Fewer decorative lights, no ice rinks and green electricity: Municipalities are looking for solutions to save energy during the Advent season.
Around 100 days before Christmas Eve, municipalities in Bavaria advise on energy saving options at Christmas markets. “Against the background of the looming energy crisis, there is agreement that there can be no lighting this year like in previous years,” said the spokesman for the city of Bamberg, Michael Memmel. The city is in the process of voting. It is not yet clear by how much the light decorations will be reduced. In return, Bamberg is thinking about putting up more Christmas trees. “But these are preliminary considerations,” emphasized Memmel.
Regensburg checks whether the lights are switched off earlier on the Advent evenings. A city spokeswoman said that individual fir trees could also fall away. The Christmas trees at the city Christmas market and in front of the old town hall are firmly planned. Energy-saving LED lighting should be used. A natural ice rink is out of the question for Regensburg. “However, votes are still being taken as to whether a plastic ice rink can be put into operation in January/February.” According to the city, it would use significantly less energy. In Rosenheim, too, people are thinking about a plastic track.
For the Christmas market at Munich’s Marienplatz, the city states that they work exclusively with LED lighting. A cancellation of the market is not conceivable. “The traditional Christmas market is of great tourist importance for the city and supports a business that has already been badly affected by the corona lockdowns,” said the spokesman for the Department of Labor and Economics. There are a total of around 30 other markets in Munich – but they are operated privately.
Nuremberg points out that the Christkindlesmarkt has been supplied with 100 percent green electricity for almost ten years, and the energy consumption of the lighting has been reduced to a minimum with LED lamps. For ecological reasons, the green of the fir trees has also been reduced in recent years. The Berchtesgaden Advent will also be supplied with green electricity for the first time this year. Referring to the energy consumption, there are neither skating rinks in Nuremberg nor in Berchtesgaden.
The Upper Bavarian market in Peiting relies on a photovoltaic system and battery to light up the Christmas tree. A local electrician donates the technology. “No matter what happens on the electricity market, our Christmas tree lights up independently,” said Mayor Peter Ostenrieder (CSU). Rosenheim is not planning any changes to the Christmas lights in the city center compared to previous years. Aschaffenburg and Kempten have not yet been able to provide any information – these questions are still being asked.