Alibaba Cloud Launches First Olympic Esports Week to Address Carbon Emissions
Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence division of Alibaba Group, has announced the successful trial of its AI-powered sustainability solution called Energy Expert. This solution was used to measure and analyze carbon emissions from temporary constructions built for hosting the first Olympic Esports Week. By generating data-driven insights on material and equipment choices, the tool was deployed through Alibaba Cloud's partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Alibaba Cloud utilized its established carbon measurement tool, Energy Expert, to assess and analyze the carbon emissions of the temporary constructions used for the event. Various metrics were evaluated, including energy consumption, waste management, signage, and decoration. The Local Organizing Committee employed this software-as-a-service tool to compare the environmental impacts of different materials and equipment.
Energy Expert, a cutting-edge sustainability solution, enables event organizers to identify the sources of carbon emissions during venue construction and operation. It quantifies the carbon footprint generated by a venue and provides a comprehensive view of the venue's sustainability performance through an integrated dashboard and online reports.
According to the data gathered by Alibaba Cloud's Energy Expert, the estimated carbon footprint of the temporary constructions for the Olympic Esports Week 2023 is 274 tons CO2e. Notably, by replacing 60% of printed signage with digital alternatives, approximately 14 tons CO2e of carbon dioxide emissions were reduced. Furthermore, reusing 50% of the carpets after the event would contribute to an additional reduction of 10 tons CO2e.
“We are always looking for ways to reduce our impact on the environment, and we’re pleased to work with Alibaba Cloud to apply cutting-edge technologies to measure carbon emissions so we can continue to make a difference,” said Vincent Pereira, Head of Virtual Sport of IOC Sports Department.
“We have been supporting the IOC’s digital transformation of the Olympics since Tokyo 2020, and it has been an honour to be part of this latest, historic milestone for virtual sport. Sustainability is one of the priorities for our sports innovation roadmap. As the sports industry continues to evolve, we’re passionate about providing organizations with timely data, actionable insights and energy-saving recommendations that make positive and tangible impacts,” said Selina Yuan, President of International Business, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence.
The collaboration between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Alibaba on digital transformation continues with the introduction of the first Olympic Esports Week. This initiative builds on the successful development of sports innovations for Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022, marking Alibaba's first large-scale international project focused on addressing carbon emissions in the esports industry.
The esports industry is increasingly contributing to environmental impact as it gains popularity. Industry analysis suggests that a single esports team could generate up to 100 tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2022. With 40% of the global population (approximately three billion people) now actively participating in video games, according to industry analyst firm DFC Intelligence, the impact is significant and needs to be addressed.
In addition to measuring the carbon emissions from temporary constructions, Alibaba Cloud has launched a web application for Olympic Esports Week to raise public awareness about the importance of reducing carbon footprints. The application encourages participants to take photos of items they use, such as keyboards and headsets, to understand the carbon footprint associated with each item.
It also suggests actions to reduce this footprint, such as prolonging the lifespan of digital equipment or purchasing second-hand items. This is made possible by integrating Alibaba Cloud's AI technologies with traditional emission datasets. Participants can further pledge to adopt carbon reduction actions in their daily lives, such as recycling e-waste at dedicated collection points. By fulfilling the pledge, participants can earn points on the app, aiming to achieve a Sustainability Champion badge.
The inaugural Olympic Esports Week is being held at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre and showcases the best of virtual sports. It includes esports competitions, exhibition matches, displays of the latest innovations, panel discussions, and educational sessions organized by the IOC. The event also hosts the finals of the Olympic Esports Series, which features top Olympic Esports athletes from around the world competing in ten disciplines for a gold medal.
As a leading global cloud infrastructure provider, Alibaba Cloud is committed to helping organizations reduce carbon emissions using emerging technologies such as intelligent computing and AI. At the forefront of this commitment, Alibaba Cloud strives to achieve carbon neutrality for Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and aims to power its cloud computing with 100% clean energy by 2030.
Alibaba Cloud utilized its established carbon measurement tool, Energy Expert, to assess and analyze the carbon emissions of the temporary constructions used for the event. Various metrics were evaluated, including energy consumption, waste management, signage, and decoration. The Local Organizing Committee employed this software-as-a-service tool to compare the environmental impacts of different materials and equipment.
Energy Expert, a cutting-edge sustainability solution, enables event organizers to identify the sources of carbon emissions during venue construction and operation. It quantifies the carbon footprint generated by a venue and provides a comprehensive view of the venue's sustainability performance through an integrated dashboard and online reports.
According to the data gathered by Alibaba Cloud's Energy Expert, the estimated carbon footprint of the temporary constructions for the Olympic Esports Week 2023 is 274 tons CO2e. Notably, by replacing 60% of printed signage with digital alternatives, approximately 14 tons CO2e of carbon dioxide emissions were reduced. Furthermore, reusing 50% of the carpets after the event would contribute to an additional reduction of 10 tons CO2e.
“We are always looking for ways to reduce our impact on the environment, and we’re pleased to work with Alibaba Cloud to apply cutting-edge technologies to measure carbon emissions so we can continue to make a difference,” said Vincent Pereira, Head of Virtual Sport of IOC Sports Department.
“We have been supporting the IOC’s digital transformation of the Olympics since Tokyo 2020, and it has been an honour to be part of this latest, historic milestone for virtual sport. Sustainability is one of the priorities for our sports innovation roadmap. As the sports industry continues to evolve, we’re passionate about providing organizations with timely data, actionable insights and energy-saving recommendations that make positive and tangible impacts,” said Selina Yuan, President of International Business, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence.
The collaboration between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Alibaba on digital transformation continues with the introduction of the first Olympic Esports Week. This initiative builds on the successful development of sports innovations for Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022, marking Alibaba's first large-scale international project focused on addressing carbon emissions in the esports industry.
The esports industry is increasingly contributing to environmental impact as it gains popularity. Industry analysis suggests that a single esports team could generate up to 100 tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2022. With 40% of the global population (approximately three billion people) now actively participating in video games, according to industry analyst firm DFC Intelligence, the impact is significant and needs to be addressed.
In addition to measuring the carbon emissions from temporary constructions, Alibaba Cloud has launched a web application for Olympic Esports Week to raise public awareness about the importance of reducing carbon footprints. The application encourages participants to take photos of items they use, such as keyboards and headsets, to understand the carbon footprint associated with each item.
It also suggests actions to reduce this footprint, such as prolonging the lifespan of digital equipment or purchasing second-hand items. This is made possible by integrating Alibaba Cloud's AI technologies with traditional emission datasets. Participants can further pledge to adopt carbon reduction actions in their daily lives, such as recycling e-waste at dedicated collection points. By fulfilling the pledge, participants can earn points on the app, aiming to achieve a Sustainability Champion badge.
The inaugural Olympic Esports Week is being held at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre and showcases the best of virtual sports. It includes esports competitions, exhibition matches, displays of the latest innovations, panel discussions, and educational sessions organized by the IOC. The event also hosts the finals of the Olympic Esports Series, which features top Olympic Esports athletes from around the world competing in ten disciplines for a gold medal.
As a leading global cloud infrastructure provider, Alibaba Cloud is committed to helping organizations reduce carbon emissions using emerging technologies such as intelligent computing and AI. At the forefront of this commitment, Alibaba Cloud strives to achieve carbon neutrality for Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and aims to power its cloud computing with 100% clean energy by 2030.
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