Initially, solar energy and tennis may seem like separate worlds, yet LONGi’s partnership with the ATP Tour, launched in 2023, brings a significant focus to the intersection of sports and sustainability. Major events like tennis tournaments leave a substantial carbon footprint, making environmental responsibility a key priority for the future. Together, solar energy and tennis have an opportunity to support a more sustainable approach.
Sport’s impact: big business, big carbon footprint
Across the globe, sports generates over $500 billion annually in economic value and is hypothesised to exceed $700 billion by 2026, but at what consequence? Environmental challenges are the answer to that question; sports activities worldwide are estimated to emit over 350 million tons of C02, around ⅓ to ⅔ of what aviation contributes annually.
Sports events require significant energy for large stadiums and international travel, resulting in a notable carbon footprint. For instance, a large tennis event may consume between 2,500 to 3,000 MWh over a single tournament. Sustainable solutions, such as integrating solar energy, provide a path to lowering emissions.
Tennis as a platform for sustainability
Its dominance as a global sport, tennis provides a vast platform to reach out to millions of people in order to raise sustainability awareness. Notably, figurehead athletes like Novak Djokovic or Naomi Osaka have used their influence positively to promote eco-friendly practices around tennis.
Djokovic has advocated for better waste management at events, while Osaka has encouraged younger generations to make sustainable choices. Thiem is committed to environmental causes and donates a portion of his earnings to the “1% for the Planet” initiative. These efforts are part of a growing movement within tennis to address environmental issues.
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LONGi’s commitment to green sport
LONGi, a prominent solar energy company, has joined the ATP Tour as the Official Solar Energy and Hydrogen Partner, extending its mission for a greener future to tennis. Through the “Plan G-E-T” initiative (Green Energy Tours), LONGi promotes carbon neutrality in sports, encouraging fans and participants to prioritize environmental protection.
A primary focus of this initiative is energy management at tournaments. Solar energy, with its renewable and abundant nature, is a powerful solution for reducing event emissions, as it provides Earth with more energy in an hour than the world consumes in a year. By incorporating solar solutions into stadium infrastructure, tournaments can significantly cut down their energy consumption.
Building a sustainable future in sports
As sports events continue to grow, so will their environmental impact. Embracing renewable energy and sustainable practices is essential for sports to lead by example. LONGi’s partnership with tennis represents a meaningful step toward a low-carbon future, inspiring change and setting a new standard in the industry.
Firms in the sports industry need to start thinking about their future and how to improve their sustainable performance to get ahead of others and get that competitive advantage. ESG tools and software such as IMPAKTER PRO can help firms advance their ESG performance through things such as reporting assistance.
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This article is referenced from LONGi BLOG: Solar and Tennis – is it a match? by Longi
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — Cover Photo Credit: Guzmán Barquín
