2012 is set to be a big year for energy-saving technology. On the 1st January brand new energy and lighting standards will go into effect under the 2012 Energy Independence and Security Act in the US, replacing the old act of 2007.
For many the forthcoming year is already shaping up to be 'the end of the Edison era,' as more people than ever are expected to turn off their wasteful incandescent bulbs and switch on to the idea of energy-efficient LED Lighting.
This isn't a big surprise. On the 31st December an estimated one billion worldwide viewers will be watching the famous New Year's Eve ceremony at Times Square in New York. As part of the celebrations a large luminous sphere is lowered just before midnight to mark the exact end of the year. The so-called 'ball drop' tradition is almost as old as lighting itself and has been welcoming the New Year every year since 1907 (with the exception of two years during the Second World War).
The iconic centerpiece of the celebration has been through several incarnations, the most recent of which is an LED version that debuted in 2008 as part of the ceremony's 100th anniversary. The aluminium ball, which measures 12 feet in diameter and weighs almost 12,000 pounds, has been outfitted with 32,256 individual LED Lights. The exterior of the ball consists of 2,688 triangular crystal panels onto which the LED Lights project a breathtaking array of colours and patterns during its descent. Overall the ball is able to recreate up to 16 million different colours. Impressive!
But that isn't the best part. Since its conversion to LED, the ball now uses 88 per cent less energy than when it used halogen lights. Because of its low power consumption, the latest version of the ball has become the first to be on display the entire year-round.
The ball drop at Times Square therefore represents a lot more than just the movement into the New Year. It is a symbol of progress towards a brighter and better future with LED Lighting leading the way. According to Phillips LED, the company behind the ball's light source, it is a sign that more people than ever will begin making the transition to energy-efficient LED Lighting.
The LED technology powering the New Year's Eve Ball is the very same that has been made available to millions of homeowners around the world. Every year it steadily becomes more and more affordable (e.g. GU10 LED), coming within reach of a greater portion of the world's population.
If you haven't already converted to LED Lighting then make 2012 the year you do.
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