Benidorm will start in the downtown area the lighting renovation project co-financed with European funds

Benidorm City Council will initiate the energy efficiency project co-financed with European funds in the Downtown area, with which the renovation of more than 50% of the public lighting in the city is expected to achieve energy savings of about 79%. The mayor, Toni Pérez, explained that “this ambitious project will make Benidorm a more sustainable city and destination”, and added that with it “we follow the 2030 Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and side by side with municipal technicians so that this important political vocation is translated into realities for the people of Benidorm ”.

According to the mayor, "based on the criteria set by the municipal technicians and taking into account the high number of light points to be modified and the magnitude of the areas where it will act, it has been decided to divide this project into three phases, the first one is in the Downtown area, which includes the old town, its expansion and the neighborhoods of Foietes-Colonia Madrid and Imalsa-Els Tolls ”.

"An area - he added - that corresponds to the area of ​​action of the EDUSI (Strategy for Sustainable and Integrative Urban Development), for which Benidorm has obtained 10 million euros of European funds and that we are also going to start implementing this year with the start of such emblematic projects as the creation of a youth hostel in Parque de la Séquia Mare or the renovation of the Bullring ”.

The mayor explained that “with this first phase we are going to act on 2,517 light points, which will have LED technology, and 54 command centers, which means renewing 73.81% of the lighting in the area and reducing power installed from 441.20 kW to 119.53 kW ”. A reduction that "is going to translate into a benefit not only economic but also, and here lies the key to this action, environmental, since it will exponentially reduce CO2 emissions, and social."

Toni Pérez recalled that the whole of this project, to be developed between 2021 and 2023, amounts to 6,014,578.57 euros and has a subsidy from the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE), dependent on the Ministry of Transition Ecological, for an amount of 3,007,289.28 euros from European funds. Specifically, the one in Benidorm was selected by IDAE within a call for projects by local entities that would favor the transition to a low-carbon economy, within the framework of the ERDF Operational Program for Sustainable Growth 2014-2020.

As the mayor has detailed, investment in the downtown area is estimated "at just over 2 million euros, which will be carried out this year." For this, the procedures for the tender for this supply and installation contract have already begun. Looking ahead to 2022, "it is expected that actions will be carried out in the same line within phase 2 for an approximate amount of 3.5 million euros, leaving for 2023 the remaining investment corresponding to phase 3".

Project details

Toni Pérez has indicated that "the luminaires to be installed are of 'led' technology -" much more efficient than the current ones "- and will be equipped with a system that will allow to turn on, turn off or regulate the luminous flux individually or jointly in function of the different night hours and types of roads, adjusting to the needs of citizens.

The mayor has stressed that “this project reaches all the neighborhoods of Benidorm, since it proposes to act on the first line of Levante and Poniente, in Ensanche de Levante, Colonia Madrid, Old Town, Downtown area, Calvari, La Cala, Els Tolls, Rincón de Loix, the main accesses to the city, Salt de l'Aigua, Alfredo Corral, surroundings of Vía Parque, Finca Barrina, Mercasa, Guillermo Amor Sports City and Parque de l'Aigüera, among others ”.

"With projects like this - he has deepened - we continue to bet on the implementation of all technological advances that allow us to be more efficient and more respectful with the environment every day, reducing CO2 emissions by 2,422.78 tons per year, and improving with this is the quality of life of citizens ”.