Ultra’s battery-powered stage
Ultra Music Festival (March 27–29, Bayfront Park) will debut a stage powered entirely by battery — the first large-scale US electronic festival to claim an onsite emission-free stage — and set times have just been released to help plan Miami Music Week. Organizers expect a $79M economic impact, with 75% of attendees from outside Miami and roughly $40M in visitor spending during the week. (djmag.com) (bizjournals.com) (miaminewtimes.com)
Ultra is routing power for its RESISTANCE Cove stage through Showpower’s SmartGrid battery system instead of onsite diesel generators, marking the festival’s first large-scale, battery-powered stage deployment. (djmag.com) Organizers say the SmartGrid packs full redundancy for audio, lighting and video and will be charged from the local grid rather than refueled onsite, meaning no onsite combustion emissions during operation. (edm.com) Showpower and partners point to previous large-scale rollouts on major tours and events—press materials note the SmartGrid was used on Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres run (reported as powering 86 stadium shows in some accounts and “over 50” in others) and has been deployed at events like Global Citizen. (edm.com) The battery swap is being executed under Ultra’s Mission: Home sustainability program and in coordination with REVERB’s Music Decarbonization Project, which has pushed festivals and tours to transition from diesel to battery systems since 2023. (reverb.org) Released running orders show marquee programming tied to the mainstage spectacle, including a confirmed Alesso b2b Martin Garrix headline slot and several world‑exclusive b2b debuts such as Amelie Lens b2b Sara Landry. (billboard.com) Promotional materials and industry commentary frame Ultra’s Cove deployment as a prototype for larger festival adoption, with organizers and REVERB calling it a potential blueprint for eliminating onsite diesel at comparable events. (edmidentity.com)
