Safe and Reliable Power Supplies for Music Festivals.

Installing a reliable electricity supply for a music festival on a remote site can be challenging and expensive. What considerations are there for organisers when planning their temporary power supply installation to ensure that the event runs smoothly and safely in a sustainable manner.

Music festivals require a variety of electric installations to power stages, lighting, sound systems and other equipment. A sizeable festival with multiple stages, elaborate lighting and sound systems and tens of thousands of festival-goers may require several megawatts (MW) of power. In some case this could necessitate the need for multiple large temporary power generators to be installed.

Power Generation.
The options available to organisers needing to generate power for their events is evolving fast driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions and become more sustainable. The bulk of festivals still use diesel to fuel their generators, but many are changing to the use of alternative biofuels. This is unlikely to change in the near future because wind and solar power generation is yet to provide sufficient electricity to satisfy the needs of sound and lighting equipment. Technological developments are helping to make generators and equipment more efficient, but it is probably going to take some time before electricity can be generated without the use fossil fuels or biofuels.

Reliability. 
A continuous power supply is essential for the successful running of any remotely located multi-day festival so the installation and set-up of the power delivery system must be performed by trained professionals. A back up power system is required in the event of a power outage and typically will include the use of uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), emergency generators, or other types of backup power sources. A good installation will also have a good temporary electrical distribution system so that power can be reliably distributed throughout the festival site. These systems usually include a variety of components such as transformers, distribution panels, and cabling.

Safety. 
A key priority for the temporary installation of an electricity power supply system is maintaining safety for everyone on site. Electrical installations should always be done by qualified suppliers who will follow applicable safety standards to prevent shocks, fires, and other hazards. GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets are also commonly used to prevent electrical shocks. It is the responsibility of the organisers to ensure the safety of everyone on site and installations will be subject to inspections by a local fire service representative as well as officials form the Health and Safety Executive for example. 

Costs of fuel have risen significantly over the last 12 months and organisers are constantly looking for alternative power generation solutions and investing time in sourcing more energy efficient equipment. For now, power generation remains one of the most significant contributors to a typical music festival’s carbon footprint.

For festival organisers planning their events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by Taken from Pixabay

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