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Rototom Sunsplash Tests Low‑Plastic, Low‑Carbon Model for Large Festivals

Organizers are using hybrid power, 54 refill fountains, social forums, reinforced shade to show how big events can cut fuel use, plastic waste and protect visitors from extreme heat.

Overview

  • The festival in Benicàssim has launched a GTECH hybrid energy system that organizers say will save about 3,000 liters of fuel and avoid roughly 7.7 tonnes of CO2 over the event week.
  • Rototom and Tuawa released five‑year results claiming the partnership has avoided 3.2 million single‑use plastic bottles through refill systems and behavior change.
  • Organizers installed 54 drinking fountains across the site and campsite to reduce bottled water sales and support the festival’s long‑running plastic‑free policy.
  • The Foro Social, run by Fundación Exodus, is running panels on housing, climate justice and human rights with high‑profile online contributions from Vandana Shiva and Francisco Vera.
  • To protect visitors from extreme heat the festival changed schedules, reinforced shaded cultural 'refuge' zones with ventilated tensile structures, and emphasized shaded family areas for wellbeing.