Information on energy-efficient city lighting

First results from countrywide contest and into the next round

The contest on energy-efficient city lighting that was launched in June is now presenting results from the first phase in a compilation of energy-efficient technologies, which can be accessed on the Internet starting today. The site will help initiate the next round of the contest, which is aimed specifically at municipalities. Schemes and new plans to use energy-efficient lighting in cities and towns are sought.

Germany’s energy consumption for street and public space lighting alone is equivalent to that of about 1.2 million households and produces more than two tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year. Existing technologies could halve that consumption and save municipalities a lot of money. Therefore, the German Federal Ministry for Environment (BMU), the KfW Bankengruppe and the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) initiated the national energy efficiency award contest for city lighting (Energieeffiziente Stadtbeleuchtung) contest. The first phase addressed suppliers of lighting systems, and information is now available on which energy-efficient and climate-friendly technologies in city lighting exist on the market. The second phase will begin on 27 October. ”The information will be helpful to municipalities and will also trigger competitiveness among producers and suppliers of lighting as concerns efficiency”, said UBA Vice President Dr. Thomas Holzmann.

The objective of the Energieeffiziente Stadtbeleuchtung national contest is to promote innovative schemes for renewal of city lighting. Selection criteria for acceptance into the catalogue established by BMU, KfW and UBA have been agreed in cooperation with a jury of experts comprised of delegates from economic associations, municipalities, and environmental associations. A great number of suppliers in the lighting industry participated and provided detailed information on their products, the best of which have now been put together in a catalogue. The list is not so much a complete market overview as it is up-to-date insight into modern and ecological technologies available in city lighting. The characteristics of the technologies and systems featured are: high energy efficiency, and low operating cost. Moreover, they are high-quality in terms of durability and required servicing.

Cities and municipalities are now called upon to propose their own innovative ideas for renewal of their city lighting by the end of February 2009.  The municipalities with the best concepts will receive a prize and become eligible for investment funding provided through the BMU programme for environmental innovation. Other contestants will also benefit from the competition, as modernisation of city lighting will mean lower costs and relief for the environment.

This is especially true as concerns replacement of the high pressure mercury vapour lamps still in widespread use and which consume a great deal of energy. The European Union is preparing regulation intended to improve electricity efficiency in city lighting as well as pushing power-hungry systems out of the market in the coming years. ”Municipalities are well-advised to go for energy-efficient city lighting now. The sooner they factor in the costs, the sooner the stress on budgets will be alleviated”, said Holzmann. The catalogue of technologies will help to do this.

The catalogue of technologies has been issued at our website.

Deadline for entries is 27 February 2009.

Dessau-Roߟlau, 23 October 2008

 

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