With the music festival season finally here, we’ve already seen great shows from the likes of Glastonbury and Radio 1’s Big Weekend. With huge line ups of some of the most powerful musicians in the world and crowds of over 180,000 visiting these events, it’s no wonder these events need temporary power outlets on the biggest scale.

From stages and sound systems, to food stalls and portable loos, festivals can use over 30,000 megawatts of electricity over a weekend, this is similar to the equivalent of electricity that the people of the city of Bath would use!

Despite these huge demands, in this day, organisers are becoming more determined to make the event as environmentally sustainable as possible, so tend to go for ways which promote their event in a way which improves green credentials.

Waste

When it comes to most major music festivals, they produce a lot of rubbish, so organisers have taken an active stance on reducing waste material by installing recycling binds around the festival sites, this ensures that around 50% of the two thousand tonnes of waste produced is recycled.

Electric vehicles

Since the 2000s, mud-phobic celebs and VIPs have been known for opting for transportation in electric golf buggies which are recharged using solar power.

Greener fuel

Festivals promote green credentials and organisers will encourage traders to take this into consideration when planning their energy sources.

Most poser used at festivals is provided by generators, with hundreds used around the sites. Many generators are run on 100% biodiesel fuel powered by waste vegetable oil, a renewable substitute for regular diesel which emits 85% less CO2. Tractors may also be used to carry equipment and these will be run on biodiesel.

When it comes to the huge power demands of festivals, in some cases, up to 250 generators are provided which can support 750 traders with power. Bio-diesel generators require more than 60,000 litres of waste vegetable oil to run a festival and will need tankers on standby to make sure a secure fuel supply.

Other initiatives include helping to reduce the number of generators used through power-sharing, this is beneficial to small businesses at the festival, by splitting the costs on larger generators, it can help reduce business energy prices for food traders and stall holders who help make festivals what they are.

Generators perfect for the job

Why choose biodiesel generators?

There are number of advantages and benefits including…

  • Biodiesel recycles waste oil back into fuel, this eliminates the dangers of inefficient and often dangerous disposal or its re-use in the food chain.
  • The lifecycle of biodiesel emits 85% less CO2 emissions than fossil fuel.
  • Unlike alternative sources, switching to biodiesel incurs no major infrastructure changes.

Incentives

Another way is festival organisers promoting traders to use solar panel kits by providing them at reduced prices and pitch fee for their stall the following year if they take part in the scheme. Not only do they reduce the amount of generators required, it’s a way of helping small businesses keep commercial energy process down during the festival and hopefully encourage them to use solar power at other events as well.