Putting An End to Music's Carbon Pollution
Music Decarbonization Project advances innovative climate solutions to directly eliminate carbon emissions created by the music industry.
Funding from this project helps develop and promote the necessary shift toward increased efficiency, expanding clean energy options, and reducing greenhouse gas pollution with a focus on the unique climate challenges of music.
DECARBONIZATION PROJECTS
Hybrid Power Festival Stage
Austin City Limits 2024
- OVER 1 MWH OF BATTERY STORAGE CAPACITY DEPLOYED
Enough energy to power approximately 33 average homes for a full day
- 2,432 GALLONS OF DIESEL AVOIDED
- 15.38 METRIC TONS OF CO₂E AVOIDED
First time a hybrid battery system powered a major ACL stage alongside auxiliary festival areas
Austin City Limits Music Festival partnered with REVERB’s Music Decarbonization Project to utilize a hybrid battery system to replace diesel generators for the IHG® Hotels & Resorts stage, shade tents, and various backstage areas.
Decarbonized Festival Stage
Portola 2024
- 100% BATTERY-POWERED FESTIVAL STAGE*
Goldenvoice’s First Battery-Powered Stage!
- 96% REDUCTION IN DIESEL**
Avoided the use of 6,053 gallons of diesel - 48.8 METRIC TONS OF CO2e AVOIDED
Portola, Goldenvoice, and AEG Presents teamed up with REVERB’s Music Decarbonization Project and Overdrive Energy Solutions to power the Ship Tent Stage with intelligent battery systems! No diesel generators ran during festival hours or when the stage was active!
*Batteries charged by Tier IV Generators using renewable diesel, cutting 99% of particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen
**Consumption estimates based on diesel generator @ ¼ load
Festival Decarbonization
Willie Nelson's Luck Reunion 2024
A MUSIC DECARBONIZATION PROJECT SUCCESS STORY!
- 4 BATTERY-POWERED STAGES
Incorporated “grid boosting” technology to stabilize low-quality power, delivering high-quality energy efficiently
- OVER 90% REDUCTION IN DIESEL
Avoided the use of 904 gallons of diesel - 3.1 METRIC TONS OF CO2e AVOIDED
Following our successful rollout of solar-charged intelligent battery systems to power all four festival stages in 2023, Luck Reunion completely switched to batteries for their power needs on and off stage for 2024.
Artists in 2024 included: Willie Nelson • Tyler Childers • Dawes • Luscius • John Oates • Old Crow Medicine Show and 20 others!
Finding that reliability and costs of the new power systems were comparable to or even better than diesel generators, coupled with its clear environmental advantages, Luck Reunion is leaving fossil fuels in the past… and in the ground.
Decarbonized Festival
Healing Appalachia
- 100% BATTERY-POWERED FESTIVAL
Stage • Tour Buses • Vendors • Food & Beverage
- 99% REDUCTION IN CO2e EMISSIONS
- 94% REDUCTION IN DIESEL
- 30+ METRIC TONS of CO2e AVOIDED
Healing Appalachia teamed up with REVERB’s Music Decarbonization Project and Overdrive Energy Solutions to use solar-charged intelligent battery systems to drastically reduce diesel fuel usage and greenhouse gas pollution at the 3-day festival.
HEADLINERS: Tyler Childers • My Morning Jacket • Sierra Ferrell
Battery Systems
SXSW Community Concerts
SXSW’s Community Concerts Series at Lady Bird Lake was 100% battery-powered thanks to REVERB’s Music Decarbonization Project!
Using a combination of a temporary on-site solar array and grid power to charge the battery systems, SXSW was able to completely avoid diesel generators in 2024. SXSW’s Community Concerts stage is the festival’s largest, hosting 13,000 people each night.
This effort avoided 10 tons of CO2e pollution.
DECARBONIZED CONCERT SERIES
Higher Ground's Summer Concert Series
- 100% BATTERY-POWERED STAGE FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES
- FULLY ELIMINATED DIESEL GENERATOR USAGE
- AVOIDED 158.4 GALLONS OF DIESEL AT THE GUSTER CONCERT ALONE
- 1.5 METRIC TONS OF CO₂E AVOIDED AT THE GUSTER CONCERT
In a first-of-its-kind effort for a venue, Higher Ground Presents in Burlington, VT made the switch to battery systems to power their summer concert series at the Shelburne Museum!
Seeing the success of Music Decarbonization Project efforts, Higher Ground founder Alex Crothers ditched diesel and turned to Vermont-based NOMAD Transportable Power Systems for a battery system to completely power the stage for the 3,000-capacity venue. Charged via Vermont’s nearly 100% renewable energy power grid, the batteries drastically reduced greenhouse gas pollution at the venue!
2024 Artists Include: Guster • Jason Mraz • Lake Street Dive • Train • Rainbow Kitten Surprise, and more!
Decarbonization Project
Billie Eilish: Lollapalooza 2023
SOLAR-POWERED HEADLINE SET
- 193 GALLONS OF DIESEL AVOIDED
- 1.02 METRIC TONS OF CO₂E AVOIDED
- 750 KWH OF SOLAR ENERGY GENERATED FROM ONSITE SOLAR ARRAY
One of the biggest artists in the world. One of the largest festival stages in the world. A new decarbonized future for live music.
Billie Eilish and REVERB’s Music Decarbonization Project partnered to power key stage elements with solar-charged intelligent battery systems for the artist’s headline set at Lollapalooza 2023.
Decarbonization Project
100% Solar Powered Festival Stage
With Performances by WILLIE NELSON, SPOON, MARGO PRICE, THE WAR AND TREATY, and more.
Largest Solar Powered Festival Stage of Its Kind
REVERB partnered with Luck Presents at Willie Nelson’s annual Luck Reunion Festival to replace diesel generators with solar-powered intelligent battery systems. This zero-emission power system reduced diesel fuel consumption and associated greenhouse gas pollution related to temporary power by over 90%.
Decarbonization Project
NEXT GENERATION FESTIVAL LIGHTING
COACHELLA & STAGECOACH
REVERB’s Music Decarbonization Project helped Overdrive Energy Solutions fund, develop, and build 100% solar powered next-generation festival light towers to replace traditional diesel powered units. These new zero-emissions towers drastically reduce fuel consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions at festivals.
Decarbonization Study
Fan Travel Survey
Fan travel to and from concerts creates the biggest climate impact of live music, representing anywhere from 70-90+% of the total carbon footprint. We’re seeking greater understanding of the issue to explore new climate solutions.
REVERB’s Fan Travel Survey engaged over 35,000 fans at 400+ concerts to help us learn more about the issue, better understand how people are traveling to shows, and discover ways to encourage and enable more sustainable options.
The survey was featured on several tours including:
Dave Matthews Band, Dead & Company, Guster, Paramore, The Lumineers, Young The Giant
REVERB partnered with data scientists at UMASS Amherst to analyze the data and will release a first-of-its-kind report in 2025 outlining results and strategies for the music industry to help reduce the climate impact of fan travel.
SUPPORTING PARTNERS
Billie Eilish
The Lumineers
Dead & Company
Odesza
Tame Impala
Jack Johnson
Young The Giant
My Morning Jacket
Rhiannon Giddens
Guster
Wild Rivers
UMG
Sound Future
Overdrive Energy Solutions
What is Decarbonization?
Decarbonization is the process of significantly reducing or eliminating greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), that are released into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels. It’s about transitioning to cleaner, sustainable energy solutions that reduce the carbon pollution causing the climate crisis.
By rapidly adopting clean power technologies and implementing solutions to reduce our carbon footprint, we can slow the planet’s warming and mitigate the most severe impacts of the climate crisis.
Decarbonizing Music
The music industry has a significant climate footprint, including intense energy needs, considerable travel, and complex supply chains. By embracing renewable energy, reducing emissions from touring, and rethinking operations with sustainability at the forefront, the industry can lead by example. REVERB’s Music Decarbonization Project is catalyzing this change and supporting the key industry stakeholders through the efforts to change the status quo.
While the music industry’s footprint may be lower than other sectors, its decarbonization efforts and cultural importance have the potential to create an outsized impact on climate action worldwide.
Get in touch!
Interested in how you can decarbonize your tour, festival, or venue?
Have a solution you feel can help music decarbonize?
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