The Dry S3

The Dry Season 3 continued the progress made by Season 2  in terms of sustainability on set, with additional improvements facilitated by the use of the Screen Ireland sustainability innovation fund. We hope the learnings below can be carried on to other productions and expanded upon even further.

From using HVO in unit base generators, trialing the new Nanlux 5000B LED light, which was powered by the NextGen BPS 5K GOAT battery unit, and engaging in the first ever ‘Nifty Fifty’ programme in association with Circular Costume Ireland to help reduce costume waste and support the upcoming generation of filmmaker, The Dry S3 met the standards of the previous season and exceeded them.

NextGen BPS GOAT 5K Battery Packs

The GOAT was used by the lighting department to power lights over extended periods, providing a quieter, cleaner alternative to traditional diesel generators. They were hired from Apollo Lighting and will be available from Apollo for other productions moving forwards.

Nanlux 5000B LED

Electric departments in the past have been hesitant to replace bigger HMI lamps with LED lights, however gaffer Micheal O’Mogain was willing to trial the Nanlux 5000B to replace 9k HMI lamps, the lamp they most commonly used for lighting Sheridan’s House in Season 2.

Use of HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) Fuel

To reduce the carbon emissions from generator use, the production opted to fuel generators in both the facilities and electric departments with HVO, a renewable diesel alternative derived from waste vegetable oils.

A total of 4629 litres of HVO were used during the course of production. The carbon savings from using HVO in place of conventional diesel are significant: HVO typically offers an up to 90% reduction in lifecycle CO₂ emissions compared to fossil diesel.

Circular Costume Ireland: Nifty Fifty Initiative

In collaboration with Circular Costume Ireland, this production sponsored the second round of the Nifty Fifty programme—an initiative designed to support emerging filmmakers while promoting sustainability in costume design.

The programme enables short film productions to rent all essential costumes for their shoots for a flat rate of just €50, making high-quality wardrobe options accessible and affordable while encouraging the reuse of materials. This approach reduces textile waste and minimises the environmental footprint associated with the manufacturing, shipping, and disposal of costumes.

Wattman Battery Pack

Part of the sustainability innovation fund application was for a 10 week hire of the 10Kw Wattman battery pack. 5 weeks of hire was approved and it was hired for locations to use for the latter half of the production. Its purpose was to power the tech trucks.

Grid Tie In for Unit Base at RDS

While the unit base was parked up at the RDS, locations informed us we were unable to run a generator until 10am due to it being in a residential area. The initial plan was they would swap over to generator use at 10am, however it was suggested we stay on house power for 1 full day, that the power plinth at the RDS have temporary meters attached so we could see our draw, and calculate how much it might cost us to pay for power from the grid. After a successful first trial it was agreed we would stay on the grid for the second full week the unit base was at the RDS.

NextGen BPS GOAT 5K Battery Packs

The 5k battery pack was used quite regularly for exterior night shooting in town where generators were not allowed in. During the filming of exterior night scenes, it powered vortex 8s, the 2400B Nanlux and various other led lights. It was also useful to power the lighting trucks when on location and without the access or need for a diesel generator.

Nanlux 5000B LED

Micheal, our gaffer, had the following to say about the Nanlux lights. 

“It’s a flexible, reliable, and sustainable HMI replacement that frees you from the technical headaches of big HMI lights. It's great that you can totally control it dimming from 0-100% and bi colour 2700K - 6500K. It is also very good for outdoors with a IP rating 66. We used the 5000B nearly all the time in the Sheridan house interior lighting from outside replacing the 9K HMI.”

Use of HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) Fuel

Estimated carbon saving:

• Average CO₂ emissions for conventional diesel = ~2.68 kg CO₂/litre.
• 4629 litres of diesel would produce approximately 12,405 kg (12.4 tonnes) of CO₂.
• A 90% reduction results in a saving of approx. 11,165 kg (11.2 tonnes) of CO₂.

This reduction played a meaningful role in lowering the overall environmental impact of the production, especially considering the traditionally high fuel consumption associated with generators.

Circular Costume Ireland: Nifty Fifty Initiative

By sponsoring this initiative, the production not only supported circular economy principles in the film industry but also actively fostered a culture of sustainability among up-and-coming creatives.

Wattman Battery Pack

The Wattman 10kw battery pack proved useful in many circumstances such as when the production was filming in town and the space taken up by and noise of a generator were problematic. While there were days that the battery did not power the tech trucks on a single charge, there were many days where it provided ample energy and. Charging the pack was not always easy, though in the instances where the production filmed in the Sheridan's house set it was able to charge overnight. Overall the takeaways would be that the tech trucks and what is on them need to be specced in advance of the battery going out to ensure the right size battery is being utilised.

Grid Tie In at RDS

The final breakdown of power used during the grid tie at the RDS can be found below.

First Visit - 686.3KW - €0.265 per KW. €181.86
Second Visit - 651.1KW- €0.265 - €172.64

Not only did this work out cheaper than running a diesel generator for 12 hours per day, 5 days a week, we also cut down on pollution, both noise pollution and carbon emissions.

The above innovation proposals reflect the continued efforts on The Dry to reduce waste and emissions on the production. This trialing of brand new equipment and initiatives and improving understanding on equipment such as the Wattman battery pack. It also meant continuing the initiatives that worked on season 2, such as using HVO in generators, and exploring other power options for return locations, such as the grid tie-in at the RDS and charging the Wattman battery pack in Sheridan’s house.

Thank you to Emer O’Shea, Alex Jones, Liam Ryan and the production team, as well as Micheal O’Mogain (gaffer) Rossa O’Neill (location manager) for their support and willingness to trial new technology. Thank you to Circular Costume Ireland for providing their services, and to the accounts department for their record keeping.