“Our many years of experience in the development of infrared lasers and close cooperation with leading companies in the LiDAR field have given us a unique position in the market,” explains Matthias Hoenig, Marketing Manager for LiDAR, ams OSRAM. “No matter which LiDAR application is used, the functionality of these systems is always very similar. A light source emits infrared light into the environment. When the light hits an object, it is reflected by the object and registered by a detector. Based on the time it takes the light to reach the object and back to the detector, the distance or structure of the object can be determined.”

The SPL TL90AT03 from ams OSRAM was specifically developed for short laser pulses between 5 and 100 nanoseconds. The laser achieves an optical output of 65 watts from an aperture of 110 µm at a forward current of 20 A – corresponding to an outstanding efficiency of about 34 percent. The device comes in the proven and extremely rugged TO56 MetalCan package. The infrared component emits light in the established wavelength of 905 nanometres for LiDAR applications and is also suitable for a range of other applications thanks to its compact dimensions.

Another advantage of the laser is the particularly narrow emission width (the area in which the light leaves the component). It allows the use of compact optics and thus reduces the overall size of the system. In addition, the laser is available in another pin configuration as the SPL UL90AT03.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis and the looming economic recession, the lighting fixtures and luminaires market worldwide will grow by a projected USD 25.6 Billion. The growth is driven by a revised compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.8%. Non-Portable, one of the segments analysed and sized in this study, is forecast to grow at over 4.1% and reach a market size of USD 84 Billion by the end of the analysis period. An unusual period in history, the Coronavirus pandemic has unleashed a series of unprecedented events affecting every industry. The Non-Portable market will be reset to a new normal which going forwards in a post COVID-19 era will be continuously redefined and redesigned. Staying on top of trends and accurate analysis is paramount now more than ever to manage uncertainty, change and continuously adapt to new and evolving market conditions.

Street lighting and how it fits into the smart cities’ paradigm

According to a research conducted by Frost & Sullivan, the report titled – ‘Strategic Opportunity Analysis of the Global Smart City Market,’ talks about how a smart city is one that has adopted at least five of the eight following smart parameters. For instance: Smart energy, smart buildings, smart mobility, smart healthcare, smart infrastructure, smart technology, and smart governance.

Street lighting plays a key role in many of these aspects, and as far as smart technology and smart infrastructure are concerned, illumination is a key subject within society. It plays a critical role in the development of a nation, facilitating connectivity, trade, safety and education. A good lighting infrastructure can act a catalyst for the positive evolution of a nation, from a social, economic, and cultural standpoint. Visibility on the streets is directly linked to the safety of pedestrians, drivers, and passersby. Thus, streetlights not only aid in making roads safer while improving walkability, but it also adds appeal to public spaces. It is pivotal for lighting to be sustainable and environment-friendly. It must align with the SDG’s of a nation, especially through cost and energy efficiency. India was perhaps a frontrunner in recognizing the importance of a sustainable and energy-efficient lighting infrastructure, at the national level.

Providing robust streetlight to illuminate India’s Smart Cities is not a challenge – India has already invested in high quality, future-ready smart streetlight infrastructure. The Street Light National Programme (SNLP) has installed over 11 million smart streetlights since its inception five years ago, making it the world’s largest street lighting programme.

The whole process has helped mitigate 5.11 million tons of CO2 emissions; these have helped save 7419.21 MUs of energy per year. Smart lighting has been recognized as the most actionable and ready-to-implement technology for cities to transition to a low-carbon economy and peak emissions in the next decade. Once implemented across India’s smart cities, these smart and energy-efficient streetlights can enable further peak demand reduction, annual energy savings and reduction in emission levels. Streetlights are connected through a web-based monitoring system that enables remote operations and additional operational savings, making them ‘smart infrastructure’ and ‘smart technology’ assets. By delivering lighting in public places and on roads when needed, cities can optimize their operations and greatly save on both the financial and carbon cost of lighting. We will now delve into the ‘smart’ aspect of these streetlights.

India’s future-ready streetlight infrastructure

Also, we must recognize the role that the Internet of Things (IoT) plays in the development of smart cities. SLNP uses a Central Control and Monitoring System (CCMS) that uses GPS and internet technology.

The system centrally monitors and controls tens of thousands of lights, instantly switching them on at sunset, and off at sunrise. The system also sends an automatic SMS and email alert to the mobile number of the official in charge of maintenance in case of any technical defect, malfunctioning or tampering.

Through CCMS, lights can be monitored and managed from any part of the country via a computer or laptop. CCMS has ensured that urban local bodies, municipalities, and public-sector utilities have ease of maintenance of the LED streetlights installed. CCMS has mitigated the need for manual monitoring mechanism apart from resulting in significant energy savings. For example, the installation of CCMS-enabled LED 95,000 lights in the city of Destiny, Visakhapatnam saved around 40 per cent of electricity consumption. Consequently, the local DISCOM’s electricity bill came down to around Rs.100 lakhs per month, as against Rs.170 lakhs a month. Further, the 95,000 lights needed only 4500 CCMS boxes for remote management, demonstrating the ease of deployment. The CCMS brought down the cost of maintenance Rs. 100 lakhs a year, as against Rs.600 lakhs a year. The system also helped achieve indirect savings for the municipality by reducing the turn-around time for repair and maintenance. CCMS also aids in data analytics, via which DISCOMs can perform load forecasting and plan DSM activities in the state. Cities can also choose to aggregate details from the CCMS for street lighting online, giving residents a real-time understanding of their lighting infrastructure. For example, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, a DISCOM in Hyderabad city, created a website allowing anyone to view zone-wise information of the CCMS-connected LED streetlights and their status.

Benefits across the value chain

The large cost savings and an array of benefits exemplify the need for adopting an IoT-led approach for India’s street lighting. They also demonstrate their potential and scalability for India’s Smart Cities. While smart street lighting, from a technological standpoint, integrates seamlessly into India’s smart cities vision, smarter and innovative business models can be the catalyst for their faster adoption. For example, to bring in mass-scale transformation, Energy Efficiency Services Ltd. (EESL), an entity under Ministry of Power, Govt. of India, for the SLNP adopted a unique strategy of partnering with states, municipal bodies and ULBs, replacing conventional streetlights with LEDs at its own costs with no upfront investment by the municipalities, which made LED streetlight adoption even more attractive. Utilizing its unique business model, EESL recovers its capital investment over time by monetizing the savings that occur due to the reduction in energy and maintenance costs. A seven-year contract with the local bodies guarantees a minimum energy saving of typically 45-50% and provides free replacements and maintenance of lights at no additional cost to the civic partners. SLNP has also improved the quality of life of citizens in India, generating prosperity in local communities, through increased employment opportunities.

Thus, the future of illumination in India lies with smart streetlights. Lighting accounts for 19% of the total global usage and 30-50% of an average city’s energy bill, so smart street lighting presents a compelling case. It also opens another pathway for climate action, as by reducing the need for energy, we lower our impact over the environment and climate change. Hence, with benefits such as automated complaint management, easy redressed, and troubleshooting, along with immense energy and monetary savings, smart street lighting is set to be at the nucleus of India’s smart cities vision.

‘The Brothers: Celebrating 50-years of the Allman Brothers Band’ was a show staged at New York’s legendary Madison Square Garden just before the state went into lockdown in a massive effort to halt the spread of Covid-19. Lighting Designer – Chris Ragan utilized over 100 Robe fixtures paired with dynamic design for the four-hour performance. The Brothers’ were known for their dynamic fusion of blues, jazz and country with their distinctive rock music have stayed relevant long after their first period during their days of glory. To give insight into the lighting aspect, Ragan has numerous connections, the members, many of whom have been clients to the lighting rental vendor BML-Blackbird Theatrical Services. The Robe count included 44 x Spiider LED wash beams, 20 x BMFL Spots, 26 x MegaPointes and 12 x PixelPATTs, all supplied by BML-Blackbird.

As soon as the event reached the design stage, the show was sold in a 360 format, and Chris was well-aware of what was needed in terms of sightlines. He said: “We all wanted to involve the look and style in the show,” while speaking of a substantial visual challenge.

Chris sketched a “large mushroom” that would hang above the band onstage – adding a projection surface surrounded by lighting. The mushroom was originally adopted by the Allmans as a psychedelic orientated logo that had transcended the history and various line-ups of the band. To add effect, a 20ft by 30ft mushroom was created using an assortment of 12-inch truss circles. They then added four LED walls positioned at each corner of the stage to provide IMAG and to show custom show content created by Johnathan Singer, Marco Ferrero and Steve Pavlovsky. Adam Paul was the IMAG / camera / stream director.

Once all this was determined, Chris positioned his lighting fixtures. The Robe BMFL Spots were rigged on the upstage and overhead trusses; the Spiiders were also on these two trusses and downstage on the deck; the MegaPointes were on the upstage deck and overheads, and the PixelPATTs on a series of upstage truss towers at different heights. BMFLs are Chris’ ‘go-to’ powerful profile fixture. MegaPointes were chosen for their renowned speed and a diverse range of features which proved great for framing the stage and providing a prism effect. The Spiiders and PixelPATTs were used primarily as wash lights, together with their jazzy and dynamic pixel ‘tricks’ and the Spiiders doubled for “very effective” painting of the audience utilizing their flower effect.

“I love having the ability to mask pixels, it gives so many combinations and looks from one type of fixture and all of this helps keep the show fresh!” stated Chris.

As you can imagine, four hours, with one interval – a major challenge was evolving and growing the visuality and atmosphere and ensuring that there was always something interesting and dramatic to look at. Also, the MSG rig were some profile moving lights for keys, plenty of strobes and approximately 100 lights dedicated just to audience illumination.

Battling constraints:

Time was a massive challenge on-site as they had only one day to load-in and get show-ready. After that, the next challenge was the length of the show. The 90-minute sets were punctuated by a 30-minute interval and this was followed by a 30-minute encore timing in at approximately four hours. Chris was inspired by many variables whilst working on this landmark show.

The lighting industry in India has time and again proved to be a competitive one, and we see a shift from conventional bulbs to LEDs, also driven by the increasing initiatives by the government, rising consumer awareness about energy-efficient products and a new product portfolio.

The industry’s paradigm of a dynamic LED sector

Several representatives from the industry speak to Lighting India to give first-hand input on energy-efficient lighting, its sub-categories, the LED sector and more. Jaguar Lighting speaks of the various trends in the LED sector. According to Jaguar, the lighting industry is witnessing trends that are a response to the changing demands from customers. The company says that they are seeing a demand for smart & connected lighting. Its high-time we say no to conventional light switches and control lighting fixtures through smartphones, tablets and voice commands. Another is Dynamic RGB Lighting – Add over a million colours to the spaces around you, his system uses DMX control –based dynamics RGB/RGBW lighting solutions. Also, Jaguar Lighting pointed to furniture and closet lighting, where-in indoor illumination is extended to the luxurious furniture, storage spaces and kitchens as well. Also, we have human-centric lighting where lighting plays an important role in enhancing productivity and keeping up with good health at the same time.

The call to energy-efficient solutions and the focus on the ‘Paris Agreement’

Prag Bhatnagar, Senior Vice President, Havells India Limited says that another major trend is the call for energy-efficient lighting systems. He says: “The market for energy-efficient products such as LED-lighting is bound to grow to ride on the initiatives that encourage the use of LED lights.” The focus, he added, is on smart projects – an efficient public distribution system and the ever-increasing need for a smart and a connected lifestyle. Also, he says, policies and industries have helped us realise the massive benefits that LED-technology has to offer. “The LED market is poised to multiply 10 times in the next five years, according to Frost & Sullivan. Usage of LED concerning end-users is distributed across multiple segments of industries such as IT/ITES, BFSI, Govt, Infra, Hospitality, landscape, industries, etc. With the technology advancement and prolonged life of LED, it is being used in automobiles and for signage too as it is registering growth,” Bhatnagar says.

Meghana Shetty, Co-founder, smstudio – An architectural and interior firm, speaks on the importance of energy efficiency. She says: “During the past century, rapid strides made by economies towards development and industrialization have led to an increase in the global carbon footprint. This is demonstrated by the paradigm shift in the attitude of countries party to the 2015 Paris Agreement, which reflects the seriousness of countries towards the challenges posed by climate change as well as the way the consequent damages are being discussed and addressed around the world.” The renewed ambition to adopt the Paris Agreement along with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as key blueprints for the future we want is a giant leap towards our commitment to combat climate change, she adds, and the success of these agreements depends to a great extent on our adoption of clean energy.

Also, while speaking on policy and interventions, she says: “While policy interventions around clean energy take place at their own pace and time, one of the most economically feasible options available with citizens across the globe, is to adopt an energy-efficient lifestyle. It is becoming increasingly clear that energy efficiency needs to be central in energy policies around the world.”

Policy, Regulation and Reform within the scope of a growing economy

Keeping this inescapable truth in mind, the Government of India, along with active support from its citizens, has kick-started a revolution in energy efficiency by introducing scalable and replicable demand-side management initiatives. The country, Shetty says, has not only established a comprehensive policy for energy efficiency – National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE) but has also executed successful demand-side management programs for consumers and municipal corporations to achieve overall energy savings while gradually mitigating the impact of climate change.

The Government’s Unnat Jeevan by Affordable LEDs and Appliances for All (UJALA) scheme is implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a super Energy Service Company (ESCO) under the Ministry of Power. UJALA, the world’s largest zero-subsidy LED bulb program for domestic consumers, is an example of a successful energy efficiency program, designed to help the country achieve sustainable development by reduction of carbon footprint.

Shetty adds and says: “UJALA is purely a citizen-led initiative, with strong policy support from the government. It is an example of a self-sustaining government initiative that has not only surpassed traditional benefits, like energy savings and reduced carbon emissions but has also triggered large scale investment in the manufacturing of LED bulbs, generated employment and other macro benefits.” The success of the UJALA program, she adds, has demonstrated that such initiatives can not only be executed but successfully replicated for other appliances such as fans and tube lights. UJALA’s tangible benefits have resulted in healthy competition among all states governments in India to devise customized energy efficiency programs and execute them independently; emulating the scalable models demonstrated by EESL, since achieving energy efficiency is a key element in the 24×7 Power for All agreement between the Central government and the individual state governments. In 2016, the UJALA scheme further included the distribution of 20-watt LED tube lights and energy-efficient ceiling fans, which are rated 5-star by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). By 2019, the Government aims to replace 770 million old wasteful lamps with modern, efficient and long-lasting LED bulbs. To date, more than 230 million LED bulbs have been distributed across the country, completely transforming the way Indian citizens look at bulbs, energy efficiency and environmental conservation. The distribution of 230 million LED bulbs, 800,000 energy-efficient fans and 2.3 million LED tube lights has cumulatively has helped India save 32 billion kWh electricity annually, the production of which would otherwise have consumed 19 million tons of coal. This has led to an annual reduction of 25 million tons of CO2, which is equivalent to growing approximately 600 million trees for ten years. Adding to that, consumers are saving over 124 billion on their electricity bills annually, she adds.

Meghana Shetty, Co-founder, smstudio – An architectural and interior firm, while giving us an overview of the lighting and LED market in India. She said: “The Indian lighting industry is evolving rapidly due to the shift from conventional bulbs to LEDs and the move is driven by the many moves taken by the government. The evolution indicates a tectonic shift in technology from electrical to electronics and this represents a significant growth in opportunities for companies offering electronic hardware/ components, products and solutions used in LED lighting.” Adding, she said that India is the second-most populous country in the world and yet, it is only the fifth-largest electricity consumer – a situation that has led to a widening demand-supply gap. “Consequently, the market for energy-efficient products such as LED lighting is bound to grow, riding on the initiatives that encourage the use of LED lights – the focus on smart city projects, an efficient public distribution system and the ever-increasing need for a smart, connected lifestyle,” she added.

Dinesh Aggarwal, Joint Managing Director, Panasonic Life Solutions India Pvt. Ltd assessed the lighting industry from a holistic viewpoint. He said: “The total lighting market and worth stands close to INR 20 Cr. The market is evolving and moving towards complete LEDification. Currently, LED Lighting products hold 70% of the market share. With continuous force on cost due to the lack of high-standard products, every company is driving its strategies in terms of wattages, Efficacy, and Product Design. Right now, the market is more specification driven rather a product-driven. The outdoor lighting market is driven by the development in infrastructure, smart cities and other development initiatives.” At Panasonic Life Solutions, he added, we are offering a complete range of energy-efficient and smart lighting products, right from Indoor Commercial, Industrial, Outdoor, Retail, and Hospitality segment.

Shetty added and said: “According to a report from TechSci (A global research-based consulting firm), the LED lighting market in India is projected to register a CAGR of over 24 per cent during 2016-2021. The Indian LED lighting market stood at US$ 918.70 million in 2016 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 24.66 per cent, in value terms, to reach US$ 3.76 billion by 2022, on account of increasing government initiatives to boost LED adoption and growing awareness regarding lower power consumption of LED lighting products. Moreover, easy availability at low prices, coupled with the distribution of LED bulbs by the Indian Government at affordable rates is augmenting demand.”

Reports also suggest that other segments of LED, such as backlighting is expected to be a fast-growing application within the LED chip segment over the next few years, and this trend can mostly be attributed to the shift to LED-backlighting for television sets since they improve picture quality and brightness. Also, the reports suggest that the market for blue LED chips is also expected to grow at a fast pace as compared to the global average – mainly on account of their application in backlighting and illumination.

New product innovation a key growth strategy

In comparison, red LED chips are used in automotive for rear lamps as well as for traffic signals. The other segment includes yellow, ultraviolet LED, and infrared chips. The Asia Pacific is expected to be the major contributor to revenue, and account for the largest market share during the forecast period, primarily due to a large number of industry participants in the region. New product development innovation is the key growth strategy, and major manufacturers include Cree, Epistar Corporation, Hitachi Cable, Seoul Semiconductors, and Bright LED Electronics Corporation among others.

Another report conducted by Reports Monitor suggests that the smart lighting market is estimated to grow from USD 13.4 billion in 2020, and is projected to reach USD 30.6 billion by the year 2025, at a CAGR of 18.0%. The major factors driving the growth of the market include the advent of integrated lighting control systems, upcoming smart city projects and the integration of lighting solutions and smart devices. Also, the Power over Ethernet (PoE) wired communication technology market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of the PoE protocol segment is driven by factors such as increasing penetration and decreasing cost of LEDs, growing adoption of PoE lighting solutions in commercial and healthcare applications, and rising need for cost-effective lighting solutions.

Shetty does agree that there are factors which could cause a trend and influence demand for LED applications. She said: “The key factors that are expected to boost the market include declining LED prices coupled with favourable government initiatives that provide LED lights at a subsidised cost and promote LED street lighting projects through a special energy services company (ESCO) model created by EESL. Moreover, apart from rising consumer awareness about the cost-effectiveness of LEDs, their enhanced life, energy-efficiency and eco-friendly nature will continue to drive volume sales from the industrial, residential and commercial sectors.” Also, she said that retrofit installations are in demand across all kinds of applications.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Market Trajectory

A research conducted by Markets and Markets suggests that post the COVID-19 situation, the smart lighting market size is estimated to grow from USD 9.4 billion in 2020 and projected to reach USD 24.2 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 20.9%. The projection for 2025 is estimated to be down by 21% as compared to pre-COVID-19 estimation. The research highlighted the major factors driving this growth and mentioned that the speciality lighting applications, such as horticulture and UV disinfection lighting, the need for a large number of healthcare facilities to treat an increasing number of patients, and rising demand for sterile manufacturing areas in the pharmaceuticals industry, will influence this demand. Also, the hardware segment is affected owing to the loss in production and manufacturing units across the globe.

Some of the major global players in the smart lighting market are Signify (Philips Lighting) (Netherlands), Legrand S.A. (France), Acuity Brands, Inc. (US), General Electric Company (US), OSRAM Licht (Germany), Zumtobel Group (Austria), Hubbell Incorporated (US), Dialight PLC (UK), Ideal Industries, Inc. (Cree) and Schneider Electric (France) among others. The report indicated that Signify Holding (Netherlands) is an industry leader in the smart lighting market space. The report said that the company has a huge advantage over its competitors in the smart lighting market due to is its extensive product portfolio, with lighting systems compatible with various connecting technologies ranging from DALI, KNX, and BACnet to ZigBee and EnOcean.

Overall, the smart lighting market is estimated to grow from USD 13.4 billion in 2020 and projected to reach USD 30.6 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 18.0%. The major factors driving the growth of the market include the advent of integrated lighting control systems, upcoming smart city projects in developing economies, increasing adoption and decreasing cost of LEDs, integration of lighting solutions with smart devices, and growing awareness about energy savings among consumers and governments worldwide.

Lighting continues to be a concern in coastal communities. Artificial white light such as standard streetlights, patio lights, and flashlights can confuse the baby hatchlings that rely on moonlight and starlight to steer them toward the water. So, when the city of Gulf Shores upgraded its lighting along the streets and boardwalks adjacent to the beach, finding a turtle-friendly solution was vital.Gulf Shores are blessed with miles of pristine sand beaches on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. More than five million annual visitors are drawn to the stunning beaches, which offer a year-round attraction for the resort city.

Landscape architects on the project selected Luminis’ Maya high-performance post-top luminaire with advanced optics. The exceptional thermal design of this attractive fixture allows significant advantages in energy saving and lighting efficiency, contributing to the sustainability objectives of the city. One of the most compelling features of the luminaire is its optional turtle-friendly amber LED.  Project architects also selected an optional backlight shield for each of the 93 luminaires, further minimizing potential glare and light trespass on the ocean side of each fixture.

The Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre (TMAC) is a lively and unique multipurpose performance space located in Taunton, Somerset, UK, and is dedicated to staging an array of shows, events and activities for the whole community embracing music, dance, drama, comedy, spoken word and other genres.

Just before the coronavirus pandemic temporarily halted the entire entertainment industry, TMAC took delivery of a brand new Zero 88 FLX lighting control console, complete with two wings, which was specified by technical manager Kevin Stratton. The new console replaces their previous generation Zero 88 consoles which have been there since the venue opened in 2000.

Kevin has worked there since 2016, and before then was a busy freelancer, touring theatre technician and production LX who has also worked as a Level 3 instructor in Production Arts at a leading Somerset further education college.

He decided on the FLX after extensive research. He said: “A new console isn’t an item purchased every year, so we wanted to ensure that it was right for us and fit for purpose and trialled / demo’d a number of options before choosing the FLX.”

ILFARI is known for its uniquely designed lighting for luxurious interiors worldwide. With the Eye in the Sky they continue creating conversation pieces.In May ILFARI launched the Eye in the Sky collection – pendant lights that have cosmic retro shapes in combination with hypermodern anodized aluminium, the company reported. The design is absolutely unconventional and once again sets the tone in high-end lighting design.

The inspiration of geometric figures, minimalism and a touch of industrial design is combined into the Eye in the Sky collection. The collection includes single pendants and a number of compositions. Also known as the strength of ILFARI, they are able to create tailor-made lighting based on the needs of the customer, mixing different sizes and colours and using any desired number of pendants. In this way interior designers or architects can create something unique for their project, giving it their own twist.

LED lighting manufacturer Astera has reported in a press release that it has energized its 10,000 square metre factory in Shenzhen, China together with its knowledgeable and adaptable workforce to assist with the delivery of essential personal protective equipment (PPE) items, including face masks.   These are desperately needed worldwide as countries continue to combat the Coronavirus pandemic. Astera’s CEO Norbert Ernst explains that they were about to temporarily scale back operations in the factory, whilst the entertainment lighting business was quiet due to the crisis when he was approached by a contact asking if they would be willing to assist with the production/distribution of face masks. He said: “Naturally, I jumped at the chance. It offered a path to keeping many staff employed full-time which is great, and also helps contribute positively to the ongoing global demand for face masks which are vital to help meet the unique challenges of containing Covid-19.”

Additionally, he stated that having the factory working in this capacity will assist a rapid return to full LED lighting manufacture when conventional business starts to resume.