ours, festivals and live productions are bigger than ever. In 2025, Lady Gaga performed to two million fans
exploring how they are rethinking the way they do business in 2026 to help ensure a more sustainable future for live entertainment. RETHINKING POWER Based in the Netherlands, Showpower delivers end-to-end power management for some of the world’s biggest events. Using cutting-edge battery storage alongside advanced, grid-scale energy management system (EMS) technology, the company enables a 100% reduction of carbon dioxide emissions compared with diesel generators. “Showpower designs energy systems around the specific requirements of each show,” explains Lawrence Millar, co-founder and marketing director at the company. “We profile the load, size the system to the production’s actual demands and engineer the right level of redundancy. Our SmartGrid is a mobile power plant that stores energy and synchronises with the grid or other generation sources, keeping the show running even if a module unexpectedly drops out.” He adds: “We monitor every deployment in real time and provide detailed reporting after the show. Traditional suppliers focus on amps, volts, kVA and backup. We take responsibility for the outcome, ensuring the cues land, the sound holds and the broadcast stays live. That’s the difference between simply supplying power and designing a complete energy system.” Showpower’s mission is to make diesel obsolete in live entertainment. The SmartGrid battery system offers a reliable, scalable system and enables 100% emission-free power by centrally managing multiple power sources and storage solutions. “SmartGrid has delivered over 100 stadium shows in 16 countries, and we believe it will become the industry standard for stadium tours, main stages and broadcast productions,” says Millar.
on Brazil’s Copacabana Beach, and Oasis’ return to the stage brought almost three million people to stadiums and venues across the globe. As shows become more ambitious, so does the responsibility to rethink how they are delivered. From the carbon footprint of international travel and freight to energy consumption and set construction, sustainability has become an important conversation across the sector. Artists, venues and production teams are exploring new approaches to make live experiences more sustainable without compromising on creativity. Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour slashed its carbon footprint in half by using 100% renewable energy and electric vehicles, minimising air freight and building stages using recycled materials. Fans were also encouraged to reflect on their own approach to sustainability, as the band provided free drinking water refill stations at venues and rewarded those who travelled there via walking, cycling and public transport. Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft tour also set a global standard for sustainable practices in live touring. Venues she performed at provided plant-based concessions, and all merchandise was made using 100% organic or recycled cotton and polyester, paired with recycled paper packaging. Eilish worked with sustainability non-profit REVERB and SUPPORT+FEED to bring ‘Eco-Action Villages’ to fans, where they could learn more about climate action and connect with local environmental groups. What these shows demonstrate is that more sustainable touring is possible when artists, crews, manufacturers and suppliers work together towards a common goal. We spoke to the people driving this change,
Can live entertainment go green without losing its wow-factor? LIVE digs into the low-carbon answers PLAYING FOR THE WORLD
Words Emma Davidson
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