SailGP Sets Zero Carbon Target By 2025
SailGP has announced plans to reach zero carbon by 2025, ahead of the launch of its second season on February 28th and 29th.
The league says its plans will focus on three core pillars – process, people and tech – as it aims to go beyond best practice, inspire communities, and drive innovation.
“As a sport that is powered by nature, taking aggressive climate action is imperative and why we have to lead by example to reach carbon neutrality by 2025,” said SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts. “There is no point saying we will eventually get there; it is much more urgent than that and we must find innovative solutions quickly.”
“We have to ensure we are operating responsibly across all areas of our business and accelerating our sport toward a sustainable future in which all aspects of our activities have a net positive impact on society. The key to achieving our goal is to be cleaner, greener, faster, and by partnering with innovative, like-minded companies.
“In doing so, we want to inspire and lead other businesses and sports, as well as our partners, suppliers and fans to realize the urgency and help them win their own race to carbon neutral.”
Ahead of its second season, SailGP entered into a technical project in partnership with vehicle and clean energy company Tesla which has seen the development of a mobile off-grid system powered by solar energy and Tesla’s battery solution Powerwall, installed in Sydney to power the battery container for the league’s F50 race boats.
As part of the pilot program, solar panels were installed in the Sydney SailGP Technical Area alongside Tesla Powerwalls, which enable the solar energy kit to be assembled and dismantled quickly and transported from event to event.
SailGP says the new initiative is a test, but if successful it will lead to much wider use of renewable energy at its events. The event says it hopes its initiative can also create a blueprint for other major events, as well as remote communities and disaster areas.
Dr Susie Tomson, Sustainability Director, SailGP, said: “We are facing a global climate emergency and sport has the power to inspire change and create the momentum we need to reach zero carbon emissions, to stop the catastrophic impacts that are predicted and widely accepted.
“As a sports league driven by technology and with the power to engage and inspire a broad audience, we have set our goal to win the race to zero carbon and inspire people to go on the same journey.”
Ahead of the start of Season 2, SailGP says a number of new initiatives will be in place, including using recycled carbon fibre and ocean plastics in both the SailGP and Inspire Racing medals, removing single-use and disposable products across all site areas, and removing single-use plastics from all hotel rooms used by the organisation.
