Eurovision Enlists Biofuel Energy

The Eurovision Song Contest will be powered sustainably this year. Renewable biofuel will be used almost exclusively to power everything from the cameras to the air conditioning. Aside from being environmentally friendly, this strategy will also ensure that the contest will not suffer from a power failure.

The world’s leading provider of rental power and cooling systems, Aggreko, has installed ten mobile generators at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, each run by Hydro-treated Vegetable Oil (HVO), which consists of vegetable oils and natural fats. The fuel is carbon neutral and is manufactured in Norway before being transferred by train to Stockholm.

Broadcast, cameras, lights, sound, video, commentary and production rigging equipment are all supported by Aggreko’s environmentally-friendly power network. In total, Aggreko will run more than 18 kilometres of cable to support the distribution of power, as well as provide air conditioning to the arena’s commentary booths and hair and make-up facilities.

John Wilson, Area General Manager of the Nordic Region at Aggreko, said: “Supporting the environmental credentials of the Eurovision Song Contest is an important part of the event’s energy strategy. We have worked closely with the hosts to develop the best method to reduce emissions and prevent waste. For example, we are using our unique remote monitoring tools to monitor fuel use in real time so that we can manage energy generation and avoid wasting power. The use of biofuel means the event will have a very low carbon footprint.”

Aggreko’s ten generators provide the Eurovision Song Contest with a total electricity capacity of 4.6 MVA, sharing the load between machines, distributing it evenly and automatically. This ensures the show cannot suffer a power failure, as if a generator was to fail it automatically transfers its load evenly among the remaining generators.

The Aggreko Remote Monitoring (ARM) system uses 3G or GPRS technology to transmit real-time data from its smart generators to diagnostics software, providing information to engineers who can then maximise the equipment’s efficiency throughout the event.

John Wilson added: “By evaluating equipment data in real time, we can either immediately correct an issue or proactively assess developing circumstances before they become more serious. This also ensures our approach to fuel use minimises the environmental impact of the Eurovision Song Contest.”