Green Guardians 2025:
The Rock Factory

For three years The Rock Factory has run solely on rechargeable batteries and solar power, allowing organiser to drastically reduce its carbon footprint by eliminating the use of diesel and petrol generators.

By IQ | 8 September 2025

For three years, this free festival series held in Auckland, New Zealand has run solely on rechargeable batteries and solar power, allowing organiser, The Rock Factory, to drastically reduce its carbon footprint by eliminating the use of diesel and petrol generators.

The brainchild of husband -and-wife promoters Mark and Michelle Rawstron, The Rock Factory runs its front-of-house stacks, lights, and all stage backline from battery-powered sources. And with solar panels fitted on the company’s audio truck, they can top up the batteries and have them recharged and ready for the next day’s performances.

The Music in Parks gigs have an audience of 1,000–4,000, depending on park site, and cover multiple genres, from classical to rock, hip-hop, EDM, and reggae.

In New Zealand, more than…

Looking for full access?

Enjoy unlimited access to all digital content by subscribing to IQ

Subscribe

Share this

GREEN GUARDIANS 2025:

Elisa Toffoli

In 2022, Toffoli became the first artist to be formally named a United Nations ally for promoting the 17 sustainable development goals of their 2030 Agenda.

GOAllAreas

Ginger Owl’s GOAllAreas (GOAA) initiative was built with sustainability in mind. The system is effectively an online event management and data collection tool designed to refine live event operations.

Wilderness Festival

The team at Audi presents Wilderness Festival, were keen to take on and tackle decarbonising one of the most challenging aspects of festival operations: small-scale distributed power for brand activations.

LIDO

Created and run by AEG Presents’ European festival division, LIDO Festival set a new standard for sustainability in live events.

Weezevent

Weezevent and Aucxis have joined forces to develop a fully automated system for managing reusable cup returns at events.

RÖDER

RÖDER UK is a leading supplier of temporary structures to the live events, music, and sports industries. The company is passionately working to minimise its impact on the planet.

Sunny Hill Festival

Since launching in 2018, Sunny Hill Festival has been building its sustainability credentials, but ramped up efforts in 2022 when it moved to its current location in the Bernica village suburb of Pristina.

Into The Great Wide Open

Into The Great Wide Open's ambition is to become fully circular and climate-positive.

PreZero Arena Gliwice

PreZero Arena Gliwice has proven that even a large, multifunctional venue can become a model for sustainable operations and industrial waste management.

Eat to the Beat

Eat to the Beat’s Sustain-ABLE strategy is all about implementing forward-thinking, sustainable food choices within its everyday operations and delivery.

Ultra Music Festival

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, Miami’s Ultra Music Festival also commemorated a significant milestone with the fifth anniversary of its sustainability programme – Mission: Home.

Coldplay

After pledging in 2019 that they would not return to touring unless they could do so in a more sustainable way, Coldplay have lived up to that pledge and have been trailblazing for the industry/

TRUCKINGBY

TRUCKINGBY is one of the leading names in live event transport and operates under the CARGOBY brand.

OCESA

OCESA applies rigorous sustainability standards, eliminating single-use plastics, implementing reusable cups, & replacing 18m physical tickets with digital alternatives through Ticketmaster’s SafeTix programme

BM Park Live

BM Park Live, who operate Junction 2 and Paradise in the City festivals, is implementing a NetZero by 2025 strategy to accelerate its drive toward carbon-positive events.

Co-op Live

Co-op Live was designed and constructed to provide the best-possible live music experience by combining the latest in performance technology, sustainability, and multifunctionality

Massive Attack

“A blueprint for the way live music can be produced,” stated Robert Del Naja after Massive Attack achieved what has been hailed as a world record for a festival with the lowest-ever carbon emissions.

Ascendance Sustainable Events

Ascendance claims to be Miami’s “first sustainable event consultancy” and is transforming the way events are planned by infusing purpose, accountability, and measurable impact into every stage of production.

Boom Festival

Boom Festival has garnered a reputation as one of the most forward-thinking events on the planet when it comes to its far-ranging sustainability programmes.

MOST POPULAR

Related Content

Green Guardians 2025: Elisa Toffoli, Sunny Hill Festival

The fourth instalment of IQ’s annual eco-warrior roundup also features The Rock Factory and RÖDER UK

News 10 October, 2025

Music of the Spheres – the tour report

Coldplay took a risk to push ahead this year with their Music of the Spheres tour. And the pay-off has been extraordinary

Feature 12 September, 2022

Phay Mac Mahon

Best of 2022: Phay ‘Phaymous’ Mac Mahon

Gordon Masson talks to the recipient of the 2022 Gaffer Award and one of the go-to production managers in the international touring business

Feature 24 December, 2022

Back to top