In light of the EU member states’ commitment to use 15 percent less gas by March 2023, Energy Minister Claude Turmes gave an update on the energy situation in Luxembourg on Thursday.
He explained on Radio 100.7 that heating public buildings to a maximum of 20 degrees in winter was one of the possibilities to save gas.
In the meantime, municipalities have also received instructions on how to make savings. Among other things, they should reduce lighting as much as possible.
Keeping heating systems under control and reducing lighting are indeed the easiest ways for municipalities to save energy, Eicher told RTL on Friday morning.
However, there are exceptions to the rule of lowering the temperature in buildings to 20 degrees, for example in old people’s homes or day-care centres where people need different temperatures.
The president of Syvicol is also counting on municipalities to exchange their experiences with each other to find out where they can make the best savings.
So far, apart from Grevenmacher, which will close its swimming pool a month early, not many have a concrete plan to achieve these goals. The municipalities will attend a webinar in a fortnight’s time where an energy saving campaign will be presented.
One particular tactic that Eicher has suggested is using less lighting in public areas. In his opinion, there is a huge potential for savings.
However, he believes that the municipalities and the state must work together, especially in the area of street lighting. The municipality of Clervaux, of which Eicher is mayor, will radically reduce its Christmas lights this year.
What is already clear, however, is that increases in energy prices this winter will also place a heavy burden on municipalities.
