Increases in energy prices persist. Another problem for local government in Germany, where municipalities and communities are mainly financed by taxes and contributions from residents and often face financial difficulties. Some municipalities are now starting to cut back on public lighting in an attempt to reduce costs. Lights are being turned on a little later at night or turned off a little earlier in the morning. In other cases, the intensity of the lighting is simply being reduced."
"These reductions and cuts are just one of many ideas we are currently discussing in local government," says Alexander Huntsu, from the German Association of Municipalities and Communities. For example, the city of Weimar decided to take measures as early as 1 June: during the summer, public lighting will be switched on thirty minutes later and switched off thirty minutes earlier. For the winter months, the municipal authority wants to reduce the total lighting time by ten minutes a day. It estimates that 70 000 to 100 000 kilowatt-hours can be saved in this way on an annual basis, which equates to an economic benefit of between EUR 30 000 and EUR 40 000.
"We are preparing for similar measures"
In the town of Halle in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt, a representative of the municipal lighting company told the German News Agency (DPA) that "due to technical and organisational measures" these cuts were not yet necessary, but that "we are also preparing for similar measures". Similar preparations are being made in the city of Mainz in the West German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It has already been decided to reduce the intensity of lighting between one and five in the morning on pedestrian and cycle paths that are not particularly busy. The municipal authority is now examining whether it is technically feasible to activate the lighting only on demand, i.e. when a pedestrian or cyclist really wants to cross the street in question.
Already since 2012 the city of Mainz has been investing in LED technology for public lighting and claims that the results are visible. In 2021, officials say, 1.7 million kilowatt-hours had been saved with this technology compared to 2012, meaning the city's energy needs were reduced by about 20%. The city of Darmstadt is also trying to reduce lighting costs with modern technology. Special sensors have already been installed to activate lighting on cycle paths in the city, as well as on an express cycle path linking Darmstadt to Frankfurt. The sensors react to traffic and increase the intensity of the lights as soon as a pedestrian or cyclist appears, while the same automation reduces the intensity when the road remains empty.
Less safety?
The economic benefit is undeniable. The Hesse Ministry of Finance estimates that public lighting can absorb up to 50% of the annual budget in a small town or community. On the other hand, of course, there is the question of safety. "When the duration of lighting is reduced, this always means that traffic is carried out less safely," warns a spokesman for the municipal authority in Dresden and makes it clear that, despite rising energy prices, the Saxon capital will not resort to this solution. The same is true in Leipzig. There, too, public lighting will remain active for around eight hours a day, from ten o'clock in the evening until six o'clock in the morning. However, in both cities the decision has been taken to adjust the intensity of the lighting as required. In Leipzig they estimate that with this practice they can save up to 30% of the energy in conventional lamps or even 50% when LED technology is used.
In large cities such as Hannover, Bremen and Oldenburg, sensors have already been installed to automatically switch on public lighting, for example between ten in the evening and six in the morning in Bremen. Beyond that, there is no talk of a blackout due to cutbacks. "What the citizens are asking us is rather the opposite," says Kim Friedenberg-Fastje, a spokeswoman for the municipal authority in Oldenburg. "That is, they are asking for an extended operating time for the lamps."
Source: Deutsche Welle
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