Aggreko brings Van Gogh Alive

Aggreko brings Van Gogh Alive with renewable power

Net zero goals are making low-emission machinery a priority in event hire.

The trend is rising for event organisers to set clean energy targets and the biggest shows are leading by using hybrid machinery on a grand scale.

Van Gogh Alive is the unique art exhibition touring Australia, illuminating the legendary impressionist painter’s work to awestruck crowds. The immersive event has become the world’s most visited multisensory public show. Created by Australian company Grande Experiences, the exhibition is staged in the world’s largest relocatable pavilion, which was designed in Adelaide.

Aggreko Australia Pacific’s team of events specialists and technicians combined their expertise to design, manage, build, and operate Van Gogh Alive in Adelaide and Brisbane. The crew will do it all again when the show opens in Canberra next month.

Measurable savings

The Van Gogh Alive tour is the first Australian event to run a solar hybrid system of this scale, using a combination of solar panels and battery storage.

At the Brisbane show, the Aggreko team installed 2.8kW of solar and 128kwh of battery storage onsite, with TC and power set-up taking about 300 man-hours. Audience comfort was integral to this location, and 520kw of full venue reverse-cycle air-conditioning formed part of the comprehensive power overlay.

Using renewable power at Brisbane saved approximately 43 tonnes of CO2 over the duration of the four-week event, which aimed for at least 30 per cent of the site to run on clean energy. For the Canberra exhibition, Aggreko will be installing a 7.9kW array.

Global demand

As more high-profile sport and entertainment events go off the grid globally, hybrid power is becoming the preferred choice of producers wanting to transition to clean energy or compelled to do so by company targets.

Aggreko’s new solar hybrid units powered the 2021 US Masters Golf Tournament. A recent contract with Sail GP Worldwide will see the same units powering a global sailing event committed to operating entirely on clean energy.

Aggreko itself has committed to net zero emissions by 2050. The company has vowed to invest AU$450 – $600 million globally each year, to support its pledge.

Aggreko Australia Pacific Managing Director, George Whyte, says that environmental responsibility and new technology is changing the way electricity is generated, distributed, consumed, stored, and monitored.

“Power generation for our customers has become more complex, and we have a responsibility to them to create power that is healthier for the world’s wellbeing. It’s great to see the return of major events after 20 months of COVID disruption. We were especially proud to showcase our latest technology in Brisbane for Van Gogh Australia,” he said.

•• Aggreko hybrid generator at Van Gogh Alive.

• The touring immersive exhibition is the world’s most visited.

Industries adapting

Events are big energy users due to the demands of lighting, computers, catering, audio visual equipment, heating, and cooling. Increasingly, event organisers like Van Gogh Alive Executive Producer, Andrew Kay AM, are are working to reduce their events’ carbon impact.

“We are thrilled to be working with Aggreko,” he said. “When the world is considering the impact of climate change and our communal desire and need to reduce our carbon footprint, we are proud to contribute in our own small way to making our planet a better place. Our events and entertainment industry are already striving to adapt, and we are excited to be part of that movement.”

Aggreko has been providing power for events such as the Commonwealth Games, Clipsal 500 V8 Super Cars, Cricket, Football and Rugby World Cups since 1990. The company’s global energy transition pathway that’s underway now is answering the worldwide demand for cleaner alternatives.