Electric Picnic leads the way yet again for sustainability within the live music sector with the announcement that the main stage at EP24 will be connected to the grid and powered by renewable energy. This marks the first time a festival of its kind in the UK and Ireland will install mains power to reduce its carbon footprint. This demonstrates Electric Picnic’s future commitment to Stradbally and Laois.
Festival Republic will submit a planning application for a substation and if successful, work will begin later this year on delivering grid power to the main stage which will mark the transition of the outdoor live sector to renewable power.
Electric Picnic will be seeking an energy supply that allows the festival to benefit from Ireland’s expanding renewable energy generation, in particular onshore wind energy and the large-scale solar projects that are being developed around the country. The grid connection will ensure the festival is ‘plugged in’ to new developments in Ireland’s ever-diversifying renewable energy transition.
The grid power will ultimately reduce carbon emissions associated with powering the main stage of the festival in 2024 and reduce the need to use temporary generators.
This reinforces the commitment of Festival Republic in their Green Nation Charter to powering festivals with 100% renewable power by 2030, playing a leading role in creating a greener and more sustainable future for live music in Ireland.
Festival Republic have been working closely with the landowner Thomas Cosby and a network provider to supply a connection large enough to power the Electric Picnic main stage for the duration of the festival. Working with local companies and individuals in Ireland to provide the services and solutions needed; including engineers, architects, planning consultants and electricians. The goal is to inspire other festivals to assess the feasibility of connecting their event to the national grid, as this is a long-term sustainable solution to reduce carbon emissions at festivals.
A successful planning application will allow Festival Republic to build a substation in keeping with the local stonework in a secluded area at Stradbally Hall. If this is granted, construction work can get underway in spring 2024 so that the festival is connected in time for the summer.
‘The installation of our first grid connection is a key contributor to our goal of reducing carbon emissions associated with the festival by 50% by 2030 in line with our Green Nation Charter. I hope that by leading the way and sharing what we have learned, festival goers can have an amazing time at Electric Picnic safe in the knowledge that we are doing everything we can to minimise the impact on the only planet we have got.” – Melvin Benn, Managing Director Festival Republic
“This Festival Republic initiative ties in well with the estate’s programme towards carbon neutrality; It complements our existing renewable energy installations, including biomass, hydroelectric, solar and sustainable forestry management.” – Thomas Cosby, Stradbally Hall