Illuminating Inequality: Public Lighting Energy Consumption and Light Pollution in Urban and Rural Contexts

Publication Name: Chemical Engineering Transactions

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: 121

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: 67-72

Description:

This paper investigates the spatial and social dimensions of light pollution through the lens of electricity consumption and technical losses related to public lighting across Hungarian municipalities, focusing on the Western Transdanubia region. Unlike traditional approaches based on remote sensing, this paper employs local-level electricity use data as a proxy for assessing light pollution intensity. Notably, several sparsely populated rural settlements display disproportionately high per capita electricity use and losses, suggesting inefficiencies, potential over-lighting, and elevated exposure to light pollution. The inclusion of technical losses provides a more accurate picture of systemic inefficiency that may contribute to excessive artificial illumination without corresponding social benefit. These findings underscore the relevance of electricity data as an indirect but actionable source for evaluating light pollution and energy waste. The paper advocates for more data-driven, environmentally conscious, and socially equitable lighting policies that integrate energy efficiency and light pollution mitigation into local planning frameworks. Based on data from 657 municipalities, total public lighting consumption ranges from under 10 MWh in small villages to over 1,000 MWh in large cities, with a regional average of 51.3 MWh (SD: 338.3 MWh). Per capita consumption varies between 0.002 and 0.02 MWh/person, with technical losses up to 17.9 kWh/person in some rural areas. These results indicate that energy inefficiency and light pollution are often more pronounced in small settlements, highlighting the need for regionally tailored modernization strategies addressing both energy use and environmental impact.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3303/CET25121012

Authors - 3