Reducing electricity consumption in the Territoire de Belfort region

The Territoire de Belfort has succeeded in significantly reducing residential electricity consumption thanks to energy-saving initiatives focused on public lighting, smart meters and raising public awareness.

Share:

Région de Belfort

An impressive reduction in electricity consumption has recently been observed in the Territoire de Belfort, located in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of France. In the period from October 15, 2022 to April 9, 2023, compared with the same period the previous year, the Territoire de Belfort recorded one of the sharpest falls in household electricity consumption, with a reduction of 9.7%.

The Key Role of Street Lighting

It all started with a focus on street lighting in and around Belfort. Better detection of street lighting faults has triggered a veritable virtuous circle. This department, the smallest in France outside the Paris region, has succeeded in combining various factors to achieve these impressive gains in electrical sobriety.

The Ingredients of Success

Several factors have contributed to the Territoire de Belfort’s success in saving energy:

1. Networking of smart meters : The Territoire de Belfort has built on the successful deployment of Linky smart meters, with 76,000 meters installed and 93% of departmental sites connected. This infrastructure has made it possible to better identify consumption peaks by zone and to raise public awareness.

2. Receptive population: The local population has been receptive to electricity-saving initiatives. Residents have understood the importance of reducing their consumption and have actively participated in energy-saving efforts.

3. Thermal renovation work: Thermal renovation work in buildings has helped reduce demand for electric heating.

4. Reducing public lighting: Some communes, like Danjoutin, have decided to switch off public lighting at night for several years now. This has not only reduced electricity consumption, but also enabled us to modernize our lighting equipment.

Public Lighting and Awareness

The city of Belfort played a central role in this success. It has introduced energy-saving initiatives, including switching off public lighting from 01:00 to 05:00 in the morning from November 2022. The campaign has been well received by local residents. What’s more, it has been a key factor in the Territoire de Belfort’s overall success in saving energy.

Towards a Sustainable Future

The Territoire de Belfort has no intention of stopping there. The department plans to create a smart district, called Belfort-E Start, which will be a demonstrator of the sustainable city. This ambitious project aims to establish France’s largest renewable energy community, with a photovoltaic production capacity of 3.3 megawatt-peak. It will also be coupled with energy storage solutions based on batteries and green hydrogen.

The Belfort-E Start project will be deployed at the heart of the Techn’Hom business park, taking advantage of existing infrastructures and producing energy as close as possible to where it will be consumed.

The Territoire de Belfort, with its commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability, represents an inspiring example of what can be achieved through awareness-raising, technological innovation and community collaboration.

Nearly USD92bn will be invested by major American and international groups in new data centres and energy infrastructure, responding to the surge in electricity demand linked to the rise of artificial intelligence.
Nouakchott has endured lengthy power interruptions for several weeks, highlighting the financial and technical limits of the Mauritanian Electricity Company as Mauritania aims to widen access and green its mix by 2030.
Between 2015 and 2024, four multilateral climate funds committed nearly eight bn USD to clean energy, attracting private capital through concessional terms while Africa and Asia absorbed more than half of the volume.
The Global Energy Policies Hub shows that strategic reserves, gas obligations, cybersecurity and critical-mineral policies are expanding rapidly, lifting oil coverage to 98 % of world imports.
According to a report by Ember, the Chinese government’s appliance trade-in campaign could double residential air-conditioner efficiency gains in 2025 and trim up to USD943mn from household electricity spending this year.
Washington is examining sectoral taxes on polysilicon and drones, two supply chains dominated by China, after triggering Section 232 to measure industrial dependency risks.
The 2025-2034 development plan presented by Terna includes strengthening Sicily’s grid, new interconnections, and major projects to support the region’s growing renewable energy capacity.
Terna and NPC Ukrenergo have concluded a three-year partnership in Rome aimed at strengthening the integration of the Ukrainian grid into the pan-European system, with an in-depth exchange of technological and regulatory expertise.
GE Vernova has secured a major contract to modernise the Kühmoos substation in Germany, enhancing grid reliability and integration capacity for power flows between Germany, France and Switzerland.
The National Energy System Operator forecasts electricity demand to rise to 785 TWh by 2050, underlining the need to modernise grids and integrate more clean energy to support the UK’s energy transition.
Terna has signed a guarantee agreement with SACE and the European Investment Bank to finance the Adriatic Link project, totalling approximately €1bn ($1.08bn) and validated as a major transaction under Italian regulations.
India unveils a series of reforms on oil and gas contracts, introducing a fiscal stability clause to enhance the sector’s attractiveness for foreign companies and boost its growth ambitions in upstream energy.
The European Commission is launching a special fund of EUR2.3bn ($2.5bn) to boost Ukraine’s reconstruction and attract private capital to the energy and infrastructure sectors.
Asia dominated global new renewable energy capacity in 2024 with 71% of installations, while Africa recorded limited growth of only 7.2%, according to the latest annual report from IRENA.
US President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act dramatically changes energy investment rules, imposing restrictions on renewables while favouring hydrocarbons, according to a recent report by consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie.
On July 8, 2025, the Senate validated the Gremillet bill, aimed at structuring France's energy transition with clear objectives for nuclear power, renewable energies, and energy renovation.
Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Peru significantly increase renewable electricity production, reaching nearly 70% of the regional electricity mix, according to a recent Wood Mackenzie study on Latin America's energy sector.
The Canadian government announces an investment of more than $40mn to fund 13 energy projects led by Indigenous communities across the country, aiming to improve energy efficiency and increase local renewable energy use.
The German Ministry of Economy plans to significantly expand aid aimed at reducing industrial electricity costs, increasing eligible companies from 350 to 2,200, at an estimated cost of €4bn ($4.7bn).
A major electricity blackout paralyzed large parts of the Czech Republic, interrupting transport and essential networks, raising immediate economic concerns, and highlighting the vulnerability of energy infrastructures to unforeseen technical incidents.