More energy efficiency in city lighting

National contest launched

Roughly one third of the streetlights in Germany is at least 20 years old-and is often consuming more energy than necessary. The Federal Ministry for Environment (BMU), the KfW Bankengruppe and the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) have therefore launched the national energy efficiency award contest for city lighting (Energieeffiziente Stadtbeleuchtung) contest today. UBA President Prof. Dr. Troge commented, ”We should soon replace old street lanterns as it would achieve a reduction of an annual emissions volume of some one million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Municipalities could also save a lot of money”. Lighting for streets, squares, and bridges in Germany consumes about three to four billion kilowatt hours per year, equivalent to the power use of some 1.2 million households. This incurs more than two million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions annually. At present, municipalities are replacing street lighting at an annual rate of merely three percent. The contest aims to provide incentives to modernise more rapidly.

 

The first phase of the national contest addresses suppliers of modern lighting systems. This part of the contest should result in identifying a range of the energy-efficient technology for city lighting available on the market to municipalities.

The municipalities’ contest, held in the second concluding phase in Autumn 2008, will require submission of schemes to renew their city lighting. An expert jury comprised of delegates from premier associations will select the best submissions. Municipalities can be awarded an investment grant funded by the BMU environmental innovation ­programme for implementation of its scheme. The money saved can be put toward improving municipal finances and doing their bit so protect the climate.

The Berliner Energieagentur (BEA) is supervising the contest and providing the required forms.

Contest ends 25 July 2008. Send entries to: Ms Sabine Piller, Tel.: 030 / 29 33 30 56; email: info [at] bundeswettbewerb-stadtbeleuchtung [dot] de

 

 

 

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