On 3 May, Minister Ibrahim Baylan launched Belysningsutmaningen, Sweden’s commitment to Global Lighting Challenge. Together with public and private actors, the Swedish government now races to reduce the electricity demand for lighting by half to 2020 and challenges other countries to follow.
The launch event took place in the Prime Minister’s offices in Stockholm, and was also webcast to reach out to actors all over the country. At the launch, Minister Baylan handed over a formal government assignment to Erik Brandsma, Director General at the Swedish Energy Agency, to co-ordinate concrete actions for the next years to realize the potential to reduce the electricity use for lighting in Sweden by half to 2020, electricity that could be used for other purposes, such as electrifying the vehicle fleet.
To be successful in this endeavor, a broad support from the public and private sector is necessary. Minister Baylan therefore met with several actors ahead of the launch to inform about the Global Lighting Challenge and to learn more about how different actors have benefited from switching to more efficient lighting systems and solutions.
A strong conclusion from the talks is that there are multiple benefits. Not only does it save energy and money but the evolution of the lighting markets comes with greater knowledge about how we can use light in both outdoor and indoor environment, such as schools, hospitals, offices and hotel. At the launch, Swedish expertise demonstrated examples of how efficient lighting solutions have been integrated in these environments.
At the launch on 3 May, four new commitments were made official. The National Property Board and the Swedish Fortifications Agency, together in charge of all central government buildings, committed to increasing the exchange rate of lighting in their facilities. The newly established National Agency for Public Procurement also committed to additional activities related to procurement of efficient and qualitative lighting. Finally, Örebrobostäder, a local tenant owner, joined Belysningsutmaningen by promising additional activities and the objective of being a testbed for best practices. IKEA and Aura Light have joined the Global Challenge Challenge already.
In addition, a long list of public and private actors endorsed Belysningsutmaningen and the challenge to reduce the electricity demand for lighting in Sweden by half to 2020. For all actors that want to sign up for the challenge they may now submit their commitment and support at www.energimyndigheten.se/belysningsutmaningen.
With the launch, Sweden’s work to accelerate the lighting revolution has officially started and we now together challenge other countries to follow and do the same thing.
Miljö- och energidepartementet
Dep.sek
Per-Anders Widell
Mobil 0727360331
E-post per-anders.widell@regeringskansliet.se