The Municipality of Kaunas is very active promoting and implementing energy efficient lighting in non-residential premises (street lighting, public buildings). Energy efficient lighting is one of the priority actions within the City’s Energy Strategy. Accounting for up to 40% of electricity used in public buildings, lighting has a substantial impact on the expenses for energy as well as on the environment. Best examples from this field have shown that between 30% and 50% of electricity used for lighting could be saved investing in energy efficient lighting systems. In most cases, such investments are not only profitable but they also maintain or improve lighting quality.

Objectives and target audience

Between 2002 and 2006 a total of 16,000 old street lights (from 23,000 installed) have been replaced by new sodium lamps (of 70W, 100W, 150W or 250W).
- Total capacity of installed lighting system was reduced from 5,604 kW to 3,014 kW (54% in total and 54% for each street light).
- Annual electricity consumption for lighting was reduced from 20,969 kWh to 11,778 kWh (56%).
- Significant increases were realized in terms of quality of lighting.
Economic benefits: Annual expenses for street lighting could be reduced from LTL4.8 Mio to LTL2.7 Mio (56%), which represents a cost saving of about €4.2 Mio.

Financial Resources and Partners involved

World Bank and the City of Kaunas (20% of the project budget)

Process

To replace old lights with new ones that have lower power and improved characteristics, and to replace old mercury bulbs with new, more efficient, sodium bulbs. Their prerogatives are longer life time. Mercury bulbs can last for about 16 000 hours while sodium bulbs can last for about 32 000 hours, what automatically saves costs of public lighting maintaining. The light has power regulation implemented and that decreases luminance and the use of electricity during night hours when the traffic is not so intense.

Results

To reduce the use of the not renewal resources. To innovate the production processes (technologies alternative)

Critical Success Factors / Challenges

Protection of the environment through energy saving

Objectives and target audience

The objectives are as follows:-

• Saving energy, reduction of energy use;

• Environmental protection of water and soil.  The electrical waste released can pollute the aquatic and terrestrial  systems;

• The reduction of landfill waste;

• To improve public quality of life through the environmental protection.

The target group is all citizens of Amaroussion’s Municipality.

Financial Resources and Partners involved

The Municipality of Amaroussion finances the entire project.

Process

• Collaboration with the collective alternative management system officially approved by the Ministry of Environment for the recycling of used lamps;
• Examine the observations of energy consumed from the municipal network of lighting;
• Gradual replacement of sodium lamps of the municipal lighting network with those that have a low energy consumption.

Results

The only result is the efficient recycling of street lighting.

Critical Success Factors / Challenges

The key issues for success are:-
Good coordination between the collective alternative management system and municipalities services;
The political support;

• The engagement.

It involves solar photovoltaic installations – 1.5 kWp each, and all of them together generating 20,200 Kw/year – which costs an estimated 120,000 euros.  The 10 installations subject to this agreement will have an estimated useful life of 20 years.

Objectives and target audience

The target audience:-

• School-age children;
• Students;
• Citizens.

The project aims to communicate the possibilities of solar energy and photovoltaic energy in particular to the society and more specifically, to students.  It also aims to communicate the need for sustainable development.  The objective is also to demonstrate the possibilities of the urban integration of these technologies to engineers.

Financial Resources and Partners involved

Process

Results

• 10 photovoltaic pergolas at schools.
• Communication to school-age children

Critical Success Factors / Challenges -

• Technical construction of the installation
• Teacher training on sustainable development issues
• Public awareness, location of the installations in easily-visible places.
• Appropriate integration with the surrounding area.