Energy
WHAT WE ALREADY DO
Use energy efficient LED lighting inside our event marquees and outside.
Do not provide routine overnight lighting at our remote overnight camps to embrace the wilderness experience and reduce our power consumption.
Use battery powered devices to run our safety management systems early and late each day to reduce the overall time that our generators need to provide power.
Work with event stakeholders to improve the infrastructure at key locations so that we are able to use mains power.
Use more energy efficient equipment.
Use HVO fuel wherever possible for generators at our events rather than white diesel.
Measure our power consumption at all our events
WHAT WE ARE PLEDGING TO DO
Create energy usage strategy for fuel use at events which includes increased use of hybrid generators, solar use, mains sources etc.
Create an energy usage policy for staff.
Create an energy source wish list outlining new office and warehouse premises requirements.
Review available technologies for replacing gas usage at events.
Above: Finding greener and more sustainable power sources for event sites will be a challenge
The goal is clear: to reduce our overall energy consumption at events and use the most sustainable energy source that we can. Since writing our sustainability strategy we have reduced the amount of diesel we use at events very significantly, but it is not 100% eradicated.
Many of our event locations are situated in some of the wildest, remotest and beautiful landscapes in the UK. From an event planning perspective operating in these stunning locations normally means we are building our event centres and overnight camps (for the Scarpa Great Lakeland 3Day™, Dragon’s Back Race® and Cape Wrath Ultra®) which are all in fields with no existing infrastructure. With no water or electrical services, all our infrastructure has to be built temporarily, which means bringing in our own generators, water bowsers, marquees, catering equipment, tents etc.
A few of our event venues are in permanent venues such as our Event Centre at the Nevis Range for Skyline Scotland®. At these event venues we are able to utilize the mains connections for our energy source.
We are continually reviewing the different technologies which are available for event power generation, but often these are not suitable for our events. In 2024, we did trial a hybrid generator at the Salomon Buttermere Skyline race, and we were pleased with the outcome of this. You can read our blog here to hear more about this.
We understand there are greener technologies available for event power generation, but often these are not suitable for our events. This is because we often operate in remote and difficult to access locations and we have to move our overnight camps every day, for multiple days. For example, large hybrid generators or solar pods that are used at large festivals would typically be delivered to site on large lorries, having taken days to commission, and then remain static for the duration of the event. It is fundamental that our generators are 100% mobile and very quick to commission because they need to be moved on a daily basis.
We will always pledge to use the most sustainable technology to supply our overnight camps, but this also needs to be balanced with usability.
Did you know?
This area of focus is part of our progression towards goal 2 of the Outdoor Friendly Pledge