If all of the world's light bulbs were replaced with energy-efficient LEDs for a period of 10 years, researchers at the US Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute claim, oil consumption would be cut by 962 million barrels, removing the need for 280 power stations, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 10 billion tons, and ultimately result in financial savings of $1.83 trillion.
Rensselaer, known for fundamental LED research, has been looking at environmental impacts.
"What the transistor meant to the development of electronics, the LED means to the field of photonics. This core device has the potential to revolutionise how we use light," said Professor Fred Schubert in a paper: "Transcending the replacement paradigm of solid-state lighting," published in Optics Express late last year.
