Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting is a prominent, emerging segment in the Indian lighting market driven by the move toward energy-efficient lighting solutions that have been gaining importance and popularity in the last few years. As India grapples with challenges related to energy deficiency, electrification of remote rural regions, and energy sustainability; the need to develop alternate technologies for combating the same has magnified. Lighting is an application that accounts for 20 percent of the entire energy consumption in the country and LED has emerged as an effective solution for India’s lighting woes. LEDs are poised to replace conventional General Lighting Service (GLS) lamps and High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps in many key applications like street lighting, indoor and outdoor lighting, and niche applications like railways, apart from industrial and automotive sectors.
LED lighting has its fair share of challenges as well. Its installations require more complicated designs spanning optical, thermal, and electronics domains. LED lamps continue to be quite expensive as compared to conventional lamps, thus hindering penetration in the price-sensitive Indian market. Reliance on imports, as current economies of scale prevent indigenous manufacturing, adds to the impediments faced by LED lighting suppliers. Despite these challenges, LED lighting has made strong inroads in the Indian lighting industry propelled by Government-backing for green technologies. Thereby, it has been implemented in highvalue applications like street lighting. Increasing awareness about benefits of LED lighting is promoting its gradual yet steady penetration in India.
Having tracked this highly-dynamic market for the past 4 years, Frost & Sullivan is confident that LED lighting is expected to grow significantly in the near future, cannibalizing traditional lighting technologies. But its penetration largely depends on standardization, Government thrust, awareness, and affordability.
Keeping in perspective the various challenges faced by LED lighting suppliers and end users, Frost & Sullivan’s Electronics & Security Practice will host its 3rd Annual Executive Congress on LED Lighting titled, ‘Toward a Brighter, Greener India’ on July 09, 2013 in New Delhi.
