Leisure (Festival)

Advertising in brochure format and regional press for the Galway International Arts Festival (GIAF) provided the following information:

“It’s back. And it’s greener than ever. Powering the Galway International Art Festival with green energy.

FLOGAS proudly sponsors Galway International Arts Festival”.

The above information was accompanied by the logos for both the GIAF and FloGas.

Issue 1 – “Greener than ever”
Two complainants considered that the term ‘greener’ meant the protection of nature, the reduction in pollution, lowering of greenhouse gas emissions with less negative impact on the environment. Green energy was, they said, energy that was produced in a way that protected the environment by using wind, water, or the sun. They queried the claim in the advertisement that the festival was “greener than ever” and considered it implied that because FloGas was a green energy supplier that their inclusion as a sponsor of the festival meant that somehow the festival had become ‘greener than ever’.

The complainants also considered that the claim “greener than ever” implied that the entire festival was powered by renewable ‘green’ energy when, the only renewable ‘green’ energy generated specifically for the festival was via a small number (20) of Photo Voltaic solar panels positioned in Eyre Square to power the festival lounge (complete with artificial plastic grass). Twenty panels would, they said, under ideal circumstances, be sufficient to power a large house with any surplus generated feeds going back into the grid.

Issue 2 – “Powering the Galway International Festival with Green Energy”
The complainants also queried the claim that the GIAF was powered with Green Energy as it appeared to be the case that some of the venue relied on mains power, the composition of which may or may not (depending on supplier) have been renewable. They said the venue in question also had a discreetly cordoned off diesel generator which could not be considered “green energy”.

Issue 1 – “Greener than ever”
Response GIAF
GIAF said their reference to “It’s back and it’s greener that ever” had been used to highlight the return of the festival since the various difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic which affected the 2020 and 2021 festivals.

Their suggestion that the festival was greener than ever had not suggested that the festival was exclusively green but that the 2022 festival had more environmental initiatives in place that year than any other year.

They said they had implemented several new sustainability/environmental measures for the first time. For example, the Festival Garden based in Eyre Square was powered solely by solar power for the first time, previously it was powered by an electricity generator – the presence of the generator on site referenced by the complainants was, they said, a precautionary measure. The Festival Garden was only powered by solar energy.

The festival had also introduced a re-usable cup scheme which was employed in the Big Top, this resulted in a large reduction in plastic use. There was also a ban on the use of plastic in both the Festival Garden and the Big Top.

The GIAF said they had highlighted the changes made to the festival in the media and considered that when the changes highlighted in their response were taken into consideration, it was accurate for them to describe the festival as “Greener than ever”.

Response FloGas
Flogas reiterated the information provided by the GIAF in relation to the solar panels provided and said they had launched their Solar business in April 2022 and that their Solar PV or Photovoltaic panels produced energy from sunlight and daylight savings time. Advances in Solar offerings now included batteries and smart meters which allowed for more intelligent use of energy produced. They said they had generated Solar, Green and Clean energy for the festival during daylight savings time which had powered all communal spaces and concession stands throughout the day from 11.45am to 11.45pm. All excess energy generated was used to power communal space and garden lights throughout the course of the night whilst the Festival Garden was closed.

They said an average house consisted of 4-5 solar panels and for the purpose of the Festival Garden they had installed 20 by 400w panels along the perimeter of the garden which constituted an 8KWP system. These panels would have generated approximately 35kw to 45kw energy each day. Batteries were fitted to accumulate and distribute excess energy to all energy points 24 hours a day for 14 days straight. They said a traditional user of solar energy in a singular premise would use energy on that premise and then through a process of Microgeneration give excess energy back to the electricity grid.

Flogas said they had also joined forces with a mobility company to provide free electric bike rides throughout Galway City and surrounding areas. Bikes were powered by an electric battery attached to the bike with an average distance of 60km per battery. The batteries were stored in the Flogas Festival Garden and powered by the Solar energy being generated by the PV panels. Therefore, while their panels were powering communal areas and concession stands it was also powering E-Bike rides which encouraged people to use the free bikes available as opposed to driving.

Given that 2022 was the first time the GIAF was powered by Solar energy, and the introduction of the E-Bike scheme, Flogas considered it was accurate to communicate to Festival Patrons that the 2022 Festival was “Greener than ever”.

As outlined by GIAF, Flogas reiterated that the presence of the generator on site at the Festival Garden was there to provide back-up electricity in the event that not enough power was generated from Day Light Savings Time or there was a breakdown in solar panels.


Issue 2 – “Powering the Galway International Festival with Green Energy”
Response GIAF
GIAF said that the reference to “Powering the International Arts Festival with green energy” had not indicated that they had exclusively relied on green energy for the 2022 festival, instead they had outlined in the media how to some extent the festival was being powered by green and sustainable energy.

Issue 1 – Not Uphold
The Complaints Committee noted the changes to the festival that had been implemented to substantiate the claim made in the advertising that the festival was “greener than ever They considered that the substantiation was adequate in the circumstances and therefore did not consider the claim to be misleading or that a breach of the Code had occurred as indicated by the complainants.

Issue 2 – Uphold
In relation to the claim “Powering the Galway International Festival with Green Energy” the Committee considered consumers would understand this to mean that all power was generated from renewable sources. As this was not the case as outlined in the response, the Complaints Committee considered the claim had the potential to mislead consumers and to be in breach of Code Sections 4.1, 4.4 and 15.5 of the Code.

Action Required: The advertisement should not reappear in its current form.