Brighter thinking for brighter streets

Street lighting is more than a utility, it’s essential infrastructure. Across the UK, more than 6.5 million streetlights illuminate our roads, neighbourhoods and communities, bringing safer streets, mobility and quality of life. But with councils spending more than £1 billion each year on energy and maintenance of their lighting, there’s a growing need to make this infrastructure smarter, more sustainable and more cost-effective.

E.ON is already a trusted partner in this space. With decades of experience, we deliver end-to-end street lighting services for councils, housing developers and communities across the country – from design and installation to maintenance and upgrades. And our teams are nationwide also, based across 11 UK sites from Northampton to Blackpool, managing everything from small housing developments to large district lighting schemes. We work closely with local authorities to meet regional specifications and ensure every project is designed with energy use, the environment and community needs in mind.

For example, in Staffordshire we’re upgrading more than 60,000 street lights to modern LED versions, saving the county council £1.2m in annual energy costs. Likewise in Solihull, we’re installing more than 1,000 new columns to deliver longer-lasting, more resilient infrastructure. These projects are part of a nationwide presence that makes E.ON one of the UK’s leading street lighting partners.

Introducing Link Luminate

We’re adding a new dimension to our expertise. Link Luminate is our innovative smart control system for street lighting – designed to make lighting networks more efficient, adaptable and future-ready.

Unlike outdated ‘ripple-control’ systems (technology used to remotely switch devices like streetlights or heaters by sending high-frequency signals over power lines), Link Luminate uses modern communications technologies to give councils real-time control and diagnostics. This means lighting can adapt to traffic flows, dim in quieter hours, respond instantly to faults and reduce unnecessary energy use. It’s a system that not only cuts costs but supports net zero goals and enhances public safety.

And because Link Luminate is cost-effective, compatible with existing software, and backed by E.ON’s national expertise in installation and maintenance, it can be deployed at scale to benefit communities across the UK.

Luke Ellis, Director of E.ON Lighting and Grid, said: “Streetlights are one of the most familiar sights in our towns and cities, but they’re also a vital part of the UK’s energy infrastructure. At E.ON, we’ve been working with councils and developers for decades to deliver reliable, efficient and cost-effective lighting. The expertise we’ve built through installing and maintaining streetlights also supports the wider energy transition – from connecting EV chargers to enabling low-carbon heat networks – giving councils and developers a trusted partner across multiple technologies. With innovations like Link Luminate, we’re helping our partners reduce costs, cut carbon and build sustainable communities where essential services are connected, efficient and ready to support a low-carbon future.”

At E.ON, we’ve been working with councils and developers for decades to deliver reliable, efficient and cost-effective lighting. With innovations like Link Luminate, we’re taking the next step – helping our partners to reduce costs, cut carbon and create brighter, safer communities. By combining our on-the-ground experience with digital innovation, we’re shaping smarter, more sustainable streets of tomorrow.”

The bigger picture

Street lighting is just one part of creating smarter, greener cities of the future. As an Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO), and by working with Independent Connection Providers (ICPs), we’re also helping to connect renewable energy projects, EV charging hubs and other low-carbon technologies. Bringing these capabilities together means we can deliver joined-up infrastructure solutions that make streets brighter, cleaner and more sustainable.

Being an accredited IDNO gives us the ability to, own and operate electricity networks, creating seamless connections for everything from housing developments and commercial districts to solar parks and data centres. That means when we work with councils and developers on lighting schemes, we’re not just installing columns and lanterns – we’re also providing the underlying grid connections that make it easier to integrate other sustainable technologies.

From connecting EV charging infrastructure to supporting new community energy projects, IDNOs are about making the grid smarter, more flexible and future-ready. And by combining this with our expertise in street lighting, we’re uniquely placed to help local authorities create joined-up infrastructure that doesn’t just light the streets, but also supports cleaner transport, lower emissions and more resilient communities.