LED LIGHTING vs. INDUCTION LIGHTING
Written By: Travis Abeyta ~ May 20, 2010
ADG ECO Lighting Products ~ Environmental Scientist
Introduction
When comparing LED lighting systems to ADG ECO Induction Lighting systems, mercury use is not a sufficient indicator of either technology’s true environmental impact. Actually, lifespan and energy usage, both of which equate to materials consumed, carbon emissions, and total cost of ownership, are the best gauges of sustainability. This paper is a review of technologies. ADG Eco lighting products has the distinct advantage to be a fixture manufacturer and therefore able to review multiple fixture variations and not just technology promotion. Let’s first explore mercury usage in current lighting technologies.
Mercury Explained
Nearly every kind of modern lighting source depends on the use of mercury inside the lamp for operation. When assessing the true environmental impact of mercury use in lighting, we must take into consideration:
1. The type of mercury (liquid or solid-state) which is present in the lamps
2. The amount of mercury present in a particular type of lamp
3. The lifespan of the lamp which determines the amount of mercury used during operation
Liquid-State Mercury
Liquid-state mercury, which is the most common form of mercury used in HID and fluorescent lighting, represents the greatest environmental hazard. If these types of lights are broken, the liquid mercury can find its way into cracks in concrete, asphalt, or into spaces in other floor coverings. This can cause local contamination. This is the type of mercury used in such lights as metal halides, mercury vapors, compact fluorescents, and T12, T8, and T5 fluorescents.
Solid-State Mercury
A tiny solid-state mercury amalgam is used in ADG ECO Induction Lights. In this form the mercury is compounded with other metals, similar to the amalgam once widely used in dental fillings. It will not release toxic mercury vapor when exposed to room temperature and poses no threat of contamination. To further ensure safety, the amalgam in the induction lamp is contained in an internal protective glass arm that keeps it encapsulated in case of accidental lamp breakage. This makes the recovery and recycling of the mercury amalgam an extremely simple and safe process. In fact, it becomes a non-issue if you plan on installing T5, T8, or T12 fluorescents on your property. The EPA reports that the liquid form of mercury from just one metal halide, T5, T8, or T12 fluorescent can pollute up to 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe drinking levels.
Induction Lighting Mercury Consumption
Additionally, ADG ECO Induction Lamps use the least amount of mercury of any mercury-based lamp technology, when considered based on both initial quantity and amount used over the lamp’s life. Remember that induction lamps use solid not liquid-state mercury. The figure below compares the amount of mercury used per 20,000 hours of operation in induction lamps and other lighting technologies. As you can see, induction lamps use the least amount of mercury at a mere 1.3 micrograms.
Bulb Lifespan
At an unprecedented 100,000 maintenance-free hours, ADG ECO Induction Lights have the longest lifespan of any available commercial/industrial lighting source. They outlive the 50,000-hour LED by 40-50%. Furthermore, as induction lights reach end of life they experience only a gradual decline in lumen depreciation, which provides for a more consistent and predictable illumination over a longer period of time. In contrast, the lumen depreciation of LEDs is drastic at end-of-life, greatly reducing the time available to replace aging lights and meet minimum light requirements.
Use of Chemicals & Resources
Although LED lights may not use mercury, the manufacturing process of their semiconductors uses highly toxic chemicals such as lead and arsenic. This can cause local contamination of the manufacturing or disposal site. LEDs are also constructed using significant amounts of petroleum-based plastics for circuit boards. However, more importantly, their only 50,000-hour lifespan requires that two complete LED fixtures be manufactured for every one induction light fixture. Taking this one step further, the bulbs and ballasts in ADG ECO Induction Light fixtures can simply be removed and replaced rather than forcing the installation of an entirely new fixture. The use of LED lights adds to both project costs and the consumption of additional resources, materials, and energy.
Maintainability
LEDs have a maintainability issue in that the explosion of unregulated LED manufacturers, name brand and independents have unfortunately led to no product standardization for the industry. Currently, LED buyers are left questioning whether the manufacturer will offer matching spare parts and consistency of product runs batch to batch when systems begin to fail or will entire systems need to be replaced?
Power Fluctuations & Heat Induced Failure
LEDs are a current driven technology where brightness is proportional to the current applied. If too much current is sent to the device, the sensitive junction on the wire bond will be destroyed and the LED will fail. Furthermore, if an LED’s integrated chip fails before the diode or if it is not constructed with a decent high temperature IC or heat dissipation device, the LED can fail after only 10,000 hours. Worst of all, manufacturers of high output “white” LEDs are hiding a dark secret – crank up the current or experience a power spike and their efficiencies plummet. This is known as droop and it is threatening the future of the LED industry. Droop can be avoided on properties or areas with power fluctuations and surges by purchasing and installing additional soft start circuits. In contrast, ADG ECO Induction Lights are a voltage driven technology where there is no significant effect (visual or measurable) on performance due to voltage fluctuations. Furthermore, they are constructed with high frequency generators that have built-in preconditioners that will maintain a well-stabilized and regulated internal supply even in power fluctuations of +/- 20 volts.
End-of-Life Replacement Costs
When an LED reaches its end-of-life, usually the entire fixture has to be replaced due to the custom heat sinks required for thermal management of the array of LED elements. Contact with the LED’s fixture is necessary for heat dissipation. In contrast, ADG ECO Induction bulbs are manufactured with mature glass molding and coating technology and are mounted with screws that attach the inductors to the fixture. This allows them to be easily removed from the interior of the fixture and replaced if damaged or at end-of-life. Instead of purchasing a new fixture, you will only need a replacement bulb and ballast.
Product Warranty
ADG ECO Lighting Products offers a comprehensive 10-year warranty on product and replacement labor for our lighting technologies compared to LED’s 5-year warranty. To illustrate this point take a look at the table below. Ten years out you will have replaced 113 of your LED fixtures. Furthermore, 10 years at 12 hours per day of burn time equals 43,800 total hours, which is close to the 50,000-hour lifespan of LED lights. Therefore, approximately 11½ years out you will have replaced all 226 LED fixtures. In contrast, in year 10 you will have replaced zero induction fixtures or bulbs and look forward to 12 more years of superior illumination and operational cost savings.
Warranty & Replacement Cost Analysis
Number of Lights 226 **Assumes an Annual Failure Rate of 10% for LEDs after 5 Year Warranty Period**
ADG ECO Warranty 10 Years
LED Warranty 5 Years
Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Totals
ADG ECO $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
LED $20,340 $20,340 $20,340 $20,340 $20,340 $101,700
Manufacturer Accessibility
ADG ECO Lighting Products manufactures their induction lighting fixtures in America, specifically in Chatsworth, CA. Not only does this reduce carbon emissions associated with shipping and outsourcing, but it also can contribute additional LEED points to your project and supports the local economy. ADG ECO Lighting Product’s solution based manufacturing allows direct contact between ADG ECO’s factory and designers and property ownership and management.
System Recyclability
The recycling process for induction lights requires far less energy and raw materials than other lighting technologies, such as LEDs. The glass arm containing the small mercury amalgam is safely detached and the metal inductors are removed, leaving a glass envelope free of metal or throughput wires. All of these parts are then easily and cheaply recycled. To further simplify this process, ADG ECO Lighting Products offers recycling services for both your old and new lighting systems at a minimal cost.
Investment Opportunities for Other Sustainable Technologies
The greater energy savings, longer lifespan, lower initial cost, shorter payback period, and higher ROI of ADG ECO Induction Lighting over LED lighting will significantly reduce operating costs. This allows for the cost-effective integration of additional sustainable technologies, such as photovoltaic systems.
Total Cost of Ownership
Total Cost of Ownership takes into account the cost of initial purchase, the cost of energy to operate the fixture, and the maintenance/replacement costs associated with failure rates and expired product warranty. As shown in the following table, induction lighting prevails in each category, proving that it has a lower total cost of ownership and environmental impact.
Total Cost of Ownership Comparison – LED and Induction Lighting Fixtures
Product Details 150W LED 150W Induction Notes
Lifespan (Hours) 55,000 100,000
Analysis Period (Years) 10 43,800 Hrs of Operation (12 hrs/day)
Fixture Efficiency (Lumens/Watt) 35-70 68-90
Fixture Output (Lumens) 6,490 7,797
CRI 64-84 85-90
Per Fixture Power Consumption (W) 168 155 Includes Generator/Power Supply
Per Fixture Power Consumption (kWh) 0.168 0.155
Total Number of Lights Retrofitted 226
Total Power Used Over 10 Years (kWh) 1,662,998 1,534,314
Total Cost of Power Over 10 Years $191,245 $176,446 Electricity rate of $.115/kWh
Carbon Emissions over 10 Years (Lbs) 1,579,848 1,457,598 Based on 0.95 Lbs/kWh
Cost of Initial Purchase $203,400 $146,900 Does not Include Taxes, Shipping Costs, or Tax Rebates/Incentives
Product Warranty (Years) 5 10 LED Warranty Exceeded by Analysis Period
Warranty & Replacement Costs $101,700 $0 See Section on Product Warranty for Details
Total Cost of Ownership Over 10 Years $496,345 $323,346 Difference of $172,999
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many distinct advantages of ADG ECO Induction Lighting systems over LED lighting systems. It has been shown that mercury use is not a sufficient indicator of induction lighting’s true environmental impact. Induction lights have been proven to outperform LED lights in: efficiency, lifespan, use of chemicals and resources, maintainability, power fluctuations and heat induced failure, end-of-life replacement costs, product warranty, manufacturer accessibility, system ‘recyclability’, investment opportunities for other sustainable technologies, total cost of ownership, ROI, and payback period. All things considered, ADG ECO Induction Lighting systems are undoubtedly the most economic and ecologic lighting technology available for commercial, industrial, and federal properties.
Works Consulted
1. Affordable Energy Efficient Solutions. (2009). Induction Lighting Better Than LEDs.
2. Goodman, P., and P. Lumileds. (2009). Avoiding Current Spikes with LEDs.
3. Lighting Design Lab. (2010). Disadvantages of LED Lighting.
4. Roberts, L. Michael. (2010). Magnetic Induction Lights vs. LED Lights. Indulux Technologies Inc.
5. Roberts, L. Michael. (2010). Environmental Aspects of Magnetic Induction Lamps. Indulux Technologies Inc.
About the Author
Travis Abeyta is an Evironmental Scientist and Energy Efficiency Liaison for the emerging companies at ADG ECO Lighting Products and sits on the Advisory Board for ADG ECO & Energy Advisement Group. He is also a Co-Founder, Executive Committee Member, and Webmaster for the San Fernando Valley Green Building Task Force.
His emphasis on objective analysis, multi-industry collaboration, environmental stewardship, and honest communication, has driven many innovative energy efficiency measures and sustainable lighting technological advancements in Southern California.
Other Reading Material Available with works from Our Advisory Board
http://www.adgwebnet.com/greenwordpress
Looking Green Magazine; No Screwing for 25 Years
San Fernando Valley Business Journal; Green Technology