Chile’s Olympic team is getting powered by renewable energy
The Chilean Olympic Committee partners with Colbún
At the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, Chile was represented by 48 athletes competing in 19 disciplines. Francisca Crovetto won gold in shooting and Yasmani Acosta won silver in wrestling, bringing Chile’s medal total to 15 since their participation in the first modern Olympics in 1896.
In Paris, the Chilean Olympic Committee ended a medal drought, with Fernando González last winning a silver medal in tennis for Chile during the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. More recently, the Chilean Olympic Committee shared some exciting sustainability news.
Team Chile’s new sponsor, Colbún, will supply its Olympic training tentre in Ñuñoa with 100% renewable energy, amounting to 650 MWh per year. They will also install solar panels at the Curauma Olympic training centre to generate renewable energy on site.
"Team Chile is proud to have a sponsor like Colbún: a leading company in its field that wants to help us improve the society we live in through sport. Sustainability and renewable energy initiatives combine here, making a real contribution to financing our athletes' careers."
Miguel Ángel Mujica, President of the Chilean Olympic Committee
Beyond the supply and generation of renewable energy, this partnership will also aim to raise awareness on clean energy and climate change. Together, the Chilean Olympic Committee and Colbún will aim to promote environmental sustainability in sports.
National Olympic Committees are taking climate action
In 2021, the International Olympic Committee committed to reducing its direct and indirect emissions by 50% by 2030. Since then, many National Olympic Committees, including Chile’s, have followed up on this commitment by signing the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework.
The UN-backed Sports for Nature Framework, which enables sports organisations to champion nature and play a role in its protection and restoration, has also received support from National Olympic Committees, with 17 signing up to the framework.
The Chilean Olympic Committee is one of those dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint and educating stakeholders on climate change and sustainability. In 2024, their comprehensive sustainability strategy made them finalists for the International Olympic Committee Climate Action Awards.
A few years back, the Chilean Olympic Committee had also received recognition for having the first Olympic training centre in Latin America to implement a Waste and Recycling Management Plan. Through it, they increased the amount of recycled waste from 2 to 98 tons between 2022 and 2023.
With its Olympic Committee, Chile has the potential to promote climate action in a wide range of sports and raise awareness among its employees, athletes, and more widely, all of the fans following the sporting achievements of Team Chile.
