U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Building Technologies Office – SSL Basics

Solid-state lighting (SSL) differs from other kinds of lighting in that it's based on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or organic LEDs (OLEDs) instead of filaments, plasma, or gases. In addition to having the potential to be more energy efficient than any other existing lighting technology, it also has a number of other advantages—including directionality, controllability, vibration resistance, long life, color tunability, and aesthetic appeal. But SSL is still at a relatively early stage in its development, and a number of hurdles need to be overcome if it's to fulfill its considerable promise.

Why SSL LED Basics
Photo of a road at night with an LED streetlight.

Why are government and industry investments being directed to developing solid-state lighting? What strategies are needed to advance this promising technology?

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Photo of an LED on a circuit board.

How do LEDs compare to conventional white light sources, and what factors determine the quality of lighting they provide?

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Using LEDs OLED Basics
Photo of a hotel lobby reception desk.

Today, a steady stream of LED replacement lamps and light fixtures is entering the general lighting market. How can buyers make informed decisions about using these products in key applications?

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Photo of an OLED panel.

What are OLEDs, and how are they different from LEDs? What future do they have in the general lighting market?

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R&D Challenges Market Challenges
Photo of a microscope image of an LED.

How is R&D continually improving the energy efficiency, color quality, lifetime, cost, reliability, and other aspects of LED lighting systems? What is on the horizon for organic LEDs?

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Photo of a grocery store refrigerated case.

Initial consumer disappointment in other efficient lighting, such as CFLs, slowed early market adoption. What is being done to enable more successful market introductions for SSL?

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