CASE STUDY PRESENTATION

Haderslev Cuts Streetlight Energy Use 82%

Haderslev cut streetlight energy use with LED lamps, motion sensors and an open source lighting platform.

Case Study
MitigationStationary energyBehavior and capacityImplementation & operationsPhysical/technical solutionsResource efficiencyEconomic development

Combine LED streetlights, motion sensors and open source control so lights dim when roads are empty and cities avoid vendor lock-in.

The big idea
  • 82% lower streetlight electricity
  • 72 tons CO2 avoided
  • Payback in 8-10 years
So what?
1

The Challenge

Street lighting was a significant municipal energy cost, and many cities had only taken the first step of switching to LED. Haderslev wanted deeper savings by adding dynamic control, especially in smaller towns and residential streets with little night traffic. The municipality also had to justify a large upfront investment and address citizen concerns about darker streets.

2

The Plan

The plan was to go beyond standard LED replacement by installing sensor-controlled, intelligent streetlights. Haderslev prioritized an open source platform to keep procurement flexible and avoid vendor lock-in. The rollout combined technical implementation, staff training, energy-company partnerships and dialogue with residents.

  1. Step 1

    The municipality built a business case covering energy savings, resource savings and a greener profile, supported by longer market dialogue.

  2. Step 2

    Haderslev replaced 6,500 existing fixtures with intelligent LED streetlights across the municipality.

  3. Step 3

    Motion sensors and a digital open source platform enabled lamps to dim or brighten based on road use.

  4. Step 4

    Employees were trained to operate the platform and use real-time lamp status instead of manual inspections.

  5. Step 5

    Energy companies bought documented energy savings, helping finance scaling of the solution.

3

The Results

82%

Reduction in electricity use from dynamic lighting and LED compared with 2015.

72 ton CO2

Estimated annual CO2 reduction using the Klimakompasset factor.

511,000 kWh

Electricity savings reported for the dynamic street lighting system.

36 mio. kr.

Total investment for replacing 6,500 streetlights.

The municipality achieved major cuts in electricity use and CO2 emissions from street lighting. Across the dynamic streetlighting system, electricity use fell by 82% compared with 2015; in two smaller towns savings reached up to 97%. The investment is expected to pay back in about 8-10 years through annual savings of around 4 million Danish kroner.

4

Key Lessons

A strong business case was essential because the upfront investment was large and payback takes several years. The open source platform reduced vendor lock-in, while staff training and citizen dialogue helped implementation. The biggest savings came where traffic is low at night.

  • Fixed lighting at night
  • Manual lamp inspections
  • High electricity use
Before
  • Motion-led dimming
  • Real-time lamp overview
  • Lower light pollution
After

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