The history of the LED

The abbreviation LED stands for light emitting diode . In Dutch this stands for light-emitting or light-emitting diode. A diode is a tiny electronic component of semiconductor material. Diodes emit light when a small amount of current is sent through. In the beginning, LEDs were mainly used as indicator lights on electronic devices. In 2000 a breakthrough came: LEDs were made with enormous clarity. By means of a lens, the small light was bundled into one large 'light beam'. From that moment on, the LED lamp gradually started to replace the light bulb.

Benefits of LED lighting

The use of LED lighting has many advantages. For example, LED lamps have a longer lifespan than any other type of light source. A LED lamp lasts no less than 20,000 to 40,000 hours. That is much longer than for example the traditional light bulb, which only burns about 1,000 hours. Low-energy light bulbs are also less expensive: they do about 8,000 to 15,000 hours. Furthermore, lamps with LED lighting are shockproof, because there is no vulnerable filament in them. In addition, LED lamps emit less heat, emit no CO2 and use much less energy. With a traditional incandescent bulb, 80% of the energy is lost, while that with a LED light is only 20%.

Does LED lighting have disadvantages?

Do LED lamps only have advantages? Actually. A frequently heard disadvantage of LED is that the light is quite cold. Nowadays, however, that is no longer the case, as LED lights with, for example, a warm white light color are now also available. So there is also just LED mood lighting! Another disadvantage is that LED lamps are quite pricey. That is the case indeed. However, if you compare that with the long lifespan, in practice you end up with about the same amount. So it is an investment for a long time!