Aggreko, the global leader in temporary power and temperature control solutions, has provided more than 27MW of power at this year’s Glastonbury festival.
The internationally renowned festival, which first took place in 1970, and now has more than 177,000 visitors, is made possible by a small army of highly experienced and skilled people. Aggreko placed four project managers at the festival, who between them have experience of some of the world’s largest and most prestigious events, including the Ryder Cup, the Open Golf Championship and the Olympic Games.
To cope with the huge temporary power demands of Glastonbury 2009, Aggreko supplied more than 230 generators for 750 traders who were on-site for the duration of the event. Provision on this scale required precise organisation. The Aggreko team began setting up the power supply infrastructure more than a month before the opening of the festival on 24 June. 70 Aggreko technicians were involved in the run-up to the event, creating their own “village” within the site, with the team growing to more than 90 at its peak.
To meet the festival’s request for the use of renewable energy, Aggreko provided bio-diesel generators, which required more than 60,000 litres of waste vegetable oil (WVO) fuel, to run throughout the event. This year Aggreko also laid 24km of festoon lighting with time clocks to reduce the power requirement during the day. Areas powered by Aggreko included the broadcast compound for the BBC, the market areas, the medical centre, the police compound, the security compound and the corporate hospitality centres. With the experience of previous years, the Aggreko team was well prepared for any weather conditions and 4×4 tankers were on standby to ensure a secure fuel supply.
David Taylor, Aggreko’s event and electrical services manager, said: “The pressure for 100% performance at an event such as Glastonbury, with the eyes of the world watching, is immense. The unpredictable weather puts even more pressure than usual upon us. Planning and the infrastructure we built in the month prior to the event, were crucial to the success of the project. The requirements of our hundreds of customers vary widely, from small traders to large broadcast providers. The festival just gets bigger and better every year and the Aggreko team is proud to be a part of its success.”