More sustainable power at events: Arnhem Electricity Week 2025
In the events sector, many parties are already working hard on various aspects of sustainability, including using the national Event Sustainability Ladder (DLE). This naturally includes a focus on the consumption of energy at events. This article is about sustainability in the field of power supply. We drew inspiration from a meeting between the Municipality of Arnhem and Connectr during the Arnhem Electricity Week in May 2025.
Text: Thijs Bisschops
A different perspective on power supply
The energy transition is also in full swing in the events sector. More and more cleaner solutions are emerging to provide, for example, power supplies. This goes beyond simply replacing (diesel) generators with more environmentally friendly alternatives. Due to the power grid reaching capacity, it is also not desirable to install additional power points that can be 'tapped into'. It is therefore up to organizers and other stakeholders to change their knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. This often involves a combination of several solutions, as we describe in our article on sustainable energy consumption in the cultural sector.
Stepping out of your comfort zone
This means that sometimes you will have to stray from the beaten path. For example, organizers can monitor energy consumption more closely and in a smarter way and adjust it to the actual and desired situation. Often, more power is consumed than necessary, for example because electrical appliances are left on all day even though they are only used for part of the day. It may seem like extra work, but in practice it quickly pays for itself. There are now also energy management systems that can be used for this purpose.
In addition, it is useful to look beyond your own field of work. A good example is collaboration with construction sites in the vicinity of an event location. These sites generally also use a lot of electricity, but often on different days and at different times than when events take place. In any case, partly due to higher budgets, the construction sector is somewhat ahead of the events sector in terms of the energy transition. It is not inconceivable that technical applications that have proven themselves in that sector could be replicated. This also offers opportunities for smaller organizations.
Other sectors can also be approached with a creative approach. Looking at the transport sector, one example that comes to mind is the use of charging stations in parking lots when they are used as event locations. An even more creative solution is to hook up to the trolley network, as was once done in Arnhem.
Technological developments
A number of developments that until recently were still just ideas have now been realized or will be available for use in the events sector in the not too distant future. Solar-powered generators are becoming increasingly powerful and easier to move around. The same applies to the storage capacity of batteries, which are suitable for absorbing peak loads and powering (parts of) an event independently. There are now also generators that run on biofuel or hydrogen.
Cooperation with the government
The municipalities in our region are happy to work with organizers. They organize meetings to share developments with the sector and can offer advice. When issuing permits, they understand that it is not yet possible for all organizers to switch completely to sustainable power supply. So making this mandatory does not make sense yet. Emergency services such as the fire department, which advise the municipality, are also involved in the development process. However, even they sometimes lack sufficient knowledge because the market can move faster than they can keep up. Therefore, it is important to maintain dialogue with all parties that may have an influence on the event you are organizing. You will soon discover that a great deal is possible.
Watch the aftermovie of Arnhem Electricity Week here.
