On the way to a climate-neutral ski area 2025/26

We in Snow Space Salzburg are on the way to becoming a climate-neutral ski area by the 2025/26 season. The important thing is to rethink the business model of winter tourism, find innovative solutions, and develop our own company geared towards climate fitness. We refrain from compensation payments into large, international funds. Climate neutrality in Snow Space Salzburg is to be achieved exclusively through ecologically compatible skiing operations and regional compensation measures. Some time ago we introduced you to our advisory board for climate, environment, and biodiversity at Snow Space Salzburg and gave you tips on what you too can do towards sustainability on the mountain. Now it's our turn and we would like to present a few projects to you in more detail.

Technical environmental protection - vehicle fleet

It is clear from the CO2 balance sheet that 64% of the CO2 emissions caused by our company come from the in-house vehicle fleet. In order to reduce this part step by step, we are conducting test operations with HVO fuel, a synthetic fuel in the current winter season 2022/23. The snow groomers in the Flachau ski area section are fuelled with this special HVO fuel, which will save 90% of the emissions compared to diesel propulsion.
At the same time, and with a focus on a long-term solution, we are cooperating closely with manufacturers to promote the development of alternative drive technologies. At the AUDI FIS Ski World Cup Women's Post Slalom in Flachau in January 2023, for example, the world's first hydrogen-powered snow groomer from Prinoth was used. Hydrogen offers a great advantage as a form of propulsion in that surplus wind and hydroelectric power can be converted into hydrogen and stored. It therefore also serves as a long-term energy store. As a next step, we are preparing the entire infrastructure in the ski area for H2 propulsion, so that we will be ready when this technology is fully ready for the market. This gives us the opportunity to become energy self-sufficient as a region.
Another important point in the in-house vehicle fleet is employee mobility. At present, 9 employee shuttles are already operated with E-technology. Thanks to the use of green electricity these do not cause any further CO2 emissions. With the conversion, almost 90 tonnes of CO2 have already been saved. In the future, the ski bus fleet is also to be converted to e-drive.

How important is a climate-neutral ski resort to you? For more information please visit our website greenmountain.snow-space.com.
photo credits: Snow Space Salzburg