Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) were invented in the 1920s, and for decades their only use was to emit a warm red glow to remind you that you left your stereo on. That was then, this is now.

Lighting is responsible for over 20% of world electricity consumption, most of which is consumed in non-domestic, or non-residential, applications. Investors and futurists love to chat about solar, wind, and bio-fuels for energy generation. Energy efficiency gets a lot less attention, but the potential for savings is significant. Wholesale adoption of LED lighting could cut world electricity consumption by 10%. That number may not seem huge, but when taken on the whole, it represents a massive potential savings.

LEDs are highly suited for a wide range of commercial uses and environments, and it’s not just their energy saving potential that makes them attractive. Maintenance is expensive, can be dangerous and causes downtime. All other energy efficient light sources don’t last long — they’re too fragile to withstand shock and vibration, and they don’t like being switched on and off either. One of the main downfalls of traditional lighting sources is the need to manage and dissipate energy in the form of useless wasted heat. LEDs are inherently safe due to their low voltage operation and ultra-low heat creation, so they’re highly suited to hazardous environments. Long lifetime can mean significant savings on replacement light fixtures. It also means we don’t have to manufacture the same volume of fixtures, so we’re saving more energy and Carbon Dioxide emissions.

Decades ago, LEDs were red and red only. It turns out that was the easiest color to produce, because of its position in the light spectrum. Since then, almost every color of the rainbow can be made. This factor alone makes the LED a very cost-effective and flexible solution for many applications traditionally filled by inefficient and costly incandescent bulbs and clunky fixtures. Who would have thought ten years ago that we would have traffic lights made from LEDs? How about home and kitchen lighting, Christmas lights, billboards, watches, phones, computer screens, automobile signal systems, and specialized industrial lighting installations?

More and more applications for LED lighting continue to drive down the cost of manufacturing them. Their long life is the result of a low voltage and low heat method of construction. As these construction technologies continue to advance, the LED will thrive as a viable and vibrant alternative to traditional lighting sources long into the future.