The dream of cheap abundant energy is coming to an end. The oil reserves have exceeded their maximum. The extraction of increasingly scarce resources is becoming more and more expensive. Also further global warming prohibits an increasing use of fossil fuels because it has a catastrophic impact on the climate. And after the disaster of Fukushima it has become clear that society is no longer willing to bear the risk that is associated with nuclear energy.

As long-term alternatives, only the use of renewable energy sources such as bio, solar and wind energy remains. Whereas for example the water power has long been used but can hardly be extended further, other renewable energy sources need to be developed. This cannot happen overnight. For example planning and implementation of a wind park as well as providing the necessary infrastructure for it will take many years.

“A “clean” energy source available in a short time, which is rather neglected in the present discussion, is the energy that is not even needed,” explains Manuel Zarauza, Managing Director of Seoul Semiconductor. “It really is the “cleanest” form of energy because it creates no harmful emissions and does not strain the existing infrastructure.”

And not only bulk consumers are required to make a contribution, each individual can contribute immediately to open up great potential. In addition to energy-efficient appliances, rechargeable batteries instead of conventional batteries and solar panels on the roof at home, this potential is inherent in lighting technology: the latest technology is LED retrofit. These are the real energy savers because they consume up to 50 percent less energy. Even so-called energy-saving lamps, which also contain problematic substances such as mercury, are not nearly as efficient as LEDs. Furthermore LEDs have a much longer life time and provide excellent, consistently high quality of light.

New technologies when first introduced are normally more expensive than conventional ones. It used to be the same with LEDs for lighting applications. However, the LED industry has been through the learning curve that leads to mass production of LEDs with a favorable price-performance ratio. Example: Seoul Semiconductor (SSC) is producing more than 1.2 billion / month of the LED-type 5630. This LED can be used in 70 percent of the conventional light bulbs used so far in applications.

If you take the operating duration and not only the acquisitions costs into consideration when doing the economic calculation, the unbeatable advantage of LED lighting is immediately obvious: For 30 €, the costs of an LED bulb, you can buy 30 conventional bulbs. They have a lifespan of 1,000 hours each, which makes 30,000 hours. In contrast, the LED light source doesn’t last less than 30,000 hours, but consumes during that time, 50 – 70 percent less electrical energy at the same light output.

Since energy is definitely not getting any cheaper in the 30,000 hours, it certainly saves a lot of money. Thus LEDs protect your wallet but also the environment.

Bright minds are economical – Better Be Bright!