For years, single-use batteries have been treated as a background issue in Pro AV. They’re small, relatively inexpensive, and easy to replace, so most teams just get on with the job. But ask an audio engineer, stage manager, or facilities technician how many AA or AAA batteries their organization actually uses in a year, and many struggle to answer with confidence.
That’s understandable. Battery consumption builds quietly in the background—a few wireless microphones on stage, some beltpacks, or a handful of in-ear receivers for every rehearsal, show, or corporate presentation. But across live production, broadcast, theater, house of worship, and corporate venues, those numbers add up quickly.
I’ve spent years working in the touring industry. I’ve seen firsthand just how reliant our industry is on disposable batteries. They remain a practical and universal power source for pro audio equipment. That won’t change overnight. But the scale of battery waste today—and the financial and environmental costs attached to it—mean it’s time to think more seriously about how batteries are managed, tracked, and replaced.
A Numbers Game
At my own production company, Sonic City, we operate 74 channels of wireless equipment. In a typical year, that translates to more than 20,000 single-use batteries. That’s a fairly common story for medium-sized touring and production operations.
The wider industry picture is more striking. Norwegian cultural institution Kulturrom estimated several years ago that Norway’s entertainment sector alone uses more than 1 million disposable batteries annually across concert venues, touring productions, theatres, and cultural events.
Norway is a small market.
Scale that globally and the numbers become hard to ignore. In the United States alone, it’s widely estimated that around 3 billion batteries are discarded every year, many of them standard alkaline AA and AAA batteries used in everyday electronics and Pro AV equipment.
Battery management is a practical issue that we’ve been too slow to address.
It’s not down to an AV integrator or venue manager to solve the global battery crisis. What they can influence is how much they spend on batteries and what their environmental impact looks like.
The first step is tracking battery usage properly. Many teams don’t have enough visibility into how many batteries are being purchased, stored, used, and discarded across productions or facilities. Once those numbers are added up alongside purchasing costs, disposal requirements, and day-to-day operational pressure, battery management becomes a serious business issue.
Integrators, venues, and production teams need to ask the tough questions. Start counting batteries. Estimate annual consumption. Understand the cost attached to that usage. Even a rough baseline can quickly highlight opportunities to reduce waste, simplify workflows, and lower long-term expenditure.
Current Status
The pro audio market offers several approaches to rechargeables. Major manufacturers such as Shure and Sennheiser have developed highly capable proprietary charging ecosystems designed for their own wireless systems. They’re fantastic for reliability and visibility, but can introduce additional cost and lock users in a single vendor environment.
Then you have standard consumer rechargeables. While they’re adequate for low-drain household devices, traditional 1.2V NiMH batteries struggle to meet the reliability needs of demanding professional environments. In live production, there’s no room for uncertainty. A wireless mic dropping out during a service, keynote presentation, or live performance isn’t acceptable.
Those issues are being addressed. Advances in rechargeable battery technology, particularly lithium-ion systems designed for professional use, are helping tackle longstanding concerns around runtime predictability, charging speed, and voltage.
Operational realities are also pushing things forward. Touring crews, venue technicians, and corporate AV teams are expected to do more with fewer people and tighter turnaround times. Reducing last-minute battery runs, simplifying charging workflows, and increasing runtime makes work easier.
Recycling matters, regardless of the battery. A recent EPA report to Congress cited recycling rates for alkaline batteries at just 4%. That means the overwhelming majority end up in landfill, not recovery.
In Europe, the EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542 introduced stricter sustainability, collection, and recycling requirements across the battery lifecycle, including a target to collect 73% of waste portable batteries by the end of 2030. It's a more fragmented story in the United States, but states like California, New York, and New Hampshire have introduced stricter rules around recycling and disposal, increasing pressure on businesses and end users to adopt more sustainable battery practices.
Charging Smarter
Broadcast, music, house of worship, and corporate AV are all environments where battery reliability and operational efficiency matter. Several broadcasters, audio rental companies, and churches in Europe are taking a rechargeable-first approach. Similar thinking is emerging in orchestral environments, where consistency and reliability are essential for rehearsals, recordings, and live performances.
Touring engineers are also looking at the issue from a logistics standpoint. For audio crews working internationally, reducing battery swaps, simplifying charging, and traveling with less gear makes a demanding schedule a little more bearable.
The AV industry has transformed how it approaches remote production, AV/IT workflows, cloud—and yes, AI. Battery management is a practical issue that we’ve been too slow to address. Relying entirely on proprietary systems or single-use power sources in an industry increasingly focused on interoperability and ROI no longer feels sustainable.
The encouraging part is that this is a solvable problem. Better tracking, smarter charging workflows, improved recycling practices, and greater awareness can all make a measurable difference to the bottom line and working culture.
For an industry built on reliability, preparation, and technical precision, battery management can no longer remain an afterthought. The teams that approach it more strategically will reduce waste, lower operational costs, and make day-to-day production workflows easier in the process.
