TROY, N.Y., Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A team of U.S. scientists has received a $1.8 million federal grant to improve the energy efficiency of green light-emitting diodes.
The researchers from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, as part of a U.S. Department of Energy program, plan to double or triple the power output of green LEDs within three years. That might ultimately lead to the replacement of incandescent and fluorescent lamps in general illumination applications.
"Substantial reductions in the nation's dependence on primary energy imports will be possible once highly efficient, solid-state light sources replace wasteful incandescent and fluorescent lighting," said Rensselaer Physics Professor Christian Wetzel, who will lead the research.
The government project calls for the development by 2025 of advanced solid-state lighting technologies that are much more energy efficient, longer lasting, and cost competitive than conventional lighting technologies.
The prime contender to meet that goal, said Wetzel, is a white-light unit made from a combination of high-performance red, blue, and green LEDs. Researchers have made major strides in advancing the design of red and blue LEDs, but the technology behind green LEDs has lagged behind substantially, he said.
