European Tour Productions and IMG will lead the production
The 2023 BMW PGA Championship is set to be the first ever sport production powered entirely by green hydrogen.
European Tour Productions and IMG are producing the event, which will take place 14-17 September at Wentworth Club, Surrey. The pair are working with UK-based clean energy company GeoPura to supply two hydrogen powered generators (HPUs) that will be positioned on the fairway of the 6th hole.
Used instead of diesel generators, these units produce zero CO2 or particulate emissions, with water the only by-product, and are powered by green hydrogen produced through renewable energy sources. It is estimated that their use to power the broadcast compound will save a total of 16.4 Tonnes of CO2 compared to the 2022 tournament.
The golf buggies used at the tournament to transfer people and equipment across the site will also be recharged using electricity generated via hydrogen for the first time.
These efforts are part of the DP World Tour’s Green Drive initiative, which aims to make the Tour fully net zero carbon by 2040. Other projects to this end have included five tournaments being remote produced this season.
Richard Bunn, managing director of European Tour Productions, said: “We are always on the look out for new technologies that will us get to net zero carbon by 2040. Hydrogen is the future of power distribution and has the added benefit of being more resilient than diesel units because they have fewer moving parts. Taking this leap, a first for our industry, at such a high-profile Rolex Series tournament is a big statement. This is just the start, and the plan is to roll-out hydrogen power across multiple tournaments in 2024. We also want to share what we have learnt with our industry peers, as tackling the climate emergency must be a collective effort.”
Mary-Claire Gill, head of production for European Tour Productions at IMG, added: “This is another example of how we’re continually looking to improve the sustainability of our live event production, in addition to introducing remote production for the DP World Tour this year. Not only is this a world-first for sport, but it shows how the media industry can innovate to bring change and both European Tour Productions and the DP World Tour have been fantastic partners with us on this journey.”
Andrew Cunningham, CEO of GeoPura, said: “We’re incredibly proud to partner with the DP World Tour and IMG to power the TV production of the 2023 BMW PGA Championship with green hydrogen. The tour is to be congratulated for investing in the replacement of polluting diesel generators with our hydrogen power units. This forward thinking not only means saving tonnes of carbon emissions but also improves local air and water quality, creating a better experience for players, spectators, staff and neighbours - all without compromising on the production quality. Our HPUs deliver consistent, quiet, and emissions-free energy that can be relied on, even for live, high profile outside broadcasts such as this.
“This groundbreaking milestone demonstrates how hydrogen power will revolutionise sports events and contribute to a more sustainable, enjoyable future. It’s great to see the unit at Wentworth and we look forward to continuing our partnership and expanding the use of hydrogen across future tournaments, helping meet the Tour’s net zero carbon goals and inspiring others in the industry to embrace cleaner energy solutions.”
Peter Ward, head of operations at Film and TV Services, commented: “Sustainable power provision is something we are constantly working towards, finding new solutions to make productions greener and drive towards the zero emissions goal. Being able to supply a total emission free power package for the 2023 BMW PGA Championships is a very exciting opportunity and really looking forward to working with everyone to deliver this event.”
IMG has partnered with the European Tour Group since 1992 to distribute its live world feed. It also produces engaging highlights, features, and digital for every DP World Tour event.
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