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Japan Leapfrogs to LED Lighting
Japan is a leading centre for the research, development and manufacture of high quality light emitting diode (LED) lamps for illumination applications. Manufacturers have responded to challenges following Japan’s massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. There is a concerted effort to address the resulting electrical supply shortages by accelerating the marketing and promotion of new LED lamps in all market sectors.
The move to LEDs began over six years ago and has helped Japan reduce energy consumption more than three times faster than the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country average. Primary energy use has dropped 9.4 percent, compared with the 2.5 percent average decline for OECD countries, according to Bloomberg calculations. Power-saving measures taken immediately after the disaster, such as the dimming of train-station lights, also contributed to Japan’s 2011 decline in electricity consumption.
In 2008, the Japanese government announced measures to cease production of incandescent lamps in 2012. LED sales are expected to increase by almost 70 per cent this year, which makes Japan the leader in the consumption of LED lamps. Japanese authorities have launched an awareness raising campaign to promote the elimination of inefficient lamps from the market and to highlight the related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction.
Governments, utilities and manufacturers have are cooperating to publicize the benefits of high efficiency, high quality LED illumination. The increased demand for LED lamps and the urgency of the situation has driven initial costs lower for end users. This increased volume of manufacturing and rapid introduction of high light output products also may help lower consumer lamp costs throughout the world.
Chile will be the next country to benefit from an inception workshop in early September. For all Partner countries, online support and access to professional resources through email and by telephone will be available for the development of national transition activities. Technical webinars and modelling tools will also be provided.
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