Carbon-cutting wallpaper could be ready by 2012

(Macs Peter)

Britain's Carbon Trust is backing a light-emitting wallpaper that could replace lightbulbs altogether and promises major carbon cuts.

The Trust calls the organic LED (OLED) lighting technology, which could be used to coat wallpapers, "revolutionary" and has awarded developers Lomox a grant of £454,000 (€509,310) to further their idea.

"[The materials] have a wide variety of potential applications and when coated onto a film could be used to cover walls creating a light-emitting wallpaper which replaces the need for traditional light bulbs," the Carbon Trust said in a statement.

But what about life span? Wouldn't the wallpaper need to be replaced every time the OLED lighting comes to an end? Apparently, Lomox has found a way to make the notoriously short-lived OLED technology more persevering. "The technology will [...] be more efficient (producing 150 lumens/watt) as it only emits light along one axis," reads the release.

As a positive side effect, the wallpaper could result in a "more natural looking light than other forms of lighting," the Trust said.

The Lomox project is one of more than 160 schemes that the Carbon Trust is currently supporting towards more carbon-conscious technologies. Applications for grants will be accepted through February 18 on carbontrust.co.uk/appliedresearch.