As night falls across China, nearly 30 million street lamps gradually illuminate, weaving a flowing network of light. Behind this "free" illumination lies an annual electricity consumption exceeding 30 billion kilowatt-hours - equivalent to 15% of the Three Gorges Dam's annual output. This colossal energy expense ultimately derives from public finance systems, funded through specialized taxes including urban maintenance and construction tax and land value-added tax.
In modern urban governance, street lighting has transcended mere illumination. It prevents over 90% of potential nighttime traffic accidents, supports nighttime economies accounting for 16% of GDP, and forms essential infrastructure for social governance. Beijing's Zhongguancun district integrates 5G base stations into smart street lamps, while Shenzhen's Qianhai area employs IoT technology for dynamic brightness adjustment - both reflecting the evolutionary upgrade of public lighting systems.
Regarding energy conservation, China has achieved LED conversion for over 80% of street lamps, achieving 60% greater efficiency compared to traditional sodium lamps. Hangzhou's pilot "lamp-post charging stations" and Guangzhou's multi-functional pole systems demonstrate continuous improvements in public resource utilization efficiency. This luminous social contract essentially embodies the equilibrium between governance costs and public welfare.
Urban illumination not only brightens streets but also mirrors modern society's operational logic - through rational allocation of public finances, transforming individual tax contributions into universal public services. This constitutes a crucial metric of urban civilization. 
Post time: May-08-2025