Lighting the world with LEDs

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) present an opportunity to improve public health and to provide low-cost lighting to villages while significantly reducing CO2 emissions, petroleum fuel consumption, and hazardous waste. Lighting accounts for approximately 19% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and widespread use of LED lighting would significantly reduce this. Aspects of LED technology, the use of LED in lighting the developing world, and means of rapidly deploying the technology in an affordable manner are discussed