About two weeks ago, Berlin’s Green Senator for the Environment, Bettina Jarasch, announced that night-time lighting on buildings and monuments would be turned off. Recently, sights of the German capital – such as the Victory Column, one of the most important national monuments in Germany – have actually remained in limbo.
Given the rising electricity and gas prices, the German capital wants to contribute to energy saving. In addition, a signal must be sent against Russian threats in the course of the war in Ukraine, it is said. As the environmental service reported at the request of the German news agency dpa, more than 100 sights are no longer lit.
200,000 kilowatt hours of power consumption
Among the approximately 150 buildings for which Environmental Senator Jarasch is responsible and which will no longer be illuminated in the evening or at night, are the State Opera, the Victory Column, the Berlin Cathedral, the Gedächtniskirche, Charlottenburg Palace and the Red Town Hall. A total of around 1,400 spots are in use for lighting, which consume around 150,000 to 200,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. At current electricity prices, that costs about 40,000 euros per year, they say.
According to the Berlin Environmental Senate, the cessation process should be largely completed by the end of August. The shutdowns take so long because there is no central control and technicians have to disconnect each individual radiator from the power supply by hand.
Government plans stricter rules
To save energy, the German government is planning strict regulations for the coming autumn and winter. “Public buildings – with the exception of hospitals and social facilities, of course – may only be heated to 19 degrees,” Economic Affairs Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) announced this weekend in the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”. In addition, buildings and monuments may no longer be lit at night and advertising systems may no longer be lit. Habeck, however, did not give an exact date.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
