Replacing MR16 lamps debate
Came across a blog from Soraa that talks about a clash of technologies to replace the halogen MR16 lamps. The comparison was between GaN-on-X LED ((where X is any foreign substrate like sapphire or silicon carbide) and GaN-on-GaN. The gist of the blog was that the manufacturer of the GaN-on-X LED bulb, in a technical article, was comparing its best to a prototype version of the GaN-on-GaN technology.
Soraa says that GaN-on-GaN uses a design approach to MR16 lamps that provide up to 65-W equivalent, single-beam intensity, visible spectrum performance including CRI and R9 (deep red) rendering levels of 95, true halogen-like whiteness rendering that is not possible with blue-based LEDs, and they are rated for > 25,000 hrs and warrantied for three years. Here is some more information about the Soraa LED MR16 lamp replacement design.
Rather than trying to make a point, counterpoint here in this column I’ll let you read the article from Cree and compare it to the blog from Soraa and have you post your comments here. Let me know where you stand in this technology issue. We need a healthy debate, so weigh in with your thoughts.
LED backlighting and other markets
The proportion of LCD TV panels that use LEDs for backlighting is set to reach 90% in 2013, according to the new report entitled “Q3 2013 GaN LED Supply and Demand” from IHS. Research says there is a total of 231-million LCD TV panels forecast to be shipped during 2013, 207 million will use LED backlighting, with the remainder using the older cold-cathode fluorescent lamp technology. This marks the end of a boom time that started in 2009, when the LED penetration of the LCD TV panel market was only 3% before climbing rapidly to 24% in 2010, to 38% in 2011, and to 71% in 2012. By 2016, LED penetration will rise to 100% of the total LCD TV panel market.
Because there is little growth opportunity left in the LCD TV backlighting market, LED makers are redirecting their efforts to the lighting business. In lighting applications, the penetration of LED products compared to alternative technologies is currently very low. Only 2.8% of all lamps shipped in 2013 are forecast to use LED technology. This amounts to 520 million LED lamps vs. 18.6 billion lamps in total. Demand for LED lighting is predicted to increase rapidly during the next five years, driving a projected packaged LED revenue growth of $2.5 billion within the period. Outside of LCD TVs, LEDs are also attaining high penetration in other backlighting applications, even if growth opportunities are slackening. For example, desktop PC monitors this year are set to post 86% LED penetration, similar to LCD TV panels. Notebook, tablet, and cellphone backlights are already 100% LED-backlit.
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