The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics raised the bar for major sporting events by powering nearly all venues with renewable energy — including the torch itself.
According to the organizing committee's sustainability report, all the electrical energy used during the games to power competition venues was 100% green, sourced from renewable sources such as hydropower, geothermal, and wind.
Italy's largest electricity company, Enel, supplied that energy in the form of 85 gigawatt-hours of power for venues, villages, and transport for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, according to the Associated Press. To ensure every bit of energy is clean, the company purchased "guarantee of origin" certificates, an EU system that links each unit of electricity consumed to one megawatt-hour produced by a certified renewable source.
In rare cases where temporary power was needed, organizers substituted hydrotreated vegetable oil for traditional diesel.
Enel also built new sustainable electrical infrastructure in the Livigno, Bormio, and Cortina areas that will continue benefiting locals long after the closing ceremony, according to a press release, on top of the company already producing more than 70% of its energy carbon-free last year.
Traditionally, energy generated from burning oil, gas, and coal has been one of the biggest sources of pollution at large-scale events like the Olympics. By tackling it head-on, Milan Cortina showed other host cities and sports leagues what's possible with clean power.
"Every Games we strive to push innovation in sustainability, reduce the overall impact and the carbon footprint," Julie Duffus, the International Olympic Committee's head of sustainability, told the AP.
Organizers also acknowledged that clean electricity is only part of the picture, with air travel and spectator accommodations largely out of the hosts' control. As a result, the Games' estimated carbon footprint remains 1 billion tons of pollution, comparable to 4 million gas-powered cars driving from Paris to Rome, according to the committee's pre-event numbers.
Still, the commitment to powering venues with renewable electricity marks a crucial step and provides a model worth learning from before it's too late for events like winter sports as temperatures rise.
"This is an opportunity to contribute to a broader shift — showing athletes, spectators and future host cities that cleaner energy solutions are increasingly viable for events of this scale," the organizing committee told the AP. "We hope the steps taken for these Games can support ongoing progress across major events."
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