Technical and economic analysis of a Smart Public Lighting model

Abstract

The study focuses on public lighting (PL) and is based on data collected through the Lumière project (www.progettolumiere.enea.it) (ENEA). We identified three intervention strategies that have been piloted in the town of Castelnuovo: 1) Line control 2) Remote point-to-point control 3) Smart (or Adaptive) Lighting. The three solutions were compared according to their net present value (NPV) and payback time (PBT) and considering the energy saving and the security level. Overall, the third solution was found to be the best. The study was extended, given certain assumptions, to the municipalities in the Lumière Network and to Italy, and some very interesting results emerged. In conclusion, an adaptive control system would substantially increase Italy’s energy efficiency and would also significantly reduce municipalities’ expenditure. It would also represent a significant development in the field of PL as well as in transport, building management, security and the quality of services offered to citizens and tourists in general.