In an ongoing partnership between Grid Faeries and Ecotricity, the two green energy companies will power The Ballroom stage at this year’s Pepsi MAX presents Reading Festival, a brand new addition for the festival’s 2026 weekender.
Grid Faeries x Ecotricity have previously brought its green tech to festivals such as the Arcadia Dragonfly stage at Glastonbury, the Charlie Gillett stage at WOMAD, LIDO Festival and All Points East.
At Reading Festival, The Ballroom will be powered using Grid Faeries X Ecotricity’s battery technology charged with 100% green energy supplied by Ecotricity, says the companies. This, they go on to say, replaces the need for traditional diesel or biodiesel generators, cuts carbon emissions and reduces noise and air pollution.
The Ballroom is part of a wider overhaul of the Reading and Leeds Festival site, which includes the dance music dedicated stage The Warehouse and Reading-only exclusive The Yard, a space for outsider club culture.
Dale Vince OBE, founder of Ecotricity, said: “Festivals have relied on diesel generators for decades, but that’s changing. We’re delighted to be partnering with Reading Festival for the first time to power The Ballroom stage with renewable energy from the wind and the sun. Every festival that switches away from fossil fuels shows that there’s a cleaner, quieter and more sustainable way to power live music.”
Claire O’Neill, co-founder of A Greener Future, said: “Seeing battery-powered stages becoming a reality at major festivals is a huge milestone for the events industry. Grid Faeries X Ecotricity are demonstrating that clean alternatives to diesel are not only possible, but practical at scale. The transition away from fossil fuels at live events is accelerating, and partnerships like this help show what the future of festivals can look like.”
Melvin Benn, Festival Republic MD, said: “Using a battery to power the Ballroom Stage at Reading Festival for the first time marks an important milestone in our journey towards more sustainable festival operations, embracing new technologies as part of our Green Nation efforts. It’s particularly fitting that a stage championing the next generation of emerging artists is being powered by what we believe is the future of festival energy.
By continuing to explore alternatives to traditional generators, we’re demonstrating how large-scale events can reduce their environmental impact while delivering the world-class experiences our fans expect.
This project reflects our shared commitment to looking out for our planet and building a more sustainable future for live music and in Grid Faeries we couldn’t have a better partner to do it with.”
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