BAFTA albert has published a Statement of Intent for the UK’s TV and film industry to transition to clean temporary power by 2030.
Data from BAFTA albert’s ACCELERATE 2025 report shows more than three million litres of fuel were burned by UK productions in generators during 2024, and that more than half of productions relied almost entirely on fossil fuels.
Highlighting the need to phase out fossil fuels and standalone generator use, the publication of SPARK: Clean Temporary Power by 2030 provides a roadmap which aims to enable the UK’s film and TV industry to shift to clean temporary power over the next four years.
SPARK identifies three pillars to guide the transition:
- REDUCE (cut energy demand and emissions through efficient planning and equipment)
- RETOOL (upgrade infrastructure and technology for clean power)
- RESKILL (equip teams with knowledge and training to plan, budget, and operate clean power solutions)
The Statement, co-signed by BAFTA albert, BBC, BBC Studios, BFI, Channel 4, Fremantle, ITV, ITV Studios, Netflix, Pact, Sky, UKTV and Universal International Studios, said, “The UK film and TV industry faces an imperative: to modernise its operations, and in doing so, seize the opportunity to tackle a significant source of our emissions.”
Commenting, BAFTA albert’s head of sustainability, April Sotomayor, said, “The climate crisis demands urgent action, and our industry has both the responsibility and the opportunity to lead. Support of SPARK signals the beginning of a collective movement as organisations ranging from broadcasters, media and production companies, suppliers and others not only support SPARK but internalise its recommendations to enable change. We expect many others to sign the Statement of Intent as the campaign grows and accelerates industry-wide action.”
Danielle Mulder, BBC sustainability officer, added, “We published our first Net Zero Transition Plan almost one year ago which was a hugely important milestone as we commit to a low-carbon future. It detailed how the BBC Group intends to be Net Zero by 2050. I am delighted to say we have been working collaboratively with broadcasters and production companies on an industry plan for clean temporary power for our productions by 2030. This means prioritising mains, batteries and renewables when we’re recording or broadcasting at locations outside of our buildings. This Statement of Intent is a significant step to decarbonising our productions’ operations as part of our commitment to building a sustainable BBC and wider media industry.”
Sinead Rocks, MD, nations and regions, Channel 4, said, “Channel 4 is proud to support SPARK as part of our commitment to sustainable production. SPARK aligns with our ambition to minimise carbon from temporary power by 2030, supporting cleaner, greener practices across the industry and helping us deliver on our science-based target aligned climate goals.”
Head of sustainability at ITV, Jeremy Mathieu, said, “No single broadcaster or production company can make their productions more sustainable in isolation, collaboration and transition planning are key to unlocking the innovation that will lead to a thriving and sustainable creative sector. ITV and ITV Studios are fully committed to this collaboration, working closely with BAFTA albert, our peers and suppliers to move from commitment to action and to transform the industry for the better.”
EVP at Universal International Studios, Rob Howard, added, “Universal International Studios is proud to stand alongside our industry partners in committing to a cleaner, more resilient future for production in the U.K. SPARK, together with our internal sustainable production program, gives us an actionable and ambitious pathway to reduce our environmental impact, enhance operational efficiency, and deliver cost savings without compromising the creativity or scale of our work. By embracing cleaner power solutions, we’re sharing in the industry’s unified vision and helping to build a more sustainable industry for the years ahead.”
