Pier Solutions discovers rockstar potential with green solution

There are some calls you don’t get every day.

Pier Solutions were recently asked by a major band to help power their latest European tour, which broke new ground in sustainable touring. A world-first rechargeable show battery - part of a modular touring battery system built by Pier Solutions – was used to help power the whole show with renewable energy.

Using green technology that has potential to revolutionise the entertainment industry, the system was designed to maximise efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions as part of a sustainable touring drive by the band.

Working with Noriker Power, manufacturers of the touring battery used in the system, Pier Solutions built a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) that combined multiple technologies into one modular unit and was used to enable a smaller diesel generator to run at peak efficiency, minimising the fuel required and reducing emissions.

Concert-goers at all of the tour’s shows were stood on ‘kinetic flooring’ that generated energy whenever the crowd jumped or danced on top of it – energy that fed back into the Pier Solutions-built battery storage module to power the show. Fans could also hop on bikes during the show to provide extra energy for the battery system.

With this crowd-generated energy varying throughout shows, our engineers recognised that load requirements for the BESS would vary, and built a system that handled these variations with ease – far better than a traditional generator system. The BESS also enabled the generators to run longer between service intervals and, as a result, have a longer life.

Each unit was designed to a capacity of 250kW – capacity that can also be supplemented by connecting to a generator or even to the national grid to enable the units to supply 500kW at peak capacity.

As well as building a reliable module that would perform to peak efficiency during energy-demanding shows, transportability was an important factor for a far-reaching European tour. Our BESS unit was designed to be robust, compact and can even be put on an aeroplane if required.

Other Pier Solutions BESS units previously built for the entertainments industry were designer to an even larger capacity – however the touring battery units were designed to be smaller, lighter and with an in-built vibration system to allow for the bumps of road and air travel between sites.

While the module was part of a system designed bespoke to the unique requirements of a concert, our modules are also designed with the capability to be linked to much larger power requirements, even across cold, damp or hot, humid environments.

Its robustness and vibration system make the BESS suitable for use in any situation, including offshore requirements for the energy industry where short, sharp power fluctuations are common.

At Pier Solutions, bespoke solutions is what we do. For more information on our energy storage solutions, get in touch today at solutions@pier-solutions.com.