The Olympic flame has just been extinguished in Tokyo, but it will be lit again at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games in about six months, reported by the German website “China Platform” on August 9.
Beijing is now focusing its attention on perfecting its preparations for the Winter Olympics and is calling for a "Green Winter Olympic Games". Official media reported earlier that the Beijing Winter Olympic Games would have full green power coverage for the Olympic venues for the first time. Electric vehicles will be used for transport during the Games, and a special high-speed rail link has been built between the center of Beijing and the sites to hold skiing events.
Sustainability has long been one of the fundamental principles of the Olympic Games, at least in theory. For example, during the Tokyo Olympic Games, foldable cardboard beds were provided in the Olympic Village, and medals were made from recycled metal.
It is reported that the Organizing Committee of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games has set a series of environmental evaluation criteria for the construction of snow sports venues in the Yanqing and Zhangjiakou areas, including the recycling of meltwater from artificial snowmaking, vegetation protection, and the impact of mountain transportation facilities on animals.
Official media quoted officials from the Planning and Construction Department of the Organizing Committee of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games that these standards will be an important legacy of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games and China's contribution to the international Olympic movement.
It is reported that during the construction of the National Alpine Ski Centre, fragile alpine vegetation was transplanted elsewhere and then planted back after completion. The builders also designed pathways for small animals.
For indoor projects, the Organizing Committee of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games intends to make maximum use of existing venues. Venues, such as the National Olympic Sports Centre, a key venue for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, will be converted for various ice competitions, including curling. According to Chinese media reports, wind power and photovoltaic power from Hebei province will provide electricity for the Winter Olympics venues. It will be delivered through a flexible direct-current grid, a project that will also promote green energy in Beijing.
The report said that to save electricity and reduce harmful emissions from ice sports, Beijing intends to use carbon dioxide refrigerants to make ice. This is reported one of the most environmentally friendly technologies for making ice. The new technology can improve energy efficiency by more than 20 percent, thus reducing electricity consumption. An official from the Beijing Winter Olympic Organizing Committee said that the technology would serve as a demonstration in constructing new Winter Olympic venues around the world.
China has also built new rail lines and electric vehicle charging stations for the Winter Olympic Games. It is reported that most of the official Olympic vehicles, including those used by athletes and shuttles from stations to competition venues, will be energy-efficient and power by clean energy.
According to the report, clean energy vehicles from various Chinese manufacturers will be in use in the Zhangjiakou competition area. The second phase of the hydrogen energy industrial park project in Yanqing will provide a gas source for the demonstration operation of 150 hydrogen-fueled vehicles for the Winter Olympics after the operation.
Richard Brubaker, the founder of Collective Enterprise Management Consulting, said, "The interesting thing about hydrogen energy at the Olympics is that it shows what is possible."
He said Beijing used fuel cell vehicles during the 2008 Olympic Games, which was a new attempt in China at the time. Today Zhangjiakou's hydrogen bus is also a pilot project in the public transport sector.