A proposal of the Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Energy Trust to set up a solid-state light emitting diode (LED) project deserves all encouragement.
LEDs can slash the quantum of power used for lighting to a tenth of the current consumption — an LED produces 10 times as much light per watt of electricity as a conventional incandescent lamp, and is at least twice as energy efficient as a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). And LEDs last for ages. But the high cost of LEDs is a major deterrent for their adoption — they cost 8-10 times as much as CFLs. However, large-scale adoption of LEDs would encourage manufacturers to set up massive capacity, and use economies of scale to drive down prices of these lighting products.
Adoption of highly energy efficient and durable lighting devices would require government intervention that is not limited to lower tax rates. Demonstration projects across 23 states for providing LEDs in villages or such projects for street lighting across 32 states/UTs by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency are baby-steps to popularise LEDs.
What is really required to precipitate cost-reducing scale in capacity creation is a massive programme by the Centre and the states to replace all existing luminaires in all government buildings across the country, and all street lighting in the 100 biggest towns, say, with appropriate LED arrays. The orders thrown up by such a programme would encourage leading LED manufacturers of the world to invest in the country directly or in participation with local pioneers like the ONGC Trust. Only a sharp fall in prices would make LEDs affordable for...........A concerted effort to replace existing lamps with LEDs and to populate all new rural homes getting connected to the grid for the first time with this super-efficient form of lighting would be taken as serious proof of India’s commitment to containing climate change. It could open up financing options as well, on this count. There is a strong case to move fast on LEDs.
Source: Economic Times.
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