Despite not being a listed company, the organiser of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix has been surprisingly forthcoming about its sustainability progress.
They are perhaps spurred by the Formula One (F1) championship body, which released its first impact report in April, focusing on the 2022 season. Its “Net zero by 2030” campaign aims to halve absolute emissions by that year compared to a 2018 baseline.
Race organiser Singapore GP (SGP) released its inaugural sustainability report last year, setting the 2022 race in Singapore as a baseline for future targets. According to its second annual sustainability report, released on July 23, total emissions from the 2023 race amounted to 1,880.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e), 20.7% lower than the 2022 baseline.
The emissions intensity per attendee also fell to 17.09 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per year (kgCO2e/ year) in 2023, down from 18.85 kgCO2e/year in 2022.
To calculate the absolute emissions figure, SGP takes into account all activities over a five-month reporting period, inclusive of the event set-up and tear-down. The report includes information about emissions from generators that power “select lifestyle areas”, grid electricity used by “select event facilities”, and even water use and waste generated during the event.
The report excludes all freight, logistics and travel activities by F1 and the racing teams. In other words, the report measures all non-racing activities that occur within what is known as the “patron experience zones”.
See also: JPMorgan pursues deals to finance shutdown of coal-fired power
When SGP began releasing sustainability reports last year, it also announced its target to halve its energy emissions by 2028 by reducing energy use and increasing the use of renewable power while purchasing renewable energy certificates (RECs) for unavoidable emissions.
Energy use was again the main source of emissions at last year’s race. Scope 1 direct emissions from the combustion of fuels accounted for 46.56% of total emissions. In absolute terms, this is 40.97% lower y-o-y. SGP attributes this to a successful trial to substitute the use of diesel to fuel power generators with low-carbon alternatives.
Since 2011, SGP has collected used cooking oil to be converted into B100 biodiesel. Approximately 2,267 litres of used cooking oil was collected from food and beverage vendors in 2023, which can be recycled to B100 biodiesel as fuel for generators.
According to an SGP spokesperson, the organiser trialled the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and B100 to power some 30% of the generators within the circuit park last year. This potentially achieved at least 4,000kg of CO2 reduction, comparable to the prior year.
The spokesperson adds that the trial is “on track” with SGP’s goal — announced last year — to implement HVO use in half of its generators by 2025 and all of its generators by 2028.
To stay ahead of Singapore and the region’s corporate and economic trends, click here for Latest Section
Sasha Rafi, SGP’s director of sustainability, says the organiser is “moving in the right direction” towards its emissions reduction target. “We will continue to explore other measures to minimise the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix’s greenhouse gas emissions footprint and build on all other aspects of our ongoing sustainability initiatives.”
Offsets
Last year, SGP told The Edge Singapore that it first purchased RECs in 2022. These RECs offset 85% of electricity consumption in the circuit park at the 2022 race weekend.
An REC represents the environmental attributes of generating 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of energy produced by renewable sources. RECs can originate from wind, solar, biomass, hydropower, biogas, geothermal and landfill gas projects.
SGP said that the RECs used in 2022 were purchased through Geneco for a solar project in Vietnam and Flo Energy for a hydropower project in Vietnam. However, the organiser declined to comment on the purchase price for each unit.
In 2023, SGP used RECs to offset 87% of its grid electricity. While SGP said last year that it would purchase RECs from Geneco and PacificLight, the spokesperson declined to comment on which generation companies the organiser partnered in 2023.
Additionally, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) commissioned ENGIE Services Singapore to install 1,396 solar panels at the F1 Pit Building last year. Completed in mid-2023, the panels generated more than 923,000 kilowatts (kWh) of power in its first year of operations, above the estimated 803,155 kWh.
According to SGP, the energy generated will be sufficient to power the building during the race month.
This includes providing the power for the Formula 1 Paddock Club suites, race control room, media centre, garages, and administrative offices. According to STB, excess solar energy is sold to the grid to offset the facility’s utility costs.
Following a trial in 2022, 100% of the track lights were replaced with energy-efficient LED lights last year. Stretching across the 4.928km racetrack, the LED lights reduce energy use by at least 30% compared to the previous metal-halide bulbs, which had been in place since the inaugural Singapore race in 2008.
Water and waste
Last year, SGP introduced 120 water-efficient solar-powered container toilets in 12 custom-made solar-powered containers, which saved an estimated 129,600 litres of water over the three-day race weekend. This is enough to fill more than 600 average-sized bathtubs. The organiser says the toilets will continue to be included in future races.
The organiser also stopped selling water in single-use plastic bottles within the circuit park in 2022, eliminating 160,000 used plastic bottles annually.
SGP says it has increased the number of water refill stations within the event ground but did not specify a figure. “Staff are issued with reusable water bottles and water in carton packaging, reducing an estimated 43,140 single-use plastic water bottles.”
Meanwhile, improved waste management starts from the moment patrons enter the circuit park. SGP eliminated 93,000 printed event guides last year and encouraged patrons to download the Singapore GP mobile app instead. “Where possible, we have gone fully digital, replacing tickets and event guides with electronic versions,” says the SGP spokesperson.
In total, the organiser has saved on creating 250,000 plastic cards and lanyards, 135,000 PET packaging and 31,000 bubble mailers after switching to e-tickets.
An online accreditation portal for special visitors, such as members of the media, also helped SGP cut 93% of plastic cards used in personnel accreditation passes in 2022 compared to 2019. In addition, only biodegradable cups and cutlery are used at the staff cafeterias, media centre, Paddock Club and hospitality suites, and offices at the Pit Building.
In 2023, 84% of tableware used in the circuit park was biodegradable, up from 68% in 2022. SGP aims to only use reusable, recyclable or fully biodegradable tableware in the circuit park by 2028.
Approximately 50,000 staff uniforms and event materials, such as fence wraps, flags, podium stands and red carpets, have been reused over the years, says SGP. “This year, we have upcycled our old fence wraps into cushion covers that are paired with recycled wooden pallets to create lounge chairs for patrons to sit on.”
This year, SGP has partnered Plastify, a local start-up that recycles plastic waste into functional goods, to produce coasters and keychains with the official race branding.
As part of this collaboration, SGP collected empty soap, detergent and shampoo plastic bottles at its three roadshows. Titled “#RevUpSg Festivals”, the two-day events were held at Suntec City, One Punggol and HDB Hub in July, August and September, respectively.
During the race weekend, patrons in Zone 1 and Zone 2 of the circuit park can make their own keychains for free using recycled plastic.
The coasters, which are part of the range of official Formula 1 Singapore Airlines C6L Singapore Grand Prix 2024 merchandise, will be available for sale online and at merchandise booths within the circuit park.
Photos and infographics: Singapore GP
