VietNamNet Bridge – While LED lamps are believed to dominate the world’s lighting market in 2015, the high-tech product is still not popular in Vietnam.

With many advantages, including efficiency, life expectancy, durability, safety and energy savings, LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs are seen as the third revolution in the history of lighting technology, after incandescent and fluorescent lights.

LED technology is expected to dominate the market in 2015 and afterwards. LED turnover is expected to grow steadily by 14 percent per annum, which means the turnover would soar from $2.2 billion in 2011 to $3.7 billion in 2016.

A research project on measuring the efficiency of 4,250 LED lights in 35 places found that LED lights saved 3.4 million kwh of electricity every year. LED users said they felt more comfortable because the light generated was similar to daylight.

Three Japanese scientists, who invented Blue LED, a breakthrough in LED technology development, were awarded the Nobel physics prize in 2014. LED technology allows whiter light and at a lower cost.

LED is a special type of semiconductor diode which can generate a narrow spectrum. LED lamps can create different colors, depending on the semiconductor materials used and operating conditions.

Plants grow rapidly, safely with LED lamps. With LED lamps, scientists use two beams of light – red (R) and blue (B) with the maximum wavelength of 662nm and 430nm. The LED spectrum almost coincides with the absorption spectrum of the chlorophyll of plants. Thus, the plants can absorb the light energy at maximum level and turn the LED light energy into cellular energy.

In Vietnam, the Rang Dong light and vacuum flask company, has spent dozens of billions of dong on building a research and development center in a plan to use LED technology in lighting products.

However, despite great advantages, LED lights are still not popular in both household use and public works.

Le Trung Kien, a senior executive of the Hanoi Lighting and Urban Equipments Company Ltd, noted that LED lights have only been applied in the ad industry, and used to decorate streets and buildings.

Nguyen Doan Thang, deputy chair of the Vietnam Lighting Association, noted that the biggest disadvantage of LED lights is that they are more expensive than products using other technologies.

According to Thang, a LED light costs 4-5 times higher than the price of an incandescent or fluorescent bulb.

Kien said that a set of 100-160W LED lights is priced at VND15-20 million, while a set of incandescent lamps for street lighting is VND3.5 million.

Thang said the lack of transparency of the market is another reason behind the lack of popularity of the lights in Vietnam.

There are many low-quality Chinese-made LED lights or products assembled in Vietnam with Chinese-sourced components available in the market, which has caused misunderstandings about LED lights and LED technology, he said.

Le Van