Summer (ordinarily) offers long sunny days with hot climates, which makes it the perfect weather for outdoor gigs, and perhaps less obviously - solar power.

A Wicklow-based firm spotted the potential of mixing both, and brought its services to the Castlepalooza music festival earlier this month.

Alternative Energy Ireland installed solar panels to the campsite showers at the festival, which played at Charleville castle in Tullamore.

Hosted by Dudley Stewart, the festival ran during the August Bank Holiday weekend, and attracted hundreds of campers.

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AEI installed an Eco shower Pod to allow campers to use showers heated by solar energy.

The showers were heated from a bank of evacuated tube solar panels. These types of panels produce the best output for Irish conditions, as they can achieve higher temperatures in the country's climate.

Water was stored in a large hot water cylinder located 10 metres from the shower Pod, and was made available for anyone to use on the campsite.

The firm's main aim was to raise awareness of the benefits of solar power and show it can be used for large hot water demands, as well as small domestic needs.

AEI Sales Director Steven Bray said: "We’re hoping to provide hot water for other non-standard applications over the coming year and to bring awareness of the benefits of solar energy to a wide range of people."

(PR/JM)