Why LEDs
LEDs vs. HIDs
Before we can see the benefits of LEDs over the technologies of the past, we need to know what those technologies are. High Intensity Discharge (HID) lights include; Mercury Vapor, Metal Halide, Ceramic Metal Halide, High Pressure Sodium (HPS), Xenon Short-Arc and Ultra-High Performance lamps, with HPS being the most common.
| LED | HID |
|---|---|
 LEDs produce light when electrons are charged on the surface of a semiconductor or diode |
 HIDs produce light when the internal gas is ionized through the charging of electrons |
 Uses a power supply to drive the current |
 Uses a ballast to drive current |
 LED 400W HPS equivalent consumes about 171 watts of electricity |
 400W HPS consumes roughly 500 watts of electricity |
 Average life of our LED is 60,000 hours or 14 years |
 Average life of an HID bulb is 10,000 to 20,000 hours |
 Robust design and components |
 Highly fragile bulbs |
 Focused light |
 Unevenly spreads light in all directions, including upward |
 True color with vivid visibility |
 Distorted color output in the most common types of HIDs |
 Instant off/on |
 Bulbs warm up slowly to full brightness |
 Dimmable |
 On/off only |
 Zero maintenance cost |
 High maintenance costs |
| No UV, mercury, sodium, fully recyclable |
Bad for you and the environment |
 LED light is invisible to most bugs |
 Attracts bugs |
 Refractive lenses |
 Reflective lenses |
LEDs have received much recognition because of the energy and dollar savings associated with them; but there is another revolutionary benefit that some may not know about. LED light fixtures with micro-processors have the ability to communicate with modern computer technology. This means that a “smart grid” system can be utilized to program, monitor and control the fixtures from a remote location. The implications of this are vast and all the possible capabilities will reveal themselves as time goes on and these systems are developed. GreenStar intends to be a pioneer in this new realm and we are excited to implement our ideas to create safer and more efficient cities.
