GEM-stage

About the project

Large events, such as festivals, consume more electricity than the main grid can supply. As a result, festivals rely on generators that consume up to 130,000 liters of diesel per event. With more than 12,000 large outdoor events in Western Europe each year, it is essential to find ways to reduce this waste and pollution. The GEM tower has been developed to change this. This tall tower is a large battery that controls the storage and distribution of renewable wind and solar energy. In this project, GEM-stage wants to complete the supply of renewable sources in the GEM-stage by adding hydrogen.

Exploring safe hydrogen transportation

At Engine Engine, the project has explored safe hydrogen transportation in collaboration with DENS. Hydrogen is seen as a sustainable energy carrier for festivals and is transported in pressurized tanks. DENS produces energy generators that run on formic acid, a safe solution as it does not burn or explode. This has been extensively tested at festivals, focusing on the integration of formic acid with the control system. Additionally, we emphasize raising awareness about sustainable energy. It’s crucial to initiate a dialogue and explain the benefits and possibilities of switching to clean, renewable energy sources. The key message is that the need for diesel in off-grid power can be significantly reduced.

Results

The GEM‑Stage project successfully achieved its goal of testing a hydrogen generator combined with renewable energy sources. During the 11‑day Ocean Race event in Aarhus (DK), the DENS hydrozine-powered generator was used as a backup for solar and wind energy.

The generator was fully integrated with the GEM‑Stage Energy Management System, functioning reliably: it stayed on standby and activated automatically when battery levels dropped below a critical limit.