Entertainment - Media News Watch originally published at Entertainment - Media News Watch
Film London has launched the UK’s first renewable energy supplier The Grid Project for film and TV productions to use when shooting in London.
Currently a pilot scheme, The Grid Project will allow productions to access green energy via an electrical feeder pillar located at a key unit base in London’s Victoria Park. Use of the pillars will reduce CO2 and air pollution (from particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide) by 100% as well as significantly reducing noise pollution.
The project has already soft-launched, with seven productions and one event using the unit base over the course of 60 days. As a result, 11,000-kilowatt hours were drawn – saving over 2,800 litres of diesel and 7.6 tonnes of CO2.
Using the data gathered from the pilot scheme, the hope is to roll out the renewable energy bases across London and eventually the UK.
NBCUniversal is among the sponsors of the project with funding also coming from the British Film Commission; the London Mayor’s Good Growth; and support from the EU via Interreg Europe under the European Regional Development Fund. Speaking to
Screen at the launch, Film London’s CEO Adrian Wootton described the green energy unit as a “tangible concrete example” of sustainability for TV and film. “It is not a pipedream. He continued, “It’s a very real and practical thing.” It’s actually saving real CO2 from burning into the atmosphere. It’s actually saving real CO2 from burning into the atmosphere.”Moving forward, Wootton hopes to “work with the industry to demonstrate that really does work, to promote it, and to encourage government – national and regional – as well as our private partners to help us find the resources so that hopefully we can get more of these out there.” Wootton also spoke of the potential to have unit bases at public electric vehicle charging points which are already being rolled across London.
Left Bank Pictures’ Andy Harries and Universal’s managing director for the UK and Ireland, Rob Huber also attended the launch. The Grid Project is co-delivered by Tower Hamlets Council, The Film Office, ARUP, UKPN and Lucy Zodion, a power distribution pillar specialist. It follows the launch of The Fuel Project, a report providing practical information, steps and support to film and TV production suppliers moving towards more sustainable initiatives.[the unit base]”It worked in our favour”: How UK’s Lupus Films made Annecy premiere ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ during two lockdowns
Entertainment - Media News Watch originally published at Entertainment - Media News Watch
