Benefits of LEDs

While traditionally street lights have used high-intensity discharge (HID) lights, there is a now a strong push toward the use of LEDs. LED efficiency makes off-grid lighting a cost effective alternative, and used with Illumient’s Smart Off-Grid control technology, provides greater functionality and lighting profile options not previously possible.

LED benefits include:

  • significantly reduced energy consumption    
  • minimal lumen depreciation
  • longer lifetimes and better durability
  • better directionality
  • lighting control
  • better quality of light
One of the greatest benefits of LEDs is their lifetime - which can be 5 - 10x the average life of an HID bulb. This results in much lower maintenance costs for light owners and operators.

led vs hid lights

Lighting control and quality:

LEDs “instant-on” and dimming ability also enable greater control and energy savings vs HID lights. These capabilities mean that lights can be brightened and dimmed based on time of day and other parameters, and can be used with motion sensors, allowing lighting to be used only when needed. Typical outdoor lighting cannot be used with motion sensors or be dimmed. LEDs also provide better lighting as they emit directional light to illuminate more of what is needed (streets, pathways, etc) vs lighting up the night sky. LEDs have a much better color quality as well.

Lighting efficiency:

Higher system efficiency and slower lumen depreciation make LEDs far more efficient than HID sources. A 100 lumen/watt HID light may actually deliver as little as 60 lumens/watt, as much of the light is trapped or reflected back within the covering and after just 8,000 hours of use most HID lamps will lose about 20% of their lumens per watt while LEDs will still be operating at nearly 100%.