Festivals and Sustainability: Reducing energy related greenhouse gas emissions at music festivals

This thesis investigates the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions relating to electrical power provision at UK music festivals. It has been carried out in partnership with a number of UK festival organisers and power providers. The thesis provides a literature review of sustainable event management and the associated electrical power provision, before then investigating the existing methodologies for quantifying greenhouse gas emissions at festivals. This review identified a lack of data regarding energy demand at events other than total fuel demand. While energy data does not improve the accuracy of GHG accounting, it provides more detail which can identify opportunities to reduce these emissions. Data was gathered from 73 power systems at 18 music festivals from 2009-2012. This produced typical festival power load profiles for different system types including stages, traders and site infrastructure. These load profiles were characterised using a series of indicators that can create performance benchmarks, in addition to increasing the detail of carbon auditing. Analysis of the load profiles identifies opportunities for emission reduction. These address either the supply or demand for power in order to reduce on site fuel consumption. These opportunities include changes in operating procedure to reduce demand during non-operational periods, utilising low energy equipment on stages, and using a power provision system capable of adjusting power plant supply to meet demand. The work has documented power demand at festivals, and highlighted opportunities for change that can reduce costs and emissions, as well as informing festivals on their practices.