After decades of development, LED light source can send out high-brightness white light. The laboratory records for luminous efficiency reached up to 130lm/W, far exceeding the original 100lm/W. No matter in which way, G24 LED lighting technology is dramatically improved. High-powered white-ray LED lighting products have been widely used in general lighting applications, including LED roadway lighting applications. Compared with traditional road lamps, LED road lamps are more energy-saving and environmental friendly. However, as a new industry, LED roadway lighting still has many shortages. Service life and light attenuation are two main problems for high-powered white-ray LED road lamps.
To address this issue, Mr. Chunhai Wu, the technical director of the Shenzhen Lighting Environment Management Center suggested real conditions of 63 pieces LED street lights from 27 LED manufacturers in Shenzhen. From March 18th, 2009 to March 5th, 2011, in the case of normal daily using (normal switch on/off), there were 17 pieces lamps failed after two years, accounting for 27% of the total testing samples and 11 makers involved. Mr. Wu summarized: LED road lights’ aging tests should be performed on the ground (in factories, on production lines), and lighting attenuation tests should be finished in labs. LED road lamps are still weaker than traditional road lamps in stability. Certainly, different products from different manufacturers also have different qualities.
Mr. Haicong Zhang, chairman of the Shanghai Illuminating Engineering Society also affirmed the developing trend of LED roadway lighting industry. More advanced LED general lighting products have emerged in the lighting market in recent years. Through continuous improvement, these products are mature and stable. But LED road lighting products are still in the stage of immature.
According to Professor Lin Yandan from Lamps and Lighting Source Engineering Department of University of Fudan, LED road lights still have many advantages compared with high pressure sodium lamps. Intelligent control is their biggest advantages instead of energy saving. In order to satisfy large-scale applications, it is necessary to consider issues such as cost, reliability. If these problems are solved, LED street lighting industry will have a broader future.
With the continuous development of LED industry, LED street light industry will move toward the direction of specialization. The manufacture of LED lamps needs modularization. And also the modularization needs standardization.