Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and
Environmental Impacts of LED Lighting
Products
Light-emitting diode (LED) products for general illumination have the
potential to save energy and improve lighting quality and performance in
comparison to many conventional lighting technologies. However, in order
to accurately gauge the full energy and environmental impacts of any
lighting product, its materials and energy resources must be evaluated over
its entire life-cycle.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) conducted a three-part study
to assess the total life-cycle impact of LED screw-based replacement
lamps in relation to two comparable lighting technologies traditionally
used in residential homes: incandescent lamps and compact fluorescent
lamps (CFLs). This life-cycle assessment (LCA) study considers not only
use, but also manufacturing, transport, and disposal, and is the most
comprehensive study of its kind for LED products, breaking new ground
in our understanding of how lighting affects the environment. The full
reports for all three parts of the study are available online