Public lighting is a key service provided by public authorities at the local and municipal level. However, many public lighting networks are outdated and inefficient. For municipalities which have outdated systems, street lighting can account for as much as 30 to 50 percent of their entire power consumption.[[doc_id:2554|text:Page excerpted from: "Energy Efficient Street Lighting". European PPP Expertise Centre, European Investment Bank, 2013.]]  

Modern public lighting systems have a host of benefits:

  • enhanced road traffic safety
  • improved nighttime visibility, resulting in decreased criminal activity and an improved sense of security among citizens
  • increased productivity due to a rise in legitimate activity after dusk, and a longer workday that allows people to travel safely at later times
  • a reduction (sometimes drastic) in cost due to reduced electricity consumption resulting from energy efficient technology
  • an effective and highly visible way for municipal governments to show commitment to their constituents

Public lighting projects have been effectively delivered through public-private partnerships over the past few years. Through the PPP, government contracts a private provider for the service—light—as opposed to an asset—the luminaire itself.

Key sector resources