Sail Grand Prix powered by vegetable oil

In a reported first for Australia, modular energy company Aggreko has powered the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix (SailGP) in Sydney with environmentally friendly hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).

In SailGP, national teams fly identical, high-tech F50 boats faster than the wind at speeds approaching 100 km/h. The use of Aggreko’s HVO instead of traditional diesel to power the generators resulted in a 23,533 kg reduction in CO₂ equivalent emissions — substantially reducing the carbon footprint of the event.

Throughout the Sydney event, Aggreko efficiently generated 22,770 kWh of power utilising HVO, demonstrating the viability and effectiveness of the fuel source. This was achieved with 9141 L of HVO, demonstrating an efficiency rate of 0.4 litres per kWh.

“Powering the Sydney event with our innovative HVO solution marks a significant step towards greener and more sustainable event management,” said Aggreko APAC Managing Director George Whyte. “By reducing CO₂ emissions and demonstrating the effectiveness of environmentally friendly alternatives, we are proud to contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable future for the global sports industry.”

Aggreko’s ESG strategy is underpinned by two goals: net zero emissions from facilities and operations by 2035 and 30% reduction in the emissions intensity of energy solutions by 2030.

Image courtesy of Aggreko.