SPONSORSHIP AND PATRONAGE

With ENGIE, Roland-Garros is winning on all courts

By ENGIE - 01 June 2021 - 15:43

Doubles partners ENGIE and the French Tennis Federation (FFT) are working together to smash the French Open’s carbon footprint. Since 2014, the Group has been providing the tournament’s energy needs and is now stepping up to the net to support the next phase of its development. Here we take a look at our green energy, solar-powered, sustainable mobility, and maintenance solutions... with video evidence!

 

Roland-Garros is one of the four most important tournaments in the world, along with Wimbledon, the Australian Open and the US Open. The French Grand Slam has changed dramatically over the last few years, with updated facilities including its Philippe-Chatrier centre court fitted with a retractable roof, and construction of new, floodlit courts like the Simonne-Mathieu. These changes are a fantastic opportunity for the tournament to step up its energy performance. And as a leading provider of clean energy solutions, ENGIE is well-placed to support the prestigious tournament.

Quick recap: ENGIE’s solutions for Roland-Garros

For the last 6 years, the French Tennis Federation has entrusted ENGIE to supply the French Open with 100% renewable electricity, mainly from hydro production but also from solar and wind power. ENGIE provides its renewable energy expertise throughout the three-week event, from 24 May to 13 June – a qualifying week, followed by two weeks for the main draw. But the partnership between ENGIE and Roland-Garros is also a day-to-day affair, because our teams have been providing year-round multi-technical maintenance services since 2011. 

 

For the 2021 tournament, ENGIE is continuing to use HeliaFilm® flexible photovoltaic film, provided by our industry partner Heliatek, to supply different parts of the stadium with zero-carbon electricity. The roof of the security gate at the new main entrance is now fitted with 24 flexible films, producing an estimated 970KWh/year, and injecting the electricity produced straight into the operating mechanism. With its many roofs, outdoor seating areas, awnings and facades, the Roland-Garros stadium has plenty of surfaces suitable for the film! 

 

ENGIE also provides electric charging stations for the FFT’s fleet of official and technical vehicles, and fixed and mobile charging terminals for smartphones, some of which are solar-powered.
By building on our position as France’s leading provider of renewable energy, we innovate a little more every year to offer the French Tennis Federation a panel of solutions to help reduce their facilities’ carbon footprint.

 

Dreaming of tomorrow with ENGIE and Roland-Garros!

Because ENGIE takes its customers and partners that bit further along their path through the energy transition, here’s a glimpse of some future projects to reduce the tournament’s carbon footprint over the next few years:

  • development of the stadium’s solar areas, including the fixed part of the Philippe Chatrier court’s roof,
  • multi-technical maintenance solutions guaranteed until 2025,
  • electric charging stations in the Suzanne-Lenglen court car park,
  • and as always, constantly better energy performance to improve the carbon footprint of French tennis’ flagship event.

 

Videos: our ENGIE experts are helping to make Roland-Garros carbon-free

Meet Eric Dasré, François Lebreton and Yoann Laize, who combine their expertise and their environmental convictions every day.