Big Battery Box increases sustainability of ESNS

Our goal is to generate all energy for upcoming festivals without the use of gensets. The Big Battery Box is a nice step in that direction. This saves a lot of fuel, which results in a considerable reduction in CO2, soot and nuisance.

The multiday music festival ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag) in concert centre Oosterpoort demands more energy than the grid can deliver. ESNS has been around for over thirty years and grew into the biggest indoor platform for European (pop) music. In 2019, it was decided that the use of energy storage in the form of the Big Battery Box would replace the regular gensets. The Big Battery Box, a container with lithium ion batteries and a capacity of 600 kWh, can be used in various ways. At ESNS the Big Battery Box is connected to the grid. When catering, sound installations, and other facilities together require more energy than the grid can provide, the Big Battery Box automatically pitches in. The combined capacity of the battery and the grid is more than enough to power the program of ESNS.

Multi-use energy storage

The smart connection of the grid and battery was recommended by Bredenoord and The Powershop, which has been the main provider of temporary energy solutions to ESNS for years. “More and more often we are asked to help out in finding different ways to handle the energy supply at festivals and events,” thus Paul Wittenhorst, director of The Powershop. “For example, ESNS asked if we can handle the extra power demand in the Oosterpoort without a genset. Our experiences with the Big Battery Box at events such as De Zwarte Cross and Lowlands gave us the confidence to use this battery at ESNS as well.”

The newest technique for greening

ESNS works on making the festival more sustainable. Festival director Dago Houben: “ESNS wants to quickly catch up on its backlog and implement new developments in sustainability in our event. Our future goal is to generate all energy for the festival without gensets and thereby spare unnecessary CO2, soot and noise. With the Big Battery Box we only need to use a genset – which of course runs on biodiesel – as a backup for peak demands in the music program. This saves many liters of diesel and allows a significant reduction in CO2, soot and nuisance.”

Energy storage essential during energy transition

The use of the Big Battery Box at ESNS shows the importance of energy storage techniques during the energy transition. Margien Storm van Leeuwen, manager New Business at Bredenoord: “The current energy transition mostly means that we help our clients in finding sustainable energy solutions. Mobile battery systems play an essential role here in the coming years. With our knowledge and experience we use our battery systems without compromising the reliability and guaranteed availability of energy . Systems such as the Big Battery Box offer easily applicable options that allow a considerable greening of events. By making smart combinations with other Clear Concept solutions the event can be as sustainable as it chooses to be.”