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As we look back on the delightful Paris Olympics and look forward to the 2028 Los Angeles Games, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the essence of the Olympic movement. The Games represent the purest form of competition and the unifying spirit of athletes from hundreds of countries coming together to pursue common goals side by side.
No symbol represents this spirit better than the Olympic flame, which connects the modern Games with its historical roots in ancient Greece. It embodies the principles of peace and unity that have made the Olympics such a cherished part of global culture.
The first flamed Olympic Torch was used in the 1928 games.
The flame was reintroduced to the Olympics in 1928, and the first torch relay took place leading up to the1936 Games, a tradition that has connected Olympia, Greece, to the host city ever since. Over the years, the torch’s design and fuel sources have evolved, utilizing a diverse group of fuels that include gunpowder, olive oil, and a mixture of formaldehyde and ammonia. Needless to say, these didn’t prove to be ideal.
To improve efficiency and safety, Olympic officials introduced liquid fuels stored in a small canister for the torch at the 1972 Munich Games. While liquid fuels have been the standard ever since, propane was first used for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. This version used a mixture of 35% propane and 65% butane (cigarette lighter fuel), creating a safe solution that was more environmentally friendly than its predecessors.
Since then, some form of propane has been used to fuel the torch in five different Olympic Games: Beijing, London, Sochi, Rio, and Paris. It has become a go-to fuel due to its stability and consistency, even in challenging environments such as high winds or altitudes. As the International Olympic Committee (IOC) increased its focus on sustainability, propane has also provided a cleaner-burning alternative to other traditional fuels.
In 2021, the IOC announced its Climate Commitment, stating that the organization would align with the Paris Agreement on climate change. Leading up to the 2024 Summer Olympics, the Paris Organizing Committee established a lofty goal to reduce its overall carbon footprint by half compared to recent Games.
As part of the pledge to use only renewable energy, the committee selected biopropane to power the Olympic torch. For more than 10 weeks, biopropane fueled the torch relay across France, with the torch itself made of recycled steel produced in the country.
As a recent U.S. Department of Energy announcement on a renewable propane request for information stated, “Did you know biopropane is lighting up this summer’s Paris Olympics, projected to be the most sustainable Olympics to date? Fueling the Olympic torch, renewable propane is helping to reduce the carbon footprint of the Torch Relay!”
Like conventional propane, biopropane (also known as renewable propane) offers reliability, portability, power, and reduced emissions, but with even lower carbon emissions when compared with other energy sources. Renewable propane can be made from a variety of renewable feedstocks such as plant and vegetable oils, animal fats, or used cooking oil. There are over a dozen pathways for creating renewable propane. Most recently, the Department of Energy provided the Illinois Institute of Technology $3.8 million for a project that combines CO2 with wind- and solar-generated electricity to produce renewable propane.
Increasingly, renewable propane is also being generated from the seed oil of the camelina plant, a member of the mustard family, and a relative of cabbage, kale, and cauliflower. Given it’s not a food crop and doesn’t compete with food production, camelina provides a scalable, sustainable option for renewable propane development.
Through human achievement, selfless sportsmanship, and sheer spectacle, the Olympics inspire us on many levels every two years. The Olympic torch and flame are enduring symbols of the spirit and ancient history of the Games, evoking unity, power, and possibility. These same concepts will be instrumental in the world’s efforts to address the climate crisis we’re faced with. By incorporating sustainable strategies and alternative energy sources like renewable propane, the IOC is working to do its part as part of the global community.
Learn more about propane and renewable propane’s environmental benefits.
Photo Sources
Header Photo: https://people.com/2024-paris-olympics-cauldron-isnt-actually-on-fire-8685115
