Are sets new standard for global sustainable event TV production

Images from the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships in Åre, Sweden may have reached over 815 million households worldwide – and the organisers have set a new standard for sustainable TV production on a global scale

Winter sport fans worldwide have been glued to the action coming from Åre with the best ski talent on the planet battling it out on the slopes.

But it’s not just the nail-biting action making the headlines – and thanks to an innovative partnership between Infront/SVT, the host broadcaster, Infront Sports, the TV and marketing rights holder, and SVT, Swedish National Television, the event has been held up as setting a new standard for sustainable event broadcasting.

Over 53 hours of live coverage were broadcasted from Åre 2019, with 155 SVT staff involved in the production and a total of 90 cameras used to convey all of the action on and off the slopes to ski fans around the planet.

But despite the size and scale of the broadcast, the transmission equipment used in Åre 2019 can fit in the trunk of a hatchback car – and uses less power than the average Swedish households in a year (12,000 kWh).

Instead of traditional broadcast methods, Infront/SVT, the event’s host broadcaster, decided to execute Åre 2019 as a remote production. That means that the 2019 World Championships have the most environmentally friendly TV production in history.

"The partnership between Infront Sports and SVT is leading the way in the production of large and small events in an environmentally friendly way. The host broadcast production will never look the same again after these Championships," said Adde Granberg, Host Broadcast Producer for Åre 2019.

Indeed, SVT is already looking into a future with even more sustainable production options – and we could see many of them in action if Sweden is to host the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2026.

"If Sweden were to host the Winter Games in 2026, we are ready and experienced to deliver TV production in the most effective and sustainable way possible. The remote production of Åre by SVT is a massive step closer to cloud production which is likely to be possible in near future," added Granberg.

Remote production offers many benefits over more traditional broadcasting methods. Instead of using two semi-trailers running on diesel fuel and providing power for on-site production in Åre, most production is done in SVT’s offices in Stockholm powered by renewable energy, with diesel generators only as a back-up in the unlikely event of a power failure.

The 76 cameras on the competition slopes in Åre were also very energy-efficient. Previously, more than 125 amperes of voltage were required to power the production of the international signal with a diesel generator providing a 24/7 back-up. Even the technical power necessary on-site in Åre is run entirely on Ecopar, a low CO2 fuel alternative.

Additionally, there were 25 % fewer SVT staff on-site in Åre than in previous events, with 35 working back in Stockholm. This means a reduced carbon footprint in terms of travel, accommodation and other emissions.

The smaller amount of equipment on the slopes also makes it much faster to pack up. The equipment used for Åre 2019 will be transported to Östersund where the IBU Biathlon World Championships 2019 will begin on 7 March. The transfer is expected to take 1-2 days as opposed to weeks previously.

Thanks to the enhanced fibre capacity on the slopes jointly installed by SkiStar, Åre 2019 and SVT, and an expanded fibre network provided by Telia, the delivery of stunning images from Åre to fans around the world operated with much less power.

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