LED lighting technology begins to target the marine sector

In 2010, LEDs accounted for 1% of the global lighting market; by 2020, this proportion has risen to 55%. This rapid growth has profoundly reshaped the industry and even contributed to what has long been known as the leading innovator in lighting. At some point in this decade, the entire global lighting market is expected to transition to LEDs, which will grow from about $60 billion in 2021 to about $135 billion in 2028.

The transition from incandescent light bulbs to LEDs has been driven by both policy changes and consumer demand. In the United States, for example, the Energy Independence and Security Act, passed in 2007, requires many household light bulbs to be 25 percent more efficient than incandescent bulbs. The EU and my country have also adopted similar policies.

These policy changes provide consumers with two choices: compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or LEDs. LEDs are more than 40% more energy efficient than CFLs, last 3-7 times longer, and as the price of LED bulbs drop, consumers are increasingly opting for them.

Shown here is the relative magnitude of the impact of different light sources on natural resources, air, soil and water over their lifetime. Compact fluorescent (red) and LED (green and violet) bulbs have far less impact than incandescent bulbs (blue).

Despite the relative ease of choice for consumers, many do not fully appreciate the positive environmental impact of adopting LED technology. In 2017, the information provider estimated that the adoption of LED lighting reduced global carbon dioxide emissions by more than 5 billion tons that year, or 1.5%. Life cycle assessments also show that LED technology reduces hazardous waste generation and risks to ecosystems and human health, and better protects air, soil and water quality than using incandescent or CFL light bulbs.

The future of studying the ocean lies in the development of low-cost vehicles, sensors and instruments. These tools will enable continuous monitoring of ocean processes and allow the wider global population to participate in ocean research and sustainable development efforts. LEDs can be used not only for underwater lighting but also for transmitting data through water, and they are poised to play a major role in this vision of the future.