While procurement can be a powerful tool for fostering innovation, it can also be challenging to implement successfully. Challenges include risk aversion on the part of buyers and the time required to conduct an innovative procurement process. Particularly in high-stakes situations, buyers often favour fast results that they know will deliver over innovative solutions that take time. In the case of providing back-up power to venues, Paris 2024 overcame these challenges through a high-level commitment to ambitious goals and by beginning the procurement process well before the solution was required. The high visibility profile of the event and its scale provide favourable grounds to incentivise prospective suppliers to invest in innovative solutions.
Paris 2024 has committed to 100% renewable energy use during the Games.
This commitment presents specific challenges in the context of a major sporting event; for example, large events such as sports competitions, concerts, and festivals, require large back-up generators in case of power outages. Today, these generators are generally diesel powered. Generators running on renewable energy sources that could be replicated on a large scale could bring about commensurate benefits for the environment and the climate.
To address this challenge, Paris 2024 is aiming to implement solutions that set new standards for temporary renewable energy supply. As a first step, the OCOG and the French government launched a call for proposals in 2019 to source innovative clean off-grid energy production solutions. As they emerge, the first solutions will be trialled in real-world conditions as soon as possible. Through this call for proposals, the French government expects to drive innovation in ecological solutions tailored to the requirements of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games and support projects that could power future sports venues with clean energy or replace traditional generators at large sporting events going forward.
Source: Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games
