately, this may lead to more glare and this may put pedestrians and drivers at risk. Most of the LED lighting do a little to exactly control the shape of the light output. Currently, the brightness of the surface of the white LEDs is 1/30 the brightness of the sun. Surface brightness does not scale as per the viewer’s distance from the source.

The reason why this myth is not true is because short-wavelength light do scatter a lot through the atmosphere compared to the long-wavelength light. According to research, replacing the older technologies with the white LED makes sky-glow to be worse.

3. LED streetlight increases traffic safety.

There is no rigid evidence for this. Some people have argued that the vivid colors provided by the white LEDs increases traffic safety in one way or the other, though this has not been shown how it works. A certain unpublished study suggests that lighting researcher as well as designer have showed the color of that the light might be a considerable factor in the ability to see objects moving at night, but no one knows how the color affects the actual traffic safety.

4. LED lights improve security by not encouraging crime.

Just like in the third myth, on one knows how this happens for sure. Research is mostly focused on brightness of the light but not its colors and other features. LEDs also have the potential to decrease safety since they create greater contrasts, which increases the harsh shadows. Thus, the LEDs have the potential to be detrimental to security despite of its color.

5. Energy savings from LEDs means lower carbon footprint, which is good for environment.

This depends on how light is being used. The individual LED lights produce usually produce more light yet electricity consumption is lesser compared to most other lighting technologies. This is not even the case. Carbon is obtained if the amount of light used is kept constant. Unfortunately, this does not happen as explained by the Jevons paradox. If this paradox is correct, the world may demand more light since the price of producing it has decreased. This happens for both the cost of the fixtures as well as the electricity. Another issue is that the dollar and carbon cost of producing LED lighting as well as the potential environmental concerns when lighting has become obsolete. Just the same way we are worried about the CFL light bulbs disposal and mercury contamination, the same thing will happen to LEDs.

The last point on this myth is that for us to have a better environment, we should consider the effects of the LEDs on plants, human health and animals. LED technology has capacity to reduce light pollution if only it is done in the right way. If not, it can make things worse.