Berlin has decided to turn off the lights on various monuments and historical buildings overnight from Wednesday to Thursday as part of a nationwide effort to save energy amid fears of winter shortages.
Stopping the automatic mechanisms that turn on the lights at nightfall will require building-based human intervention, which will take several weeks.
In the short term, “the energy saving effect is metrologically decisive, not the pure profitability”, according to the officials in Berlin, which consumes around 200,000-kilowatt hours a year.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier, head of state, also tried to send a signal this week by announcing that his official residence in Berlin, Schloss Bellevue, will no longer be illuminated at night, except on special occasions.
Russia recently cut gas supplies to Germany, one of its biggest customers, as part of its ongoing standoff with the West, raising fears of winter shortages. Other many cities throughout the country have also announced plans to save energy.
STORYTELLME Junior Technician
