Supporting South Asia Through LED Lighting Technology
A three-pronged approach focusing on energy, the environment, and the economy
As the primary knowledge partner for the Regional Centre for Lighting (RCL) in South Asia, the LRC provides information, technical training, and guidance, and works to bring together public and private enterprises to focus on solutions to increase consumer accessibility to safe and energy-efficient lighting. Through these efforts, the LRC supports RCL’s overall mission to improve the well-being of the citizens and countries within the region.
Improving consumer lighting is a priority in South Asia, where a low- to middle-income family’s highest household expense may be electricity for lighting. In some cases, this expense is passed on to the government, which may provide subsidies or even free electricity to permit families to have access to lighting. Other options, like using kerosene for lighting, is even more expensive than electricity. SSL technologies, particularly LEDs, hold promise for alleviating the region’s energy problems while also cleanly and efficiently providing lighting to those living “off the grid.” While SSL technology is a promising, sustainable alternative that has penetrated most markets around the world, it has yet to make its way into South Asia.
The RCL was launched in April 2009 through the collaborative efforts of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) and the LRC. The RCL is designed to advance sustainable lighting and make it affordable in South Asia to improve the well-being of the citizens and the countries within the region: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The RCL intends to increase the awareness and affordability of energy-efficient, reliable and clean lighting technologies and their applications to reduce the electricity demanded by lighting; catalyze regional manufacturing of energy-efficient lighting products to improve the economy of the region and to make lighting affordable to many underprivileged citizens; and retrain and educate the necessary workforce in the region to create sustainable lighting in South Asia.
Through its collaboration with the RCL, the LRC has been instrumental in developing and running regional workshops for lighting designers, engineers and manufacturers on sustainable lighting and LEDs. Education in energy-efficient lighting technologies and applications can help ensure the energy security of South Asia and promote the development of LED products for the South Asian market.
As new LED technologies begin to enter the region, any prevalence of inferior products could spoil the marketplace and hinder widespread acceptance of LEDs. To safeguard the technology from market spoilers, the LRC has been assisting the RCL in establishing a new, first-of-its-kind LED testing laboratory in South Asia. The facility will aid regional manufacturers in developing high-quality LED products and assist government agencies in implementing quality control.
Website
Regional Centre for Lighting in South Asia
Project Summary Sheets
Building a Sustainable Lighting Market in South Asia (2011)
LRC Helps Launch Regional Center for Energy-Efficient Lighting in South Asia (2009)
Media Coverage
A roadmap to sustainable lighting – Lighting India, November-December 2010
LRC Steers Collaborative Initiative To Achieve Sustainable Lighting in South Asia with LED Technology – Press Release, January 2011
January forum will lay lighting roadmap for South Asia – LEDs Magazine, November 2010
Lighting Research Center Helps Catapult South Asia's Lighting Infrastructure into 21st Century – Press Release, December 2009
Sponsors
U.S. Agency for International Development
Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority
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