Champion F1 team makes unexpected purchase in pursuit of ambitious off-track goal: 'We've explored many solutions'
Sustainability probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Formula One racing, but one team surprised everyone by purchasing nature-based carbon credits to offset decades of carbon pollution.
As TechCrunch reported, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team announced plans to buy over 6,000 tons of carbon credits from Chestnut Carbon, a carbon removal developer that plants trees on degraded farms throughout the Southeastern United States. It's part of the racing series' larger goal of reaching net-zero carbon pollution by 2030.
Hitting that target comes with some challenges, though, as it will take more than switching to cleaner-burning fuels to get there. TechCrunch explained that the cars' pollution accounts for just 1% of the team's carbon output. The most significant portion of pollution comes from logistics, business travel, computers, office space, and more.
But with the purchase of carbon credits, it will be much easier to hit net zero by 2030. The credits are set to be delivered from 2027 through 2030 and will represent about 10% of the team's pollution in 2023. Mercedes-AMG Petronas specifically aims to reduce its pollution by 75% by 2030 and reach net-zero pollution by 2040.
The team also partnered with Frontier, an advanced market commitment organization backed by Google and Meta, among other companies. According to Edie, Mercedes-AMG Petronas only invests in options that store carbon for more than 1,000 years, do not impact arable land, and have a path toward large-scale affordability.
In addition to the deal with Frontier, the team has signed a three-year commitment with a United Kingdom-based project to help soils at Blaston Farm in Leicestershire store more carbon thanks to regenerative agriculture methods.
These efforts will not only make the environment safer and cleaner for humans but will also help cool the planet. In 2024, NASCAR also surprised everyone with its first all-electric race car launch, and Mercedes-AMG debuted a line of e-bikes equipped with electronic gears that can shift in just 0.2 seconds. With these innovations, it's clear that the racing and recreational travel industries are moving into the new era of all-electric vehicles.
"We've explored many solutions, from immediate projects to future tech, that can help us implement innovative carbon removal methods and reach our long-term climate goals," Mercedes-AMG Petronas head of sustainability Alice Ashpitel told Edie.
CEO Eric Rondolat of Signify, which will provide the team with lighting, added: "We share a passion for responsible innovation to drive progress in our industries and beyond. Our joint commitment to act responsibly will lead us to develop transformative and disruptive new technologies that elevate performance to the benefit of people and the planet."
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