The Powerful Thinking campaign brings together festival promoters and power suppliers to drive forward sustainable innovation across the sector

03 May 2012, London – Camp Bestival, Festival Republic, Shambala Festival, Summer Sundae and Sunrise Celebration are among the first festivals and promoters to join Powerful Thinking, the Green Festival Alliance’s first campaign which aims to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions through increased efficiency, and drive the market for renewable energy supply at festivals.

The Powerful Thinking campaign was announced on Tuesday 24^th April at a launch event where presentations from suppliers of temporary solar, wind, kinetic, fuel cell and biodiesel power presented a vision of a low carbon future to festival promoters from some of the UK’s best-loved festivals.

Solutions to rising environmental and financial costs, such as renewable technologies, are crucial. Sustainable thinking can also deliver cost savings, improve the festival experience, and align events with an increasingly eco-aware audience.

The newly formed Green Festival Alliance consists of A Greener Festival, Association of Independent Festivals, Bestival, Festival Republic, Firefly Solar, Julie’s Bicycle, Kambe Events and Shambala Festival, who have come together to identify and speed up the adoption of sustainable practices at festivals through innovation and collective action. The Powerful Thinking campaign is coordinated by founding member Julie’s Bicycle.

In 2012 the Powerful Thinking campaign takes the shape of a research project where festivals and power suppliers will monitor power use during the summer festival season to gain a better understanding of what opportunities exist to increase efficiency and reduce cost. Providers of low carbon alternatives to red diesel power will also trial new approaches to site planning and monitoring, and case studying the success and reliability of renewable power to offer cost-effective as well as low carbon solutions.

Festivals and power suppliers are welcome to join the Powerful Thinking campaign and can find more information HERE 

A Powerful Thinking Campaign Toolkit is available for festivals and suppliers, including top tips for festivals and suppliers to participate in the 2012 research project and industry case studies, and is available to download from the Julie’s Bicycle website:HERE

Chris Johnson, Co-ordinator of the Green Festival Alliance, said: “The Powerful Thinking campaign is an opportunity to be part of a real shift in the festival sector – sharing knowledge and experiences as a festival community in this way will allow us all to reduce environmental impacts more effectively, develop a robust market for temporary renewable power, and ensure a sustainable, low carbon future for our industry. The commitment we’ve seen to date has been greater and even more positive than expected, and we look forward to welcoming new supporters as the festival season approaches.”

Alison Tickell, CEO of Julie’s Bicycle, said: “Changing the way we working at a time where the bottom line is tightly drawn is tricky, but there are some real financial, organisational and environmental gains to be made. Judging by the ideas and commitment from promoters and power suppliers who have already signed up to the Powerful Thinking campaign we will have some fantastic examples of best practice and renewable power solutions in action across UK festivals this summer.”