2010 Winter Games
December 8, 2008
2010 Winter Games get Power Smart with BC Hydro
As an Official Supporter, BC Hydro will provide clean power for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
BC Hydro will also leverage its Power Smart expertise to work with the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) to ensure the Games are energy efficient and promote energy conservation across B.C.
The hydroelectric power advantage
By using clean, hydroelectric power, the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will see their carbon dioxide emissions from power generation reduced to the lowest level yet for an Olympic Winter Games – fewer than 2,000 tonnes. That is equivalent to roughly one-tenth of the emissions of previous Olympic Winter Games, which relied on diesel-based generation.
VANOC will pay for the electricity it consumes on the same basis as other large commercial customers, but since the use of clean, hydroelectric power is a lower cost alternative to diesel-based generation, VANOC will realize significant cost savings over previous Olympic Winter Games.
“The Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games present a unique opportunity to profile British Columbia’s role as a world leader in the production of sustainable, clean electricity,” said Colin Hansen, Minister of Economic Development and Minister Responsible for the Olympic Winter Games. “It also creates new opportunities for promoting energy conservation – a key goal of the BC Energy Plan.”
“BC Hydro is particularly proud to be an Official Supporter of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games because BC Hydro and the Games share many of the same values around sustainability and conservation,” said Bob Elton, BC Hydro President and CEO
VANOC’s Furlong joins Team Power Smart
At the March 18th official announcement of BC Hydro’s involvement in the Games, Elton got right to work recruiting for Team Power Smart.
Elton drafted VANOC Chief Executive Officer John Furlong to Team Power Smart, committing him to encouraging all British Columbians to take concrete steps to conserve energy through simple lifestyle changes.
“If every residential customer in B.C. pledged to reduce their annual electricity consumption by 10%, the energy savings would be enough to power 10 Olympic Winter Games – or about 150,000 homes,” Elton said.
“The Games provide an opportunity for each of us to do our best, and to share our accomplishments and our vision with the world,” said VANOC Chief Executive Officer John Furlong. “Hosting the Games in a manner that shows respect for the natural environment is critically important to us. The collaboration with BC Hydro and their impressive Power Smart programs is therefore a significant step toward achieving our dreams.”
BC Hydro’s Olympic challenge
It’s estimated that broadcasting the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will be the equivalent of putting on eight to ten Super Bowls simultaneously for 17 days. The 2010 Winter Games will need high levels of electric reliability to support the unique requirements associated with hosting an event that will attract more than three billion television viewers and 75 million website visits worldwide.
To offset the energy consumption, VANOC and BC Hydro are committed to ensuring the Games’ venues meet high standards for energy-efficiency design. VANOC and BC Hydro are conducting energy audits to identify energy-saving measures, as well as providing conservation education programs for employees, sponsors, volunteers and venue partners.
Everyone in British Columbia can help support energy conservation by joining Team Power Smart. Team members who sign up on bchydro.com will be able to start their own individual conservation game plan and access tips and information to help them achieve their goals.
Source: BC Hydro
