For the second year, Singapore GP to purchase renewable energy certificates to offset emissions

Singapore GP first purchased RECs last year to offset 85% of electricity consumption in the circuit park at the 2022 race weekend.

Singapore GP (SGP), the race organiser of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, aims to halve its carbon emissions by 2028 by focusing on energy reduction, increasing the use of renewable energy sources and purchasing renewable energy certificates (RECs) for unavoidable emissions.

This follows SGP’s first environmental, social and governance (ESG) report, released on Sept 8, which revealed that total emissions in the circuit park amounted to 2,372 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) in 2022.

Scope 1, or direct emissions from fuel combustion, comprised 62.6% of emissions at the 2022 race weekend, says SGP. Meanwhile, Scope 2 emissions, or indirect emissions from purchased electricity, heat and steam, made up 33.5%.

Together, energy usage comprised 96.1% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2022. The remaining 3.9% came from Scope 3 indirect emissions from upstream and downstream activities.

SGP’s emissions are calculated from the sources of emissions within the circuit park’s “patron experience zones”. These refer to areas that are directly under SGP’s purview and control; and excludes all freight, logistics and travel by Formula 1 and the racing teams.

The 2023 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix will take place from Sept 15 to 17.

Offsets from renewable energy certificates

SGP tells The Edge Singapore that it first purchased RECs last year. These RECs offset 85% of electricity consumption in the circuit park at the 2022 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.

RECs represent the environmental attributes of generating one-megawatt hour of energy from renewable sources. RECs can originate from wind, solar, biomass, hydropower, biogas, geothermal and landfill gas projects.

SGP says the RECs were purchased through Geneco for a solar project in Vietnam and Flo Energy for a hydropower project in Vietnam, but declined to comment on the purchase price for each unit.

“We are not in the position to comment on costs as we are looking at ensuring a more sustainable event as a whole,” says the organiser to The Edge Singapore on Sept 8. “SGP is committed to minimise our environmental footprint by reducing carbon footprint, adapting and promoting a circular economy and creating positive impact in the community.”

SGP is set to purchase more RECs this year to offset unavoidable emissions. This year, its partners will be Geneco and PacificLight.

Replacing diesel with renewable fuel

To tackle emissions from power generators, SGP says it will gradually phase out diesel and increase the use of low-carbon fuel alternatives.

SGP will start a feasibility trial to substitute diesel fuel with renewable fuel, such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). It will work towards implementing HVO in half its circuit park power generators by 2025, and all of its power generators by 2028.

Since 2011, SGP has been collecting used cooking oil to be converted into B100 biodiesel. This reduced some 4,000kg of emissions in 2022, according to SGP.

SGP says this initiative will reduce emissions by up to 52% when fully implemented.

Other initiatives

Earlier this year, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) appointed ENGIE South East Asia to install 1,396 solar panels on the roof of the F1 Pit Building and works were completed in June.

According to SGP, the amount of electricity generated by these solar panels in a year is enough to power the building for an entire race month.

In addition, all the track lights are being replaced by LED lights, reducing energy use by at least 30%.

This year, SGP will introduce container toilets that are more water-efficient. According to SGP, the previous portable toilets used a conventional pump-based system, where water for flushing and washing hands is stored in a water tank. The new toilets use a flow-based system, where fresh water will be drawn to the tap or flush only on-demand.

Set to be deployed for the first time at a local event, SGP says these 120 water-efficient cubicles in 12 solar-powered containers will save an estimated 129,600 litres of water over the three-day race weekend.

SGP also stopped selling single-use plastic bottled water last year, which eliminated an estimated 160,000 single-use plastic bottles.

All external vendors and contractors will be required to pledge towards SGP’s ESG commitments by 2025, says SGP.

Director of sustainability Sasha Rafi says SGP has adopted incremental sustainability measures since the race’s debut in 2008. “With advancements in technology and the evolution of best practices, we now have an opportunity to do more.”

Rafi is currently SGP’s director of marketing, privacy and sustainability, and has been with the organiser since October 2007, according to her LinkedIn profile.

“Equipped with data from our 2022 carbon footprint report, we have developed a roadmap that will allow us to meaningfully reduce emissions, with a distinct focus on energy use,” says Rafi. “These measures will be taken in tandem with Formula 1’s global efforts to reach net zero by 2030.”

Photos: Bloomberg

Infographics: Singapore GP

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