Solid State Lighting (SSL) is an umbrella term for lighting sources that use semiconductor material to convert electricity into light. SSL includes Light Emitting Diodes (referred to as LEDs) and Organic Light Emitting Diodes (referred to as OLEDs).
Common LED applications are under cabinet lighting and recessed kitchen lighting. OLED applications use light panels, but are not common in the market yet.
Though quite promising, SSL technology is still in a state of flux due to its rapid technological advancement and the fact that not every SSL fixture is high quality. Some SSL fixtures are brought to market without going through the extensive testing that high-quality SSL fixtures are subjected to.
These SSL fixtures that do not go through testing tend to use poor quality components and will not perform on the same level as high-quality SSL fixtures. It is important when shopping for a SSL fixture to consider the product's performance when tested, which will determine its quality. Over the next three years, high-quality SSL fixtures are expected to be more widely available in stores.
Although SSL fixtures are not completely market ready, they have the potential to revolutionize the efficiency, appearance and overall quality of lighting.
Information in this article is courtesy of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). For more information, visit www.getenergysmart.org.
