Benefits of LED lighting -efforts by Kwality in India

Lighting systems using Power LEDs are addressing socio-economic and
environmental problems on both a regional and global scale. The
beneficiaries are the most poor of the world with no access to adequate
lighting. The benefit of LED lighting technology becomes most evident
with significantly improved living conditions, enhanced safety and
health conditions, improved environment, ability to read and study
after sundown and operate cottage industry by night.

Health & Safety
As per SELF Newsletter, 2002, The effects of fuel-based lighting are
serious and debilitating for the developing world. Being a primary
lighting fuel, kerosene causes heavy local and indoor air pollution
resulting in illnesses and death. Acute respiratory infections such as
influenza and pneumonia kill nearly 2 million children in developing
nations each year.

Also, kerosene and candles are responsible for countless fire
catastrophes every year. In India alone, 2.5 million people (350,000 of
them children) suffer severe burns each year, primarily due to
overturned kerosene lamps. Each year, many homes burn to the ground
when a lamp is toppled.

Safe, reliable and near permanent LED lighting provided by Kwality (
http://LED-ecolight.page.tl) reduces air pollution in the home
enhancing safety and improving health conditions. Each village where
kerosene lamps were replaced with Kwality systems has reported
significant improvements of air quality in their homes. Mobile LED
lighting has also allowed safe field access after dark (irrigation
needs, elephant/human conflict etc.).

Local Business Opportunities
Microenterprise development is a fundamental component of Kwality's
philosophy and approach. Conventional project delivery combined with a
local business start-up meets the twin demands of reaching a very poor
segment of the population while simultaneously reinforcing
entrepreneurship as one of the most effective and sustainable forms of
local development. Through this approach Kwality ensures that
installation, maintenance and support services continue to replicate
after the initial projects have seeded the technology. Kwality does not
own any of these companies but will assist in their startup,
development of expertise and sustainability.

A typical microenterprise operates as an independent Social Enterprise
that enhances income for the family operators and presently provides
full-time employment for three technicians. Community members benefit
as they can purchase lighting systems and receive installation and
warranty services at a price that typically has a payback period of
much less than 2 years when compared to substandard and unhealthy fuel
sources such as kerosene. There is reason to believe that this more
holistic approach is the model for the developing world to follow.

Economic Development & Poverty Reduction
Kerosene and other non-electric sources of light used in the developing
countries are expensive and inefficient. A poor rural family in the
developing world, pays the equivalent (over USD $100 per year in many
cases) of what a family from the North pays for lighting services in
order to receive only 0.2% of the light. Kwality is providing its
systems at social price negotiated with the component suppliers. The
long life of LEDs and low power requirements results in extremely low
ongoing maintenance costs. Cumulative savings from kerosene replacement
significantly bolsters disposable incomes. Lighting also facilitates
the establishment of indoor and evening cottage industry helping people
earn a modest living.

By promoting the use of renewable energy Kwality is helping to divert
national funds away from the consumption of fossil fuels. On a larger
scale the global household-sector use of fuel-based lighting is
responsible for annual energy consumption of 96 billion liters of
kerosene. This equates to 1.7 million barrels of oil per day,
comparable to the total production of Algeria, Brazil, Indonesia, or
Libya.("The Specter of Fuel-Based Lighting". An Issue Paper from
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.) Energy costs divert money away
from food, health services, housing and other basic needs in poor
countries. For most countries, the fluctuations in world energy markets
affects the countries holding of valuable foreign currency. The
opportunity in economic terms of moving away from a fossil fuel imports
is enormous and frees up foreign exchange for national programs.

Education & Literacy
Light from kerosene lamps is poor and inefficient (only 2 to 4 lumens).
Poor lighting affects literacy and education. The light from kerosene
lamps is so poor that children can only see their schoolbooks if they
are almost on top of the flame, directly inhaling even more of the
toxic smoke. (4) Heat fracture and spillage is common and results in
countless injuries to children when studying.

The ability to read and study after sundown has an enormous impact on
the lives of those with little opportunity. Not the least of these
benefits is the improvement in education of children and women in areas
where poverty and illiteracy walk hand in hand. Education leads to
people centered development - a knowLEDgeable population that can
strive for better lives.

Equality
There is need for advancing and advocating the use of SSL for providing
a small solution to large problems of inequality.

In many developing countries, women must assume the bulk of the
productive, reproductive and community organization roles but have
limited political power and social status. Adding to their
responsibility, for example, Rural & tribal women spend several hours a
day scouring the landscape for scarce firewood. Others trek for 2-7
days to reach the nearest kerosene depot only to find that no fuel is
available or it is too expensive. Kwality works to address these issues
by using solid state lighting as a community development tool in areas
where inequality, poverty, and illiteracy are a complex problem.

Environmental Savings
By replacing the use of dry-cell batteries with ultra efficient LEDs
running off rechargeable sealed batteries, fewer dry-cell batteries are
disposed. This reduces the release of heavy metals into the local
environment. In this planet with over 3 billion people, literally
hundreds of billions of non-rechargeable batteries are discarded
directly into the environment each year. The resulting pollution to
streams, groundwater and fields threatens to be immense. It is
objective of Kwality that the use of dry cell batteries had
practically stopped.

Similarly, the installation of LEDs reduces the demand for fire-wood
diminishing negative impacts on landscapes, such as deforestation and
desertification. According to the United Nations the primary cause of
habitat destruction and run-off water pollution is the denudation of
the landscape by the rural poor in a desperate search for scarce
firewood. By various estimates from the Schumacher Institute and other
development organizations, 60%-90% of firewood and fuel use is for
lighting purposes.

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
According to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories (LBNL) the primary
source of greenhouse gas emissions in the developing world comes from
dirty, hazardous and expensive fuel based sources for lighting. LBNL
states explicitly that the only real way to meet the increasing
lighting energy demands is to replace fuel based lighting with solid
state lighting systems and recognizes Kwality as the pioneering
organization in this effort.

Fuel-based lighting in the developing world is a source of 244 Million
tons of carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere each year, or 58% of
the CO2 emissions from residential electric lighting (Mills, E. 2002.
"The $230-billion Global Lighting Energy Bill." Proceedings of the
Fifth European Conference on Energy-Efficient Lighting, International
Association for Energy-Efficient Lighting, Stockholm, pp. 368-385.) LED
lighting powered by renewable energy replaces fuel-based lighting thus
reducing greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change.
Kwality estimates that by replacing kerosene lamps with modern lighting
technology it reduces approximately 130 kg per household. By the end of
2005, Kwality intends to reach one million lives thus reducing over 26,
000 tons of carbon-emissions per year ( This is based on estimates that
one litre of kerosene burned produces 2.6 Kg of carbon dioxide. 1 litre
of kerosene per week/household x 52 weeks x 2.6 Kg CO2= 135.2Kg/year in
Komp, R.J. rev.ed 2002. "Practical Photovoltaics: Electricity from
Solar Cells". Aatec Publications.)

Vijay Gupta
MD, Kwality Photonics www.kwalityindia.com
manufacturers of LEDs in India since 20 years.

.

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