Introduce an energy combination of sustainability and dependability for flagship tennis event
Being asked to return to an event is always good news, but when the event is one like the Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals, being part of this project means much more. After the last edition in 2019 at the Magic Box (Caja Mágica) in Madrid, we wanted to do more in terms of the energy transition, while also maintaining the standards of quality and safety Aggreko is known for.
Kosmos, the agency organising the event, knew about our commitment to reducing emissions by 2030 and our new fleet of equipment focused on the energy transition. Our decarbonisation strategy is aligned with theirs, and they posed the following question to us in the form of a challenge. Can you transform this event into a great example of event sustainability?
With tens of thousands expected to pack the stands at the Madrid Arena, not only did our team have to focus on reducing emissions – but the floodlights shining down on court had to keep shining too…
Coming back with a bigger, better and greener encore
After the previous edition was cancelled due to the pandemic and because the event was celebrated at different facilities (Madrid Arena), the electrical project design process had to start from scratch. However, we had the consumption data for the last tournament and a very positive experience with the battery system installed at the Aramco Team Series golf tournament in Sotogrande.
At the previous edition, a total of 31 generator sets were installed throughout every section of the sports stadium in order to power vital areas like the TV Compound, VIP area, courses, or air-conditioning systems for public areas. This plan would be a great fit for this years event, even with the venue change.
For the 2021 edition, we were able to reduce the number of generators to just 12 (10 started generators, with two as backup). Reducing the equipment installed by 60% led to significant savings in operating costs for the event. This equipment reduction enabled us to use a new configuration thanks to our study of follow-up reports on the last edition. This, in turn, enabled us to install generators to cover the exact load for every section of the facility while entrusting “non-critical” loads to the facility’s own grid connection.
What made a big difference were the installation of two 45 kVA storage batteries. This equipment was programmed to store energy during periods of high consumption and release it during the night when consumption loads are low for specific sections. This meant that the generators could be turned off during the night, achieving zero noise and emissions.
Game, set and match - the environment
This years Davis Cup was a celebration of the finest tennis stars from around the globe, proudly representing eighteen nations. The winner though, was the environment.
Our smart energy package reduced fuel burn by 73% compared to the 2019 incarnation. Driving this reduction were our batteries and our smart systems. When power demand was at its peak, we ensured sufficient energy supply was ready to go. When this fell during the night, our solution kept the critical systems online but only base levels were needed. So this drastically cut operating time for the generators – therefore, massive amounts of fuel was saved.
By dropping fuel burn by 127,000 litres, we helped make this years Davis Cup Rakuten Finals the greenest on record. We also showed the entire events sector the way forward for future events during the energy transition. There is a cost-effective way to reduce emissions and enjoy a reliable power supply simultaneously.
Game, set and match to the environment.