The development of LEDs by OSRAM

22nd March 2011

Jason Hicklin, Marketing Manager (SSL) at OSRAM Ltd, looks at recent designs and developments in LEDs for general lighting applications:

 

LED lighting products take on a number of forms. From retrofit lamps that are direct replacements for incandescent lamps to modules and luminaires, there is a multitude of LED products available to suit any lighting need. Highlights from OSRAM's latest range include its LEDVANCE DOWNLIGHT luminaires and PARATHOM Classic A retrofit lamps. OSRAM introduced its LEDVANCE DOWNLIGHT range onto the UK market in September. Revolutionary and award-winning LED luminaires in this range are easy-to-install and offer energy-savings for sophisticated lighting designs. With LEDVANCE, OSRAM proves that LED solutions are a real alternative to conventional lighting technology for general illumination.

 

The attractive design of the luminaires within the LEDVANCE DOWNLIGHT range sets new standards in lighting design. Thanks to compact dimensions and simple installation, the design possibilities for lighting schemes are greatly expanded. Significantly, the LEDVANCE DOWNLIGHT range comes in a variety of sizes and wattages so that lighting can be flexibly adapted to any application while reducing energy costs by up to 70%.

 

Aside from luminaires, retrofit lamps are also being increasingly used. As incandescent lamps become a thing of the past thanks to EU legislation, OSRAM is ensuring that you do not have to look far for the perfect LED alternative. With lifetimes of up to 25,000 hours, 80% less energy consumption than traditional lamps and excellent light quality, OSRAM's new retrofit lamps are the perfect solution for any environment.

 

OSRAM's PARATHOM Classic A 60 is a fully dimmable lamp available in a warm white colour temperature. With an attractive design, it is a genuine replacement for a conventional 60W GLS lamp and consumes only 12W. It can be installed in any application where a conventional lamp is currently in use.

 

Retrofit lamps can provide energy savings of up to 80% compared with incandescent lamps (the latter now being phased out), while the LEDVANCE DOWNLIGHT luminaires reduce energy costs by up to 70%.

 

LED solutions are becoming more popular because of the energy efficiency that they offer along with their long lifetime, which reduces maintenance costs. This is particularly salient in hotel, leisure and industry applications where maintenance and energy bills are key cost factors.

 

Recent research on the UK LED market shows that key growth areas are predicted to be domestic, hotel and hospitality, and outdoor / street lighting applications.

 

The higher cost of LED solutions pays dividends because of the payback period. Take the LEDVANCE DOWNLIGHT luminaires - these come with a short payback period of 1.5 years, so users start reaping the benefits very quickly.

 

The LEDVANCE DOWNLIGHT luminaires prove that LED solutions are a real alternative to conventional technology for general illumination. DOWNLIGHT S replaces 20W halogen lamps while DOWNLIGHT M replaces 50W low voltage halogen lamps. DOWNLIGHT L replaces an 18W or a 26W compact fluorescent lamp and is a suitable alternative for a number of 75W halogen applications with a high lighting requirement. Finally, DOWNLIGHT XL can replace 2 X 18W or 2 X 26W compact fluorescent downlights.

 

In addition, our PARATHOM retrofit lamps are suitable alternatives for incandescent GLS lamps for general illumination.

 

LED has gone from being something that was used for display lighting within electrical equipment such as remote controls to a highly efficient technology that can provide general illumination or be used for automotive lighting including headlights.

 

It wasn't until the mid-90s when white LEDs were developed that the possibility of using LEDs for general lighting could be considered. Since then, significant developments have been made in the efficacy of white LEDs which has led to LED solutions for general illumination being commercially available.

 

We can expect to see increasing efficiency - as LED solutions develop, they will require less energy to provide more light output and this will make them more prevalent across all applications. We will reach a tipping point where LED products will outsell conventional light sources. There are varying estimates about when this will happen with the most optimistic people saying this could happen as early as 2012, but LED sales will grow as the volume of LED products available on the market increases.

 

At the moment, 20% of OSRAM's global sales are attributed to LED technology and we expect this figure to grow over the coming years.

 

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