A Rare Peek Behind the Scenes at GE's LED Research Complex

Submitted by Web Master on Fri, 2011-09-23 12:25


GE's 9-watt Energy Smart LED bulb is the first Energy Star-rated replacement for 40-watt incandescent bulbs and provides an omnidirectional light that is similar to incandescents. Photo: GE Lighting

I recently visited GE's Nela Park site and its Lighting & Electrical Institute, where I got a tour and a sneak preview of cutting-edge technology to come.
A bit of history
I don't get out of the office much and happened to be in the middle of some LED research when I received an invitation to tour GE's LED research facility and speak with the company's entire LED team, from the LED company president and CEO, Jaime Irick, to the engineers working on the bulbs. GE pioneered the screw-in lightbulb, of course (GE used to be Edison Electric Company), and the Nela Park complex that houses GE's lighting division is the oldest industrial complex in the world, according to the company.  
These images of Edison, early filament bulbs, and the Georgian Revival buildings of the Nela Park complex contrast with my expectations of an LED research facility. There is no shiny "vertically integrated" super-structure creating everything from chips to fixtures. It is a research and training complex that combines education with hands-on work, whose labs are filled with functional workstations and testing facilities.

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979
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http://www.buildinggreen.com/live/index.cfm/2011/9/23/A-Rare-Peek-Behind-the-Scenes-at-GEs-LED-Research-Complex

Comments

LEDs are great, they don't ge

Submitted by Andre Fauteux on Fri, 2011-09-23 18:57.
LEDs are great, they don't generate as much dirty electricity as fluorescents, but let's hope nighttime light pollution will become better known. Study: Nighttime LED light increases risk of cancerhttp://www.jpost.com/HealthAndSci-Tech/Health/Article.aspx?id=237739 • Compact fluorescent bulbs can be a significant source of exposure to high frequencies both transmitted and "dirty" power(...) • Good News for Energy Efficiency and Health: LED light bulbs are not electrically polluting (...) Source: http://www.electricalpollution.com/