Christopher BarrettGlastonbury Festival will this year be powered solely by renewable energy and renewable fuels, according to organiser’s of the 147,000-capacity event.
All production areas will either be powered by electricity from lower impact, fossil fuel-free, sources or will run on solar PV and battery hybrid systems. Meanwhile, all generators across the Glastonbury festival site, including those that power the Pyramid Stage, will run on sustainable, renewable palm oil-free HVO fuel, made from waste cooking oil, helping to reduce lifecycle CO2e emissions by up to 90%. Arcadia’s giant fire-breathing spider will also run entirely off recycled biofuels.
A temporary new wind turbine in Williams Green will provide clean sustainable power to some market stalls, while clean energy from the festival’s own solar PV array and anaerobic biogas plant, provide energy for the farm and festival offices.
Glastonbury issued a statement that said, “Sustainability has always been at the heart of Glastonbury Festival. Our Green Fields have run on solar, wind and pedal power since 1984, setting a fossil-fuel free standard we’ve always aspired towards implementing across the festival. Since then, we have been drawing on technological innovation to help reduce our use of fossil fuels and strive towards creating a Festival that is as sustainable as possible.
“Aside from power, our ban of the sale of single-use plastic drinks bottles and environmentally hazardous disposable vapes will help reduce waste and promote more sustainable alternatives. Our own on-site recycling facility ensures we can hand-separate our own waste for single stream recycling, avoiding the need to send waste to landfill. And thanks to the efforts of our wonderful festival-goers, since 2019, over 99% of all tents and camping equipment has been taken home after the festival.”