Talarn is a municipality located in the province of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. It lies on the banks of the Noguera Pallaresa River, in a mountainous natural environment and very close to major protected areas such as the Alt Pirineu Natural Park and the Serra del Montsec Natural Park.
This proximity to natural areas has earned it the classification of a special light protection zone (E1), the strictest category. Across Catalonia, 43% of the territory enjoys this type of protection, a percentage that has increased by almost 4% in the last five years thanks to conservation policies promoted by the Generalitat.

PROTECTING THE DARK SKY AND BOOSTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY

In this context, Talarn Town Council has undertaken an ambitious project to renew the municipal lighting system with a dual objective: optimising energy efficiency while preserving biodiversity and the natural environment, in line with its commitment to astrotourism and Dark Sky conservation.

To achieve this, the council turned to Carandini, which supplied the Clamod, Spin and Mikos lighting solutions, all highly efficient and specifically designed to meet the requirements of E1 zones. All were manufactured with amber light, recognised for its minimal environmental impact and suitability for sensitive environments.

In the village centre, the classic Clamod luminaire was installed to ensure functional and uniform lighting in narrow streets. In the squares, multiple Spin columns were chosen, adding an elegant yet playful touch. Finally, monuments such as the Church of Sant Martí were lit with the Mikos floodlight, highlighting the local heritage without impacting the night sky’s darkness.

A COMPREHENSIVE SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE

Beyond simply replacing equipment, the project was conceived as an integrated sustainability measure. Energy consumption has been reduced, lighting levels adjusted to the real needs of each space, and technologies with low ecological impact prioritised. This intervention is expected to deliver an average 50% reduction in installed power, a 67% saving in energy consumption and cost, and a significant annual decrease in CO₂ emissions.

The result is not only efficient but also of high lighting quality. Although the installed optics use amber light, a colour rendering index (CRI) of over 70 has been achieved, proving that even with ultra-warm colour temperatures it is possible to achieve good lighting quality within the technological limitations of this type of optics.

A BENCHMARK IN SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC LIGHTING MANAGEMENT

With this initiative, Talarn positions itself as a benchmark in sustainable public lighting management, demonstrating that it is possible to protect the environment, preserve the night sky, and provide efficient, high-quality lighting.