Explain why light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are more energy efficient.

Operating principle of LEDs

Light Emitting Diodes, or LEDs, emit light through a phenomenon called electroluminescence. When an electric current passes through an LED, electrons encounter electron holes—which are basically empty spots where electrons would like to settle. When an electron settles into this hole, it directly releases its energy in the form of light. This process is very efficient: unlike traditional bulbs, an LED hardly heats up and therefore uses less energy to produce more light. No combustion, no heating filament, just particles making jumps while directly producing photons—pretty clever as a principle, isn’t it?

Energy efficiency and reduced losses

LEDs consume much less energy because they convert electricity into light more efficiently. In traditional incandescent bulbs, a large portion of the energy is wasted as heat, so they get very hot while wasting a good part of the electrical current. In contrast, LEDs use energy much more effectively: their operation generates very little thermal loss, which means they provide the same amount of light while consuming much less electricity. An LED can thus produce the same amount of light using up to 80 to 90% less energy compared to traditional bulbs.

Targeted light production of LEDs

Traditional lamps emit their light in all directions. This unnecessarily wastes luminous energy because a significant portion of the light goes where it is not needed. LEDs, on the other hand, have the advantage of producing naturally directional light. They direct the light straight to the area to be illuminated, without needing reflectors or other complicated devices to redirect the light rays. As a result, you get more precise lighting, without losing energy where no one is looking, and with less waste. Less waste means definitely energy savings.

Low thermal dissipation of LEDs

LEDs generate very little heat compared to traditional bulbs because they convert a larger portion of electricity into light rather than heat. A traditional bulb gets so hot that you can burn your fingers when touching it, because a significant part of the energy it consumes is wasted as thermal energy. In contrast, with an LED, the energy goes directly to light without escaping too much as heat. Less heat produced means less waste, a longer lifespan, and reduced risk of overheating for electrical installations. Essentially, the less it heats up, the less money you waste on unnecessary consumption.

Comparison of energy efficiency with other lighting systems

LEDs consume about 80 to 90% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs for the same amount of light produced. Specifically, a classic filament bulb wastes a lot of energy in unnecessary heat, while LEDs convert almost all the electrical current into direct light, without absurd losses. Even when compared to compact fluorescent lighting (the famous "energy-saving bulbs"), LEDs remain more efficient, often showing an effectiveness that is 20 to 30% higher. So clearly, to reduce the electricity bill and avoid unnecessarily heating the room in summer, LEDs are far ahead of other lighting technologies.