Electric Picnic, Ireland's biggest music and arts festival, leads the way yet again for sustainability within the live music sector with the announcement that the main stage will be connected to the grid and powered by renewable energy this August. This marks the first time a festival of its kind in Ireland and the UK will install mains power to reduce its carbon footprint.

Festival Republic, EP's promoter, will submit a planning application and if successful, work commences this summer to deliver grid power to the main stage which will mark the transition of the outdoor live sector to renewable power.

Festival organisers will seek out an energy supply which employs Ireland's expanding renewable energy generation, in particular onshore wind energy and the large-scale solar projects that are being developed around the country. This grid power will ultimately reduce carbon emissions associated with powering the main stage of the festival in 2024 and reduce the need to use temporary generators.

This effort reinforces the commitment of Festival Republic in their Green Nation Charter to powering festivals with 100% renewable power by 2030, playing a leading role in creating a greener and more sustainable future for live music in Ireland.

Promoters and organisers have been working closely with festival site owner Thomas Cosby and network providers to supply a connection large enough to power the massive festival and its over 27 stages.

Speaking about the festival's green ambitions, Cosby commented: “This Festival Republic initiative ties in well with the estate's programme towards carbon neutrality; It complements our existing renewable energy installations, including biomass, hydroelectric, solar and sustainable forestry management.”

This year's sold-out EP festival will run from 16-18 August in Stradbally Hall, Stradbally, Co. Laois.