UNITED KINGDOM (CelebrityAccess) – Live Nation’s Festival Republic has announced that it’s funding a new research project with Music Declares Emergency (MDE) that will look at connecting more UK festivals to the national power grid, reducing the need to run generators on festival sites, and powering those events in a more environmentally friendly way.
Announcing the project, Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn says: “This project will be a game-changer for outdoor live events. Generating our own temporary power is the highest contributor of on-site greenhouse gas emissions at a festival, and by plugging into the grid we will reduce this significantly”.
The festivals company is hoping that, on the back of the research, it can run fully renewably-powered grid-connected stages at three of its events next year, while also helping other promoters and event organizers to pursue similar plans.
Welcoming the partnership with Festival Republic, Music Declares Emergency Co-Founder Lewis Jamieson adds: “Festival Republic and Melvin personally have been at the forefront of action on climate and environmental issues within the music industry for years”.
The research on connecting festival sites to the national power grid is one of many initiatives Festival Republic is pursuing to make its events more environmentally sustainable, including more recycling and use of recycled products onsite, schemes to encourage festival-goers to car share, and support for tree planting charity Trees For Cities.
This year’s Reading and Leeds festivals will also be powered by 100% HVO biofuel which, Festival Republic says, is “a renewable form of fuel that has 90% less carbon equivalent emissions than regular diesel”.
