Next generation LEDs are cheap and sustainable

Terminology and marketing claims

• Several comments argue “sustainable” is a mistranslation of the Swedish “miljövänliga” (“environmentally friendly”), and that both are fuzzy marketing terms.
• Others push back on knee‑jerk cynicism, noting the work is explicitly about lifecycle‑aware device design, not just buzzwords.

Environmental and material considerations

• The article’s “environmental gain” is framed mainly as replacing gold with cheaper metals (copper, aluminum, nickel), while keeping a small amount of lead.
• Some are uneasy with this framing: it downplays lead, which commenters see as a serious pollutant, especially when products are mass‑produced and discarded.
• There’s debate over how much risk encapsulated LEDs actually pose to the environment.

Reliability, design, and disposability of LEDs

• Many report LED bulbs and fixtures failing more often than advertised, often due to bad drivers and heat, not the LED chips themselves.
• Enclosed or unvented fixtures, old dimmers/relays, and dirty mains power are cited as common LED killers.
• Integrated LED fixtures and sealed-battery products are criticized as promoting disposability; replacing entire fixtures or devices for minor failures is seen as wasteful.
• Some note that better‑quality or commercial‑grade products last much longer, but are expensive; others say even brand‑name bulbs can fail early.

Light quality, flicker, and dimming

• Users complain about poor color rendering and the inability of most LEDs to match halogen’s “full spectrum” feel. High‑CRI LEDs exist but are costly and still not equivalent.
• Others prefer daylight‑temperature LEDs and don’t understand the spectrum criticism.
• PWM dimming is discussed at length: it’s standard, efficient, and decades‑old practice, but can introduce flicker that causes headaches for some.
• Some want simple, non‑flickering, dimmable LEDs; suggestions include using 0–10V dimming drivers or higher‑frequency PWM.

Perovskite LEDs and longevity

• Commenters note perovskite LEDs are not a brand‑new concept and that lifetime is the main hurdle before their lower material costs matter.
• Some question whether perovskites’ reputed fragility and short lifetimes (e.g., in solar cells) undermine their promise for general lighting.

Open, modular, and system‑level ideas

• There’s a desire for open, modular electronics (shared LED drivers, appliance controllers) to reduce waste.
• Others argue this conflicts with economics, certification costs, IP issues, and the long‑running trend toward higher integration, not modularity.
• A DC lighting circuit for homes is proposed but dismissed as uneconomical due to voltage drop; centralized drivers plus LED fixtures are suggested instead.