Rental Power Supports the Growth of Major Events in the
Middle East
Ten years ago, the idea of hosting a World Cup
in the Middle East would have been dismissed out of hand by many
sporting enthusiasts. However, development of sporting
infrastructure around the Gulf, the construction of specially
devoted sports cities, and the successful hosting of many major
events has led many to rethink their perceptions of the Middle East
as a sporting destination. With Qatar having submitted bids for the
2018 and 2022 World Cups (and winning the bid for the latter), as
well as the 2020 Olympic Games, one of the a key logistical
challenges of proving that the Middle East can host major sporting
events is ensuring the availability of a consistent and sufficient
power supply.
Major events require an immense amount
of power; even when power supplies in the host country are
sufficient, organisers need to provide a back-up power supply for
all aspects of the event. The power supply for major events in the
Middle East is a particular concern because many proposed events,
such as the Qatar’s Olympic bid, would be scheduled to take place
in summer when the local power providers are already under immense
strain because of the constant use of air conditioning.
In order to guarantee the power supply for
major events, organisers have had a ready-made solution to turn to:
temporary power. The use of a temporary
power solution means that organisers can have a tailored supply
that meets the exact needs of the event. A turn-key rental power
provider will not only supply the equipment that is needed, but
will work with the organisers to design a bespoke power solution.
This includes the distribution of the power from
the generators to the various areas which require power, a
challenging task which requires the engineering of hundreds
of kilometres of cable runs throughout the event. Some of
the world’s most high profile events, including the Beijing
Olympics in 2008, the 2009 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and, most
recently, the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, have been
supported by the supply of temporary power packages by the world’s
largest rental power provider, Aggreko.
Aggreko, with 11 depots
operating across the Middle East, also has a great deal of
experience in the Middle East, having provided temporary power
packages to some of the most prestigious events in the region
including the opening ceremony of Atlantis Hotel on the Dubai
Palm.