An Analysis of the New Paradigm of “Green Smart Manufacturing” in the LED Lighting Industry Against the Background of the “Dual Carbon” Goals

Now that the “dual carbon” goals have been incorporated into national strategy, the low-carbon transition of the manufacturing sector has shifted from an “option” to a “necessity.”The “Comprehensive Work Plan for Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period” clearly states that lighting—a key sector accounting for over 15% of society’s total electricity consumption—must accelerate its transition toward “green and smart” solutions. This is not only a critical battleground for enterprises to reduce carbon emissions but also a strategic window of opportunity for the LED lighting industry to move from “basic energy conservation” toward “full-chain smart manufacturing.”

Although traditional LEDs have fulfilled their “Energy Conservation 1.0” mission (achieving 60%–80% energy savings compared to incandescent bulbs), their shortcomings in areas such as deep carbon reduction and scenario adaptation have become increasingly apparent, as illustrated below:

Lack of Low-Carbon DNA: Energy consumption in traditional LED manufacturing processes—such as epitaxial growth and packaging—accounts for over 60% of total energy use. Extensive and inefficient processes result in “hidden” carbon footprints that exceed standards, making it difficult to pass increasingly stringent low-carbon certifications.

Energy Waste and Mismatched Applications: Retail stores, office buildings, and similar venues commonly suffer from “lights left on unnecessarily” and “excessive lighting levels.” Traditional dimming systems cannot dynamically adapt to foot traffic, time of day, or production rhythms, resulting in an average annual energy waste of over 30%.

Inefficient Operations and Maintenance: Traditional lighting fixtures rely on manual inspections, resulting in delayed responses to malfunctions. Maintenance costs account for over 30% of total equipment lifecycle expenses, making it difficult to achieve continuous energy-saving optimization.

Growing Compliance Pressure: ESG reporting and green certifications (such as LEED) require end-to-end carbon data. Traditional systems, however, suffer from siloed data across production, transportation, and usage, making it difficult to generate compliant reports.

AI is evolving from a “supporting tool” to a “core engine,” establishing a new paradigm of “green smart manufacturing” for the lighting industry through end-to-end integration, thereby reshaping the logic of low-carbon operations from source to end-user.

Intelligent R&D and Design: AI-driven simulation optimization and lifecycle carbon footprint analysis balance performance, cost, and environmental metrics during the design phase, reducing product carbon emissions at the source.

Lean Manufacturing: Visual quality inspection improves yield rates and reduces scrap waste, while dynamic energy consumption models regulate production lines in real time, lowering energy consumption per unit of output by 8%–15%.

Product Autonomous Evolution: Equipped with a built-in multimodal sensing hub and algorithms, the products feature millisecond-level environmental sensing capabilities, enabling millisecond-level adaptive dimming and self-diagnosis of device health, extending lifespan by more than 30% and reducing carbon emissions from repeat purchases.

Scenario-Based Collaboration: Breaking down the silos between lighting and business scenarios, the system integrates with manufacturing execution systems (MES) or commercial data to dynamically optimize lighting strategies on demand, reducing energy consumption by an additional 50%–70% on top of baseline energy savings.

Predictive Operations and Maintenance: Predictive maintenance based on device big data provides early fault warnings and optimizes energy efficiency strategies, boosting O&M efficiency by 80% and continuously unlocking energy-saving potential.

The value of AI in the lighting sector has gradually been realized, but its implementation must confront real-world challenges.

In terms of value, end-to-end optimization delivers multiple benefits: annual electricity cost savings of 10%–30% at the manufacturing stage; a 5%–15% premium on products based on their “smart, low-carbon” features; and a 20%+ reduction in certification costs and shorter lead times in the supply chain;in terms of compliance, it enables rapid fulfillment of international certifications such as EPD and ISO 14067, mitigating the risks of losing orders and missing out on policy incentives; in the long term, the accumulation of carbon data assets lays the foundation for carbon trading and green loans.

Implementation challenges center on three areas: high initial costs for AI algorithms and sensor deployment, requiring a balance between investment and return; integrating carbon data across the entire supply chain necessitates connecting upstream and downstream interfaces while balancing data privacy and industrial collaboration; and there is an urgent need to fill the talent gap for professionals with expertise in both AI and green manufacturing.

At this historic juncture of the “Dual Carbon” goals, the future of AI+lighting will witness multiple transformations, including deep technological integration, industrial ecosystem restructuring, and market value upgrading:

On the technological front, AI will accelerate the R&D of new materials (such as perovskite quantum dots, which can reduce LED energy consumption by another 50%), drive the achievement of “zero electricity bill operation” through the integration of photovoltaics, LEDs, and AI-powered energy storage, and promote the deep integration of optical communications (with LiFi speeds exceeding 10 Gbps) and the Internet of Things (IoT),thereby establishing a smart closed-loop system of “perception–response–optimization.”

At the industrial level, a vertically integrated, full-chain smart manufacturing system featuring “virtual simulation factories + blockchain-based carbon traceability” will be established, while horizontally expanding into cross-industry applications such as medical phototherapy and spectral agriculture. This will also help China take the lead in setting international standards and break through technological barriers in Europe and the United States.

At the market level, China’s policy dividends continue to materialize, and global demand for low-carbon solutions is exploding (with the EU and North America projected to exceed 100 billion by 2030). Leveraging “AI-powered green smart manufacturing,” Chinese LED companies are poised to break through barriers in high-end markets.

The “Dual Carbon” goals are not “constraints,” but rather a “catalyst” for the upgrading of the LED lighting industry; AI is not merely a technical tool, but a strategic engine for “cost reduction, efficiency improvement, and value enhancement.”As a leading innovator specializing in AI+lighting, MiJi Technology, guided by the philosophy of “Technology Leads the Way to Green, Intelligence Reshapes the Experience,” will continue to deepen its commitment to AI-driven green smart manufacturing. Through technological innovation, the company will propel the industry toward a new path of smart, low-carbon, and sustainable development, providing strong support for the “Dual Carbon” goals.