Erfurt (dpa/th) - Thuringia's municipalities use financial grants from the state to convert their street lighting to energy-saving LED technology. Since 2018, more than 2.8 million euros have flowed for projects in a total of 126 cities and communities, the Ministry of the Environment said on request in Erfurt. In the past year alone, almost one million euros were made available, primarily for large municipal projects, including those in the state capital of Erfurt.
Environment Minister Bernhard Stengele (Greens) expects high demand for the financial support again this year in view of the situation on the electricity market. Municipalities that use the Klima Invest funding program to replace old street lamps or lights would benefit threefold, the minister said. "They save energy and thus costs while protecting the climate and insects at the same time." The light from old street lamps attracts insects at night, which die circling around the light.
