On Tuesday, 25 November 2025, our partners NPorts, the University of Oldenburg, and the Wadden Sea National Park Administration invited the public to an information event in the port of Norddeich. Visitors had the chance to explore how DARKER SKY approaches sustainable lighting and why this work is important for the region.
During the guided tour, the new lighting installation was presented to guests. It will be tested throughout the winter as part of DARKER SKY. (Photo: Burmann/NPorts)
What steps can a busy port take to limit light pollution?
How does environmentally friendly lighting look and feel in real life?
A guided evening walk through the port allowed guests to see the new lighting systems in action.
Norddeich is an important ferry hub for Norderney and Juist, handling around 6.95 million passenger movements in 2024. It has also grown into a central site for offshore wind energy. These developments make lighting especially challenging: it must ensure safety in a highly used space, but without unnecessary impact on nature.
With DARKER SKY, we demonstrate that both goals can be achieved together.
Our partners from NPorts, researchers from the University of Oldenburg, and the Wadden Sea National Park Administration worked closely together to update and improve the lighting design for the East Port of Norddeich. The new demonstration setup meets all legal standards while significantly lowering unwanted light emissions.
The lighting system includes:
- Warm-toned light (2700 K), which reduces disruption to humans, animals, and the natural environment
- Adaptive control software, allowing lighting levels to change depending on need, time of day, or updated regulations
- Motion sensors, providing the required brightness only when someone is present and dimming the rest of the time
The installation will be monitored throughout the winter season. What we learn from this testing phase will help shape the rollout of similar lighting concepts at other NPorts locations.
A key aim of DARKER SKY is to raise awareness of light pollution and share practical solutions. The event offered an opportunity for local stakeholders and visitors to engage directly with the project and its results.
Guests experienced the demonstration lighting system during an evening walk in Norddeich Port. (Photo: Burmann/NPorts)
During the guided tour, the new lighting installation was presented to guests. It will be tested throughout the winter as part of DARKER SKY. (Photo: Burmann/NPorts)
Denise Schablitzki and Dr. Andreas Hänel from the DARKER SKY team at Norddeich Port (Photo: Burmann/NPorts)