The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded Isamu Akasaki and Hiroshi Amano at Nagoya University, Japan and Shuji Nakamura of the University of California at Santa Barbara with the Nobel Prize in Physics for the invention of efficient blue light emitting diodes, which led to the creation of modern LED light bulbs.

"Many of us are familiar with white-light LEDs in torches and mobile phones", said the Academy when explaining the decision, “but the effective combination of blue LEDs and white phosphors provides an energy-saving solution that is not only replacing existing indoor incandescent and fluorescent lighting, but is ideal for making outdoor street lighting more efficient. The invention of the blue LED is just twenty years old, but it has already contributed to create white light in an entirely new manner to the benefit of us all."

The LED lamp holds great promise for increasing the quality of life for over 1.5 billion people around the world who lack access to electricity grids: due to low power requirements it can be powered by cheap local solar power.

There is also a huge potential application for LEDs in the developed economies of the world. Replacing all incandescent and conventional fluorescent light bulbs for low-energy LEDs could boost energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and Europe, according to the recent UN backed report Pathways to Deep Decarbonization (PDF).

Many organizations and scientists working on energy efficiency and climate change issues have welcomed the decision by the Academy of Sciences. The Climate Group for example,  explained that “LED lamps, combined with smart controls, can cut CO2 emissions 50–70%, as well as reduce costs, enhance public safety and minimize light pollution”. 

"With 20 percent of the world’s electricity used for lighting, it’s been calculated that optimal use of LED lighting could reduce this to 4 percent. Akasaki, Amano and Nakamura’s research has made this possible and this prize recognizes this contribution," Frances Saunders, president of Britain's Institute of Physics told Reuters.

Encouraging energy efficiency projects

At a recent meeting, the Executive Board of the UNFCCC's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) agreed on rules to allow participants in multi-project programmes, so-called "programmes of activities", to upgrade their projects to a less emitting technology, with a view to encouraging energy efficiency. A programme designed to introduce CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) can now change the project to introduce LEDs (light-emitting diode lamps).

For example, the Southern African Solar LED Programme is a programme of activities registered under the CDM and operating in South Africa, Namibia and Zambia. Its purpose is to replace fossil fuel-based lighting with Solar LED-based lighting at a domestic level. The project will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions in the region through the use of solar energy, which will replace fossil fuels.

Watch last Tuesday announcement of the Nobel Prize in Physics 2014.

Photo credit: Led lamp / Marcus Linder. A young girl showing off a solar lantern in the central charging station kiosk / Wim Verdouw.