78 percent energy savings: Fraunberg retrofits street lighting

On the way to optimally utilize electrical energy and to achieve “a green fingerprint” in the community, Fraunberg's mayor, Hans Wiesmaier, invited an expert to the local council meeting: Tobias Brockel, municipal representative of Bayernwerk Netz GmbH from Landshut, provided figures for more energy efficiency and ideas for the transparency of energy saving.

Fraunberg - Brockel was primarily asked to present an energetic renovation of the street lighting. After all, Fraunberg has 262 street lights in its municipality, many of them 25 years old. The fluorescent material is no longer up-to-date, but according to Brockel it is associated with high consumption and therefore expensive: almost 74,000 kilowatt hours are due every year, around 60 percent of municipal electricity costs are attributable to lighting.

The solution to this cost hog is LED, light-emitting diodes as semiconductor components. Their advantages are not only in the potential for CO2 savings of up to 80 percent, they have a lifespan of twelve to 15 years and provide targeted light with almost no scattering. Thanks to the component construction in modules, in contrast to conventional lamps, only the defective component needs to be replaced.

For Fraunberg, Brockel calculated energy savings of around 78 percent at a cost of around 70,000 euros for the retrofit. A 30 percent subsidy is possible, "an order for the renovation can only be made after a funding decision anyway". The situation in Maria Thalheim still needs to be checked, where some energy-saving lights have already been installed. The council unanimously instructed the administration to seek funding in a timely manner.

The presentation of a so-called energy monitor for Fraunberg was also interesting. Thanks to this new instrument, which can be viewed on any smartphone, a visualization of the current energy status would be possible at any time. “This means that the administration, but also every consumer, can see what energy is currently available and how it is generated, from the biogas plant to photovoltaics to wind power. This creates transparency that helps everyone to visibly shape the consumption of energy in the future. The degree of self-sufficiency of a community can also be seen, ”says Brockel. This instrument, which could perhaps create even more energy awareness, would be feasible for Fraunberg at a monthly price of around 140 euros.

In addition, the electricity expert spoke about the replacement of the now defective e-charging station behind the community center.

Including the annual service costs, around 5400 euros would have to be used for this, and another charging station in Maria Thalheim would cost around 3400 euros.

The municipal council wants to consult again on this topic.

Brockel, however, pointed out that “a funding application for these pillars must be submitted by January 18, 2022”.