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Mobile power supplies on film sets are trending toward environmentally friendly solutions. Whether it’s electric power from the grid, generators running on alternative fuels, hybrid solutions, or solar panel powered batteries, various options are available. Incentives as well as restrictions are serving to reduce the use of noisy, air-polluting generators. One important factor is the use of efficient lighting. It’s a double advantage forproductions because energy that isn’t used at all is the most eco-friendly and cost-saving solution.

 

“Over the last 220 shooting days, we’ve used a generator for only ten days”, says the gaffer Michael Becker when reviewing his most recent projects, including Habibi Baba Boom. The TV-comedy Die Beste zum Schluss shoot used no generators at all. “The trend is to use fewer generators, and when they are used, they are operated only for a few shooting days”, adds Mike Zimmermann, Managing Director of Lichthaus in Berlin.

 

Battery storage, though varying in capacity, charging time, size, and weight, is becoming increasingly popular. The Düsseldorf-based Twist Filmproduktion is using a lightweight 20-kg Instagrid system for its mobile power supply. This water- and dust-proof portable power package delivers 2.1 kWh and recharges in two and a half hours. “Charging batteries directly on set is ideal because it makes the workflow much easier, and it allows us to work more efficiently”, says Creative Producer Lukas Gardemann. “With Instagrid, we can operate lamps, monitors, and other vital equipment.”

 

The French company Pess Energy offers two compact and emission-free solutions with the Bobine and Wattman systems, which have a battery capacity of 5 kWh and 10 kWh, respectively. Thanks to its stable all-terrain wheels, shock and temperature fluctuation-tested cells, the power packages are easy to use. During its development, company founder Rémi Pillot placed special emphasis on the output/weight ratio. Bobine weighs in at 50 kg, and outputs 4,000 W; Wattmann weighs 85kg, and outputs 6,000 W.

 

The solar pioneer Rémi Pillot, who drove a solarmobile throughout France, also equipped the Wattman and Bobine batteries with solar panels. The plug and play system consists of four solar modules with an efficiency factor of about 21 percent and a maximum performance of 440 Wp each. One set of four solar panels can supply power for devices up to 1,500 W. The folding solar panels can recharge the Bobine as well as the Wattman in less than six hours.

 

Thanks to the combination of solar panels and high-performance battery storage, it‘s even possible to supply the entire base camp of a film set with power, as the French production C’est le monde à l’envers ! has proven. Solar panels installed on site and foldout solar modules supplied energy to recharge cameras and batteries on set. The power consumption of lights and cameras had been calculated in advance. „We generated more solar power than we needed“, says Pascal Guerrin, Managing Director of the French production company Bonne Pioche. An 11 kWh storage battery provided energy security.

 

In the nature reserve where the film was shot, the crew’s electric vehicles were recharged at mobile charging stations, which have been developed to charge vehicles used for the Tour de France. To implement this ambitious energy concept, Secoya’s Green Consultants partnered with various companies such as TYVA Energie, Mobivolt, and Drop’n’Plug. Thanks to this environmentally friendly energy and transport concept C’est le monde à l’envers ! was awarded the 2024 Eisvogel – Prize for Sustainable Film Production.

 

Maier Bros. has noted an increasing demand for environmentally friendly generators. “Our Filmhybrids have been rented to fourteen productions over the course of forty-one weeks”, emphasizes Knut Maier, owner of the Cologne-based equipment rental firm. This includes the productions of Woodwalkers, The School of Magical Animals 3, Es geht um Luis, the Disney series Pauline, and the Amazon series Never Ever. “Thanks to its hybrid system, the Filmhybrid 100 operates at perfect levels of efficiency. It’s more efficient and economical, and it generates thirty percent less soot than a diesel generator”, explains Knut Maier. When using the Filmhybrid 30/60 manufactured by Kemama, carbon emissions can even be cut in half when compared to a vehicle equipped with a conventional diesel generator.

 

Advancing the development of Filmhybrid 100, the new Filmhybrid 130 has ben made available. To construct this new generator, Maier Bros. and Polyma built on their experience with FH100. As a hybrid system, the FH 130 also operates in battery mode when the demand for power is small. It is equipped with long-lasting, recyclable LiFePo battery cells. With a total power output of 25 kW, the inverter technique is compliant with a full-featured 32 A CEE red connection. In this hybrid system, the battery cells are recharged at an optimal coefficient by an additional 100kVA LPG generator that produces thirty percent less soot in continous operation than a classic diesel machine. “Now with a total output of 130kVA, there is a modern, efficient, and environmentally friendly Filmhybrid in a new power class”, says Knut Maier.

 

On a similar scale, CineGreen is offering a new 100 kW battery storage unit that provides 160 kWh of output. This Zurich-based company is also bringing a new product on the market. Manufactured by the U.S. company Anton/Bauer, the clean and quiet Salt-E Dog power supply is equipped with 9 kWh sodium nickel battery cells. This innovative energy storage device has been designed specifically for film productions. It is safe to use on set because it doesn’t rely on lithium batteries, which, if damaged, can cause raging fires or explode.Thanks to the abundance of rare earth minerals like lithium and cobalt, the Salt-E Dog has a better life cycle assessment. Compared to lithium, sodium-based batteries are more efficient, have longer lifespan and cycling
range, and last up to fory percent longer. The Salt-E Dog provides 6 kW of continous output and is weather and rain proof as its IP55 rating attests. This system can also be equipped with
solar panels.

 

So far, many international productions, such as the Bond movie No Time To Die, are using serially connected Voltstack 5K storage devices for an off-grid power supply. Portable Electrics’ power boxes were also used on Captain Marvel for shooting the subway scene, which was modeled on the one in the film classic French Connection. The 5K battery storage device supplied power for lighting on the running train, where Brie Larson, cast in the part of the cosmic warrior, pursues a shape-shifting alien.

 

This Canadian company is also offering a Voltstack 30K hybrid system with 80 kWh of output, along with integrated software to track, analyze, and optimize energy consumption in real time. Portable Electrics will also launch a larger battery storage unit with 40 kW and 130 kWh.

 

 

Photos: © Florian Alzay, Twist Filmproduktion, Lightequip, Knut Maier und Polyma, Anton/Bauer, CineGreen, Portable Electric