Chris Martin, the frontman of critically acclaimed band Coldplay, announced recently that they have teamed up with BMW to create the world’s first, tourable, rechargeable show battery which will allow them to power concerts almost entirely from clean, renewable energy.
Coldplay, who two years ago paused touring due to environmental concerns, have created a 12-point plan to cut their carbon footprint and this development is seen as a huge step.
So how will it work?
In a bid to make their gigs eco-friendlier, fans will stand on 'kinetic flooring' generating electricity as they jump to the music, and they can also hop on bikes to provide extra energy.
Martin told the BBC: 'When they move, they power the concert, and we have bicycles too that do the same thing. The more people move, the more they're helping. You know when the frontman says, 'We need you to jump up and down'? 'When I say that, I literally really need you to jump up and down. Because if you don't, then the lights go out.'
The tour will open in Costa Rica, which has one of the highest rates of renewable energy generation in the world and the performances will be supported by a 'show battery', supplied by BMW, which will be recharged using solar power and generators powered by hydrotreated vegetable oil.
BMW say: “The show battery will provide the necessary electric power during the live performances with more than 40 recyclable car batteries, making the series of concerts more sustainable and one of the greenest tours in music history. The collaboration between BMW and Coldplay sets new benchmarks and could become the blueprint for the entire live industry.
The storage technology for the power supply during the live performances will be provided by partly recycled BMW i3 batteries. The show battery will provide the necessary super low emission, electric power and replace the usual diesel and petrol generators, which will in turn result in a significant reduction of the carbon footprint of all the band’s live performances. It will be recharged using a range of renewable sources including solar installations, a kinetic stadium floor, power bikes and generators powered by Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil. The kinetic stadium floor and the power bikes will harness the collective power of the fans themselves.”
Sources: BBC, BMW, Daily Mail
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