Zermatt Unplugged: Festival with solar and green electricity

A music festival at the foot of the Matterhorn? In a place many people long to visit? That brings responsibilities. “We are aware of our responsibility – especially because our event takes place in such a beautiful landscape,” says Rolf Furrer, Managing Director of Zermatt Unplugged. And he emphasises: “Sustainability has always been an important topic at our festival.”

Sustainability tool in use

Since 2019, the event organisers have been using a specific BKW tool each year to determine how they can make their event even more sustainable. It reliably provides robust figures on the basis of which adjustments can be made. For example, in the areas of mobility, procurement, waste, electricity, water, catering and emissions.

“We try to do our very best in all respects,” says Furrer. “We make sure we shift as much as possible onto the rails. For catering, we have steadily expanded the vegetarian offering and increased the proportion of regional products. We also use reusable tableware, which generates less waste, and operate intensified recycling.” Because Zermatt has an environmentally friendly mobility offering, additional emissions are saved.

Another important lever for greater sustainability is the electricity used. Because even if the festival is unplugged, it obviously cannot do entirely without electricity. Here, the approach is based on two pillars: “On the one hand, we use solar installations on site for the infrastructure,” explains Rolf Furrer. “We cover the remaining demand with green electricity from the grid.”

100 per cent certified green electricity

Chris Cotting, Head Energy Sales at BKW, explains exactly what the latter means: “Zermatt Unplugged has decided to purchase 100 per cent certified green electricity with the ‘naturemade star’ label. This is one of the most sustainable certificates on the market. It guarantees that the amount purchased has been produced 100 per cent ecologically.” Private individuals can also upgrade their consumption with sustainable options. “For every kilowatt hour, 0.7 centimes flow into the BKW Eco Fund. Since it was founded in 2000, this fund has already invested CHF 24.6 million in renaturation projects in watercourse areas,” explains Chris Cotting.

More than 320 projects have already been implemented and supported financially or professionally. Around 50 projects are currently under way. One example is in the Emmental region of the canton of Bern, where the common midwife toad, also known as the Glögglifrosch, is being promoted. In the Jura, the regeneration of the La Gruyère raised bog is being advanced, and in Oberaargau the promotion of species and habitats in the Emerald area is being pursued. Species found there include the Eurasian water shrew, the sand lizard and the stoat. Among the plants, mosses, wild rice and common arrowhead can be found. By purchasing 100 per cent green electricity with the ‘naturemade star’ label, Zermatt Unplugged is therefore supporting the promotion of all these animals and plants.

Producing additional electricity on site using the power of the sun also has a positive impact on the event’s environmental footprint. The Taste Village in particular is supplied with solar power – in other words, the area with the food stands, where Valais specialities, among other things, are offered.

Photo booth and Akkumat in the Wood Cube

The BKW Wood Cube is also located in this area and plays its part in producing solar power. Photovoltaic modules are also installed on the roof of the wooden building, which serves as a meeting place.

The solar power generated is used, among other things, to make crêpes with regional fillings. It also flows into a photo booth where visitors can capture festival moments. In addition, it supplies the Akkumat, where festival guests can charge their mobile phones if needed. And if the building produces more electricity than it consumes, the surplus is fed into the electricity grid and used across the rest of the festival site.

All in all, there is a great deal happening at Zermatt Unplugged when it comes to sustainability too. But Managing Director Rolf Furrer wants to go even further: ‘There are certainly other things we could do better. We’re staying on it.’

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