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Here at Firefly HQ we have been expanding the bespoke installation aspect of our solar operations. The lovely people at Cine Cab A Go Go commissioned us to convert their London black cab into a solar powered cinema for use at events throughout the UK. The system powered was a 32” LCD screen with Dolby Surround Sound 5.1. We also installed a split charge system which utilises the alternator when travelling to and from events.

Project manager, Paul Brain, says “It was great to be involved in such a fun solar project and we were really happy with the outcome, providing an off grid system with multiple charging options. I’m really looking forward to seeing it in action in fields over the summer”

The premier of the long awaited eco movie ‘The Age of Stupid’ became a Guinness World Record holder this weekend as it was screened simultaneously in more than 60 cinemas nationwide, making it the biggest simultaneous premiere in the history of film. And it wasn’t just the ‘People’s Premier’ making waves; the flagship screening was held in the middle of Leicester Square and powered entirely on renewable power, courtesy of Firefly Solar.

The film is set in 2050 and stars Pete Postlethwaite as the last man alive on Earth. Postlethwaite lives alone in a post-apocalyptic world torn apart by the effects of climate change. He plays Earth’s archivist, looking back on ‘archive’ footage of 2008 and asking why nothing was done to curb the disastrous effects of climate change when there was a chance.

An independent environmental audit was carried out to monitor all CO2 emissions caused by the flagship premier and it totaled a mere1% of the usual carbon emissions seen at an average Hollywood premier. A huge part of their emissions were saved thanks to Firefly Solar, who completed the technical production for the whole event.

“Obviously the solar power was the main feature,’ explains Andy Mead, Firefly’s MD, ‘but we also used a number of other methods to ensure the event had the lowest carbon footprint possible. The OB unit used for the satellite link-up was powered on bio-diesel, and all lighting on site was the very latest in LED technology.”

Within the cinema (a Saddlespan S2000), all the house lighting, 15000 lumin HD projector and PA was powered entirely on solar. “This is the first time we’ve done a cinema setup, but thanks to the experienced team at Brightonart supplying our AV, the show went completely smoothly. Ultimately, producing a solar powered cinema shows the versatility of our equipment,” says Mead. “We’re very happy to add this event to our portfolio.”

Over the winter months Firefly has spent a considerable amount of time upgrading their solar generators, making the system more efficient as well as easier and lighter to transport. “Thanks to the upgrades we’ve made over the last few weeks, the Orion system had absolutely no trouble during the premier, and in fact we had the capacity to power a lot more on top of what we were contracted to,” says Paul Brain, Firefly’s technical director.

The secret to Firefly Solar’s success lies in detailed, considered technical production prior to the event. “You often see massive generator sets being used to power a relatively small amount of equipment,” Andy explains. “What we do is strip back any kit that is inefficient and replace it with state of the art, low energy alternatives. It’s not rocket science; it’s simply taking what is available and putting it to the best use possible.”

In this way, it is very possible to produce an event which maintains its front of house performance but requires a minimum of power. And with more and more event producers understanding exactly what is possible with intelligent technical planning, Firefly are at the crest of the renewable wave set to break over the entire industry.

With the summer fast approaching, Firefly Solar has been very busy since Christmas upgrading the ‘Orion’ solar generators. The overhaul has included improvements across the whole system, increasing the efficiency of the generators as well as making them easier to transport.

An extra kilowatt of solar panels have been added to the existing array, meaning an increase of 10% solar yield. This will be added to as the summer approaches.

The system has now been fitted with an automatic switching system to turn on a backup power supply should the weather be dreadful and the battery backup run dangerously low. This upgrade has been added to give clients complete peace of mind. With the switching system in place the ‘Orion’ generators are now fail-safe.

There is no getting around the fact that solar specific batteries are very heavy. By modifying the weight distribution of the trailers themselves and upgrading our current fleet, fuel consumption of the towing vehicles has been dramatically improved, thus saving on CO2 during transportation.

The biggest upgrade can be seen in the solar charge controllers, which increase the overall system performance by 15%. With such a large increase, it is now possible for the Firefly Stage to grow larger whilst still running entirely off solar. This means there is now the capability of powering more lighting and a larger PA, allowing the system to entertain more people at once.

“We’re really pleased with the new features we’ve added to Orion,” says Paul Brain, Firefly’s technical director. “It’s great that we’ve been able to enhance both the system’s performance as well as its reliability. It means we can now look to powering bigger events, and of course we’re all very excited about touring a bigger, better version of the Firefly Stage this season.”

And with a major UK film Premier under their belts already this year as well as a calendar that is filling up daily, it looks like the increase in specification has come at the perfect time.

Last week’s Snowman Spectacular fundraising ball celebrating the fifth birthday of Chestnut Tree House was a phenomenal success. Over 550 guests enjoyed the ball and over £40,000 was raised on the night!
The Snowman Spectacular was Chestnut Tree House’s first major event in Brighton. It was the team’s ambition to host a first class fundraising evening, to build relationships and awareness in the city of Brighton and Hove and of course to raise much needed funds for the hospice. It’s safe to say the charity achieved their objectives and we at Firefly look forward to being a part of next year’s event.
If you would like more information on Chestnut Tree House and the incredible work it does with young people and their families please visit their site.

www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk

The Virtual Festival National Festival Award results have come in, and Firefly Solar is pleased to announce their contribution to the winners of all three major awards. The Firefly Stage was present at each one of the festivals that scooped the top awards; Glastonbury winning Best Major Festival, Lovebox taking Best Medium Sized Festival, and the one and only Secret Garden Party winning Best Small Festival. The announcement gives added support to the ever growing evidence of Firefly Solar’s reputation as the leading producer in sustainable event production.

At Glastonbury this year, Firefly was brought it to produce the Sensation Seekers Stage in the Theatre and Circus fields; the first time that renewable technology was used outside of the pioneering Green Fields to power a major stage booked by the Central Production team.

Firefly teamed up with Amnesty International at Lovebox this summer and powered the Second Stage’s PA entirely on solar. Their cutting edge, energy efficient LED lighting rig substantially reduced the power required for the professional rock and roll lighting show, helping one of the most environmentally aware events in the UK reduce their carbon footprint even more.

Last, but by no means least, The Gateway Area was host to a unique format of the Firefly Stage at The Secret Garden Party 2008. A new area in the Garden this year, The Gateway was a mecca for all things spiritual, and the Firefly Stage moved into a beautiful geodome befitting the tranquil and holistic space. With 4 days and nights of constant programming, from live bands to cutting edge film and AV, the solar generators worked around the clock to keep the entertainment flowing.

“We’re obviously really pleased,” says Andy Mead, Firefly’s managing director. “It’s fantastic that in our first year as a major supplier we can boast about having our stage at all of Virtual Festival’s big winners.”

With a growing portfolio as well as recognition and praise from some of the industry’s major player, Firefly is set to continue with its winning eco-formula of sustainable event production. With bookings already coming in for the 2009 season, it’s sure that Firefly Solar will be producing stages at award-winning festivals next year and beyond.