Planering och beslutsprocesser för energieffektivare väg- och gatubelysning i svenska kommuner

Although there has been considerably more energy-efficient road and street lighting available on the market than the light fixtures that dominate in Swedish municipalities today, there are relatively few investments and re-investments in energy-efficient and modern fixtures. This report summarizes an interview-based study of planning, decision making processes, responsibilities, and stakeholder involvement in 12 Swedish municipalities of different sizes to identify factors that constitute barriers or incentives for more energy efficient road and street lighting. The municipalities have highly variable share of mercury lights remaining. The municipalities differ considerably in how they have organized responsibilities and decision-making and how they work strategically with energy issues. Small municipalities had the most energy efficient lighting and all of them stated that energy savings were the main reason for their substitution of mercury lamps. In medium-sized and large municipalities the European Ecodesign Directive was seen as the main motive for renewal of road and street light equipment by four municipalities, and the remaining four municipalities mentioned technically-based reasons for the replacement of old road and street lights. Outsourcing of management, operation and maintenance may constitute a barrier for renewal whereas costs for renewal and lack of knowledge do not seem to be any significant barriers. From the results of this study, the strategic context–in this case strategic work aiming at energy savings–seems to be of great importance for decisions regarding investment in new road and street lights.