Question: What is LED Lighting?

Answer: The letters LED stand for light-emitting diode. The movement of electrons through a semiconductor material causes tiny light sources to become illuminated. A small amount of heat is released backwards, and according to the Energy Star website, well designed LED products are cool to touch.

LEDs belong to a family of lighting technologies called Solid-State lighting, and are the most commonly seen member of that family. Solid-State lighting (SSL)may potentially revolutionize lighting as we know it. By adopting LED lighting in the U.S. alone we can see major savings to the tune of billions of dollars and substantially reduce electricity demand.

Since LEDs do not scatter light and energy they are more light and energy efficient than incandescent and compact fluorescent light.

This is still a new technology and being developed. Developers are working to make the light brighter, as most LED lighting right now is more suited to task lighting and not particularly useful for general or ambient lighting. Often, a number of tiny LEDs are used in a single fixture to make it brighter.

Another off-putting feature as far as consumers are concerned is the cost. However, LEDs will last much longer than incandescents or even CFLs making them less costly in the long run.