Snow of Tomorrow | Environmentally friendly ski resorts?

If you ask around what is not environmentally friendly about skiing, you often hear the phrase: "Ski resorts consume far too much energy". But is that true? Are ski resorts the real climate sinners? They are accused of:

• Using up space

• Compacting the soil

• Increased water and energy requirements due to technical snowmaking

It is probably nothing new that the expansion of pistes, parking lots and hotels uses up space, and that the soil can be compacted by clearing forests and using snow groomers, thus increasing the risk of soil erosion. And one point that is probably still viewed most critically is technical snowmaking. One million liters of water are needed just for basic snowmaking on one hectare of slopes with a snow depth of around 30 cm. That's as much as fits in an average 25-meter swimming pool. And on the subject of energy: according to the German Cable Car Association (VDS), a skier consumes an average of 16 kilowatt hours of energy per day of skiing. In comparison: one kilowatt hour is enough to wash a washing machine at 60°C or make nine liters of tea. Seven hours of television is also possible.

Trend towards climate neutrality and energy self-sufficiency

The topic of climate neutrality was also a trend in the area of environmental friendliness for ski resorts. One of the best-known and largest ski resorts to become climate-neutral this winter is Ischgl. The lifts in Ischgl run on electricity that comes almost entirely from renewable energies, primarily hydropower from Paznaun. According to Ischgl itself, the solar and heat recovery systems save around 80,000 liters of heating oil - and thus 244 tons of CO2 per year. A mountain restaurant and the Gampenbahn valley station are heated with geothermal energy. Silvrettaseilbahn AG is also said to have reduced energy consumption for snowmaking and slope preparation: By measuring snow depth using GPS in all snow groomers, snow will only be produced where it is actually needed. This should save electricity and water in snow production and snow groomer hours - amounting to a further 150 tons of CO2 per year. Ischgl has also offset the CO2 produced: With ClimatePartner in a reforestation project in Peru and with the reforestation of 10,000 trees in Paznaun itself.

But energy self-sufficiency is also an issue for ski resorts: the Hochalmbahnen in Rauris, Salzburg, have a zero-energy balance, meaning that all lifts are operated with electricity generated in their own hydroelectric power plant. In Styria, the Riesneralm ski resort has also been relying on energy self-sufficient snowmaking since this winter. Two hydropower plants are set to generate around six million kilowatt hours of electricity. That is around three times as much as the seasonal snowmaking and operation of the entire ski resort require. The second hydropower plant is due to go online in 2020 and will have a pipe system that is connected to the existing snowmaking system and can therefore produce snow and electricity at the same time. The Snow Space Salzburg with Flachau, Wagrein and St. Johann also focuses on climate friendliness: all lift and snowmaking systems there are powered by renewable energy sources.

Where do I go skiing now?

Which resorts you go to and which ones you want to support is of course up to you. I myself attach particular importance to independent, state certifications such as EMAS or ISO. You can always find these directly on the website of the respective ski resort. For me, a good indicator is also how the ski resort operators stand on environmental issues. Are they planning controversial area expansions, for example? Then I might look around for another area. Another tip is not to believe and trust every press release about the environment and sustainability without reservation. We've already dealt with the issue of greenwashing, but at the moment it's simply a trend to adorn yourself with sustainable themes. And it's all well and good that Ischgl, for example, is adorning itself with climate neutrality, but you should also consider what else is happening in the area.