CW Plant Hire swaps generators for battery power to meet customer demand for silent, fuel-free event power

Charles Wilson (CW) Plant is making the switch to cleaner, portable power and invested in over 40 Instagrid battery power units to support customers in combating rising fuel prices and help meet increasingly stringent sustainability targets.

With an estimated 70% of event and festival organisers looking to cut fuel consumption, CW Plant Hire has worked alongside long-standing supplier Seddon’s Plant and Engineer to future proof their portable power offering.

Paula Godfrey, Systems and Sales Development Trainer, at CW Plant Hire said: “We initially trialled Instagrid’s 230v and 110v portable power supplies on the recommendation of our trusted partners at Seddon, and the feedback was excellent. Combined with our desire to invest in products that are both sustainable and future-proof, the decision to invest was an easy one.

“Instagrid products make tools and equipment portable, are operationally quieter and more sustainable. These benefits are reflected in the exceptional uptake we have already seen from our events customers, with some taking up to 10 Instagrid units to manage large power needs through the build and breakdown stages of event settings.”

Depending on size and output, a 6kVA diesel generator costs broadly the same upfront as an Instagrid unit, while a 10kVA model costs more. Where a larger generator is needed only to cover the start-up load of tools and equipment, the Instagrid GO can be used instead. In addition, data from Instagrid demonstrates a typical recharge of their 2.1 kWh portable power units costs on average 50p (based on current UK energy prices) from a mains power supply, providing long term efficiency and value.

The portability of battery powered generators is an additional benefit to the events sector, removing the need for cable runs and mitigating delays on tight build and breakdown schedules while also supporting a quieter working environment and being suitable for indoor use.

Matt Silvester, Instagrid Sales Director for UK & Ireland said: “Once you remove the need for wet fuel, refuelling trips, two-person generator moves, cable runs, extraction fans, plant nappies and spill kits the ROI on battery power is evident. However, it is the versatility of Instagrid units that are the market differentiator when it comes to power.

“A recent example is a customer that needed silent power for floor screeding with no mains supply and generators were ruled out. Instagrid powered both the lighting and equipment through the night with no delay, noise or emissions.

“We are pleased to be supporting both Seddon’s and CW Plant Hire in the adoption of battery power and are thrilled to see the increased uptake of events customers, who can already see the benefits and versatility Instagrid units bring to site.”

Seddon and Instagrid have provided training to the team at CW Plant Hire to support them in taking Instagrid units to customer sites for live demonstrations, including guidance on maintenance, visual inspections, recharging and IoT tracking, which can locate the unit within three metres, even when switched off or out of charge.

Instagrid’s ONE and GO units won Product of the Year at the 2026 European Rental Awards, and more than 60,000 Instagrid units have been sold globally. Both the Instagrid GO and the Carbon8 T3 are available from hire providers across the UK.