What is LED?

"LED" is an abbreviation for light-emitting diode, a solid state lighting technology. Individual LEDs consist of a semiconductor diode that emits light when powered. Traditional incandescent or fluorescent lights use filaments and gases to create light while an LED produces visible light when an electric current passes through it. The benefits of LED include durability and long life (15+ years or 60,000 hours) compared to incandescent lights which only last 1,000 hours. LED lights also produce an incredible light quality - up to three times greater efficacy (a measure of light output by required power consumption or lumens per watt) than incandescent lights. LED lights can also be directed which support a variety of applications and light distributions.  Additionally, LEDs are generally safer than incandescent because they do not emit hot gases, are conveniently small and environmentally friendly.