The days of artists relying on carbon-based energy to power their events could soon become a thing of the past, along with the use of polluting diesel back-up generators, following North America’s first evening 100% solar-powered concert – held in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
The City of Summerside and BluWave-ai together completed the first 100% time-shifted solar energy powered concert on the first stop of Bryan Adams’ 2022 Canadian Tour… showing the way for other acts keen to decarbonise their tours.
Leveraging the BluWave-ai energy optimization platform running in the cloud, the partners were able to predict solar production during the day so they could store sufficient solar capacity in a 890 kWh battery to cover the projected energy demand of the concert – including lighting, audio equipment and air conditioning. Despite it being a day of significant solar fluctuations, the system was able to operate the building in advance of the concert while storing enough solar energy to drive the concert in the evening.
Once the concert started, the automated platform took over to detect the increased load created by the concert and peripheral elements and managed the stored solar energy to supply the concert load over the three-hour period.
The success of the showcase project has ramifications for other applications. Says BluWave-ai CEO Devashish Paul. “This has proved a compelling case for time-shifting solar energy for large commercial enterprises, electric vehicle fleets and for supporting the grid with demand response and resiliency – without resorting to diesel backup generators.”
Even following a partially cloudy day, Summerside and BluWave-ai proved that the entertainment and sports events industry can run events without depending on carbon-emitting diesel generation backup systems. In Summerside’s case the battery and solar generation are on site, but for concert locations without this capability, batteries can be charged off-site and moved to the venue by electric trucking, enabling a 100% clean operation.
The project was made possible by the ongoing collaboration between BluWave-ai and Summerside. BluWave-ai’s Smart Grid works with Summerside’s wind farm, solar array, battery storage, grid connection and smart metering assets to optimise usage. In November 2021, BluWave‐ai and the City of Summerside announced the completion of the first-end to-end AI‐optimized grid in North America, the first industry proof point of a scalable system applicable to entire regions and countries for transitioning energy networks toward maximizing the use of renewable assets.
“Summerside is committed to growing our net zero economy and leading PEI’s Clean Tech Innovations,” said Mike Thususka, Summerside Director of Economic Development. “We decided to deliver a 100% green solar energy concert experience at our arena to showcase our capabilities as a leading North American municipality.
“We continue to invest in our green future and, and within the next few years, we are confident we can run our city 100% on sustainable energy sources.”
