IEA 4E SSL Annex finds LED retrofit lamps cut environmental impact by 44 to 61% compared to T5 and T8 fluorescent lamps

(IEA Newsroom, 30 Oct 2023) Preliminary findings from the IEA 4E SSL Annex show that environmental impact for T5 lamps can be reduced by 44% and for T8 lamps by 61% if they are replaced by LED retrofit tubes. These are LED “plug-and-play” retrofit tubes that can be installed directly into existing fluorescent fixtures.

As the 147 countries who are party to the Minamata Convention on Mercury gather for their Fifth Conference of the Parties today, the IEA 4E SSL Annex notes that this is a singular opportunity to simultaneously eliminate mercury fluorescent lamps while halving environmental impacts.

Mercury free LED retrofit tubes can be installed directly into existing fluorescent fixtures and the preliminary findings from the SSL Annex’s life-cycle assessment (LCA) study show that for T5 lamps, total life-cycle environmental impacts can be reduced by 44% and for T8 lamps, impacts can be reduced by 61%.

“We are very pleased to share these preliminary findings of our life-cycle assessment” said Professor Georges Zissis, chair of the IEA 4E SSL Annex and Principal Investigator for the LCA study. “We hope that the delegates discussing the phase-out date for linear fluorescent lamps globally will bear in mind that the sooner they transition the world toward LED lighting, the better.”

Twice as efficient

LED retrofit lamps are approximately twice as efficient as the fluorescent lamps they replace while producing the same illumination in the room, thus they save electricity and save greenhouse gas emissions. As has been demonstrated by other studies, these solutions are highly cost effective with payback times as short as four months. Furthermore, the LED lamps last 2–3 times longer than fluorescents, which saves on maintenance costs.

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IEA Newsroom, 30 Oct 2023: IEA 4E SSL Annex finds LED retrofit lamps cut environmental impact by 44 to 61% compared to T5 and T8 fluorescent lamps