For the second successive year, the Red Bull Ring’s pit and paddock will be powered by a low-carbon energy system during the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix weekend.
Formula 1 has set an ambitious target to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.
One step that has been made toward achieving this goal is introducing sustainable fuels to the 2026 Formula 1 cars, but the 20-strong F1 field accounts for a minor slice of the series’ overall carbon footprint.
The biggest factor is the infrastructure surrounding the Formula 1 circus, including, but not limited to travel, haulage and of course, hosting events.
The Red Bull Ring is making great strides on the latter following a successful trial of a low-carbon energy system in 2023 which saw a dramatic 90% reduction in carbon emissions across the pits, paddock and Formula 1 Event Technical Centre.
Aggreko is the energy provider behind the centralised energy system which powers the paddock via several sustainable sources.
These include hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) biofuel, 200 solar panels covering 600 m2 and a battery storage system supplied by a renewable power grid.
Such is the efficiency of the system, none of the 10 Formula 1 teams are required to use their own generators throughout the Austrian GP weekend.
Last year’s trial saw CO2 emissions slashed from 198 tons in 2022 to 12 tons in 2023.
The impressive system means 40 fewer generators are required in the paddock compared to a standard weekend and for Formula 1 to achieve its 2030 objective, it is imperative that the practice at the Red Bull Ring is repeated across the F1 calendar.
Beyond this, other measures will need to be taken to ensure Formula 1 meets its net-zero target and perhaps the biggest hurdle to overcome is the carbon footprint of F1’s substantial air miles.
Mercedes made a significant step in a positive direction in the summer of 2022 when it invested in Sustainable Aviation Fuels in a bid to remuce its travel footprint by 50%.
At the time, Team Principal Toto Wolff said: “Sustainable Aviation Fuel has the potential to transform the way we travel and the impact that we have on the environment.
“This is a topic that I think about a great deal personally as well as professionally. I fly a lot; the team flies a lot. If we must fly, then we need to find a better way to do so and SAF is the best solution available to the aviation industry right now.”
