Tian'anmen Square Lit Up by Energy Efficient Bulbs for the First Time

China Watch Home About China Watch

Power authorities recently renovated the 249 lamps lining Beijing’s famous Tian’anmen Square and adjacent Chang’an Street, replacing incandescent and mercury bulbs with energy-efficient electrode-less discharge ones, reports People’s Daily. The more than 500-year-old political centerplace at the heart of China’s capital—and the world’s largest urban square, covering 440,000 square meters—was illuminated by “green” bulbs for the first time in history.  

The replacement was made in time for celebrations of the country’s 57th national day on October 1, when tourists flood the area during a weeklong holiday known as “golden week.” According to Beijing Municipal Street Lamp Management Center, the electricity consumption of the newly renovated lamps is only 19 percent that of the previous lamps. The project is expected to save around 1.3 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 1 million yuan (roughly US $131,000) in electricity bills and maintenance costs annually.

The newly replaced bulbs are used for scenic and decoration purposes, functioning mainly during holidays and festival times. Beijing’s street lamp authorities will gradually upgrade the daily lighting systems in the neighborhood as well, in an attempt to replace all older bulbs with more energy-efficient ones before the city hosts the 2008 Summer Olympics.