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German festival to be powered by green hydrogen

Germany’s Futur 2 Festival will become the first festival in the world that is powered by green hydrogen, according to organisers.

The Hamburg-based festival (cap. 5,000) has so far obtained its energy from solar energy and muscle power but the third annual edition will be run on hydrogen obtained from wind energy in North Friesland.

This supplies the festival with green energy without any harmful CO2 emissions and the only residual products are water and pure oxygen, which are added to the atmosphere to better air quality in the city.

“We want to show what is possible,” says Björn Hansen, organiser of the Futur 2 Festival. “Green hydrogen is now the next logical step for us. With this energy source, we have reached a new level and can provide completely different amounts of energy than before.

“As a result, there will soon be no excuse for large festivals to work with generators that use heating oil or burn diesel. Because in addition to the small hydrogen cell used at our festival with an output of five kilowatts per hour, we are already scaling this concept up to 500 kVA if required. This also makes large open-air shows possible.”

“There will soon be no excuse for large festivals to work with generators that use heating oil or burn diesel”

This year, the hydrogen cell together with the solar system feeds the existing battery storage, which supplies a stage and the entire festival area with electricity. The bicycle stage remains self-sufficient.

The backup generator, which is ethanol-based, will be completely dispensed with this year. For additional energy requirements, the festival will continue to rely on solar energy and muscle power.

Jens Kerstan, senator at the Hamburg Environmental Authority, which funds the event, says: “Especially in the current crisis situation, it is becoming even clearer how important renewable energies are. This applies to all areas of our society. The Futur 2 Festival is a pilot project in the event industry that shows how large events can become independent of fossil energy sources. I am pleased that the festival can now take place again after a two-year pandemic break. And with many new ideas and innovations.”

Using their experiences with the festival, Hamburg Environmental Authority and Futur 2 Festival have developed a blueprint for sustainable events, which will be launched at the third edition and published on the city’s climate education platform.

Futur 2 Festival, promoted by Morgenwelt and Hejmo, takes place tomorrow (27 August) with artists including Kat Frankie, Sofia Portanet, I See Rivers, Beatfoot and Queenwho.

 


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