1. Overview and problem statement
Did you know…?
…Germany could easily cover its entire energy requirements from renewable sources, and with an environmentally friendly expansion? 12
Without energy, there is no show – which is why this topic is of fundamental importance for events and is becoming even more important in times of energy crisis, rising costs and air pollution.
For cost reasons alone, event organisers strive to use energy sources as efficiently as possible. At the same time, artistic visions or musical requirements are not always geared towards energy consumption, which also depends on local conditions in terms of logistics.
The challenge for the event industry: despite the ongoing energy transition, renewable energies are still sometimes more expensive than ‘conventional’ electricity or harmful fuels such as diesel and petrol. 13 At large open-air events, it is currently the absolute exception that an infrastructure for renewable energies is available. The German festival industry currently produces around 400 million litres of diesel emissions every year. 14
For event organisers and bands, the topic of energy transformation is an important lever and requires not only efficiency adjustments but above all a discussion of renewable energy sources. 15
2. Our Benchmark for Labor Tempelhof
In order to realise the Labor Tempelhof concerts in the most climate-positive way possible, we have made these aspects our goal:
- To use solid electricity in the form of genuine green electricity.
- Measure energy consumption and define potential savings.
- For all devices that need to be energy self-sufficient for safety reasons and therefore cannot be operated with fixed power: Battery storage solutions, designed to be as recyclable as possible/equipped with a battery pass and charged using renewable energy.
- Only use generators if this is unavoidable. Rent vehicles refuelled with HVO or other alternative fuels 16 or fill them yourself (e.g. self-sufficient security technology).
- Communicate with all trades and crews involved on site to raise awareness of energy efficiency. Communicate the measures taken internally to the event team and externally to the public.
3. What worked well, what can be improved?
At Tempelhof Lab, we took various measures to use energy in a sustainable and circular manner.
What worked well?
- Supply of the entire event site, including the production and catering areas, with genuine green electricity from the fixed grid. Exceptions were safety-relevant items (safety lighting or emergency power unit), which had to be supplied with an independent power source due to official regulations, or light poles, for which a fixed network supply was disproportionate due to the required cable runs of up to 1.5 kilometres.
- 100% elimination of propane gas in the catering area.
- Use of HVO (with 70-90% less CO₂ emissions than diesel, at Labor Tempelhof the saving is approx. 89%) and rechargeable batteries for lighting columns and the emergency power unit.
What can be improved?
- Utilisation of other renewable energy sources, such as long-term energy storage, photovoltaic systems, wind, etc.
- Creation and measurement of a more precise energy plan, how much electricity is consumed in which areas and at what time. Based on this, development of further energy-saving measures and efficiencies and, if necessary, savings on materials to be used.
- Ideal energy storage solutions based on recyclable batteries are not yet available on the market. However, this structural problem is to be addressed at a political level by the EU Battery Regulation, so that such solutions could become established in the coming years.
4. Findings and Recommendations
- Switching to renewable energies is one of the biggest levers we can directly influence in terms of our carbon footprint. By switching from diesel generators to green electricity from the grid, we were able to reduce CO₂ emissions in the energy sector by 95%. 17 All event organisers should therefore address this issue at an early stage.
- For permanent venues, we recommend switching to genuine green electricity from an appropriate supplier.
- If the location is secure and will be used for several years (e.g. open-air festivals), the installation of fixed electricity can be a sensible medium-term investment. Public subsidies 18 may also be available for this.
- In the case of a one-off event, an attempt should be made to enter into dialogue with the site owner and energy company in order to develop solutions together. The temporary installation of fixed power, as at Labor Tempelhof, is associated with additional financial expenditure for a one-off application, both in terms of technical implementation and material and personnel planning, as well as for the installation of the power supply.
- Due to the many different site conditions, all energy sources should be considered individually during planning.
- The switch to fixed current means considerable additional work due to the relocation of the corresponding infrastructure across the entire site (transformer stations, laying of several kilometres of cable bridges, scaffolding bridges, etc.).
- The switch to fixed current can have an impact on individual trades. For example, in catering: a deep fryer heats up faster with gas than with electricity.
- Inform the trades in advance about the changeover/available energy sources in order to obtain feedback on any needs and requirements. If this is done early on, solutions can be found together.
- Alternative fuels such as HVO are a good interim solution where fuel is absolutely necessary.
- Closely monitor the development of supply on the market.
- In locations close to HVO producers, procurement is easier and delivery distances are shorter. In addition, there are already suppliers who deliver their devices filled with HVO, which should be considered directly in the tender. This can also avoid residual quantities.
- Green hydrogen: Hydrogen can be an alternative to HVO in some places and in some regions. This depends on how much energy is lost during production (how much energy is needed to produce a certain amount of hydrogen).
- Integrate educational projects into the event: Solar trees as mobile phone charging stations may not be a significant lever for the carbon footprint, but they have a very big educational effect. This also applies to projects in which the public can actively participate, such as the generation of kinetic energy using bicycles fitted with a generator on the rear wheel or danceable floor panels.
- Projects of this kind should be considered in advance during the planning stage and appropriate space should be made available.
- If such projects cannot be carried out by the organisers themselves: Get NGOs and associations on board who can reinforce the educational effect with information material and volunteers on site.
- The use of batteries as a storage solution – for light poles or cash register systems, for example – requires a long planning period as their capacity is limited.
- Charging with fixed current/electricity.
- Alternatively: For battery solutions, enter into dialogue with the electricity service provider at an early stage for implementation.
- It also makes sense to use energy as efficiently as possible when switching to renewable energies.
- Accurate power recording, including peaks, in order to control the energy supply well and, if necessary, balance it out through peak shaving and/or smart grids.
5. Service Provider Contacts
- Green Energy: Berliner Stadtwerke
- Realisation of energy supply: Power Factor
- HVO / Care Diesel: ToolFuel
6. Further inspiration from the industry
The Futur2 Festival (capacity 5,000) in Hamburg designs and scales its festival only as large as it can be supplied with renewable energy. A solar system supplies the energy for the existing battery storage, while the stage is powered by generators on stationary bicycles: The resistance of the pedals increases with the energy demand of the stage, making energy tangible and understandable. When the bass kicks in and the lights come on, it becomes more difficult to pedal. 19 Coldplay also tackled this topic on their 2022 world tour: by having the audience dance on kinetic floor plates, energy was stored in batteries, making it possible to experience how energy is created. 20 Here, however, as an educational project and not as an essential part of the energy supply.
The Shambala Festival (capacity 25,000) in the UK focuses on two major themes: Renewable energy in all forms (access to the electricity grid, use of solar energy, biofuels, batteries and bio-liquefied gas) and the reduction of energy used and the consistent monitoring of consumption. Between 2010 and 2019, Shambala reduced on-site emissions by 90%, as well as the number of generators used from 26 to 15 in three years – despite growing audience numbers. The festival claims to have no additional costs for sustainability measures thanks to a mixed calculation: Saving fuel also saves money. 21
Since 2023, the Glastonbury Festival 22 has been using a 28-metre-high temporary wind turbine to power a section of its food stalls, which is equipped with a solar panel and battery system to store excess energy. In this way, up to 300 kWh of energy can be generated every day.
