Key facts
- The Forwards festival in Bristol will use a clean power project for its stages.
- Performances by Lorde, Little Simz, and Wet Leg are part of the initiative.
- The power sources include hydrogen and mobile batteries charged with sustainable energy.
- The project is supported by regional public money and political will.
- This initiative is considered a world-first in its scale and cross-sector collaboration.
The Forwards festival in Bristol is set to showcase a pioneering clean energy initiative, with artists like Lorde and Little Simz performing on stages powered almost entirely by green energy. This world-first project utilizes a combination of hydrogen power plants and mobile batteries charged with sustainable energy.
The clean power pilot (CPP) scheme, which has been providing green mobile power to various events and film crews in the region over the summer, is distinguished by its backing from regional public funds and political will. This includes financial support from the West of England mayoral combined authority and backing from the Greens-led Bristol city council.
Ben Price, head of partnerships at Team Love, which is organizing the festival, described the initiative as a "gamechanger," noting the logistical and economic challenges of accessing green energy at the festival site. The project de-risks the investment needed for temporary energy supplies.
The CPP initiative grew out of a low-carbon homecoming gig by the trip-hop collective Massive Attack, led by figures like Robert Del Naja. Act 1.5, a creative industry project involving artists, technicians, and scientists, collaborated on that gig and has since expanded the concept.
For the Forwards festival, a compact hydrogen power plant from GeoPura will power the main stage, with its only byproduct being pure water. A second stage and other areas will be powered by battery units charged with renewable energy, supplemented by generators running on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).
Robert Del Naja emphasized that the project aims for systemic change and a permanent legacy of decarbonization for major events in Bristol. He criticized the slow pace of change from national governments and corporations, highlighting the urgency of climate action.
Actor Jonathan Pryce also voiced his support, linking the project to the need for imagination and action in the face of severe weather events predicted by climate scientists.