The future of technical snowmaking
Background information on technical snowmaking
Snow reliability is vital for the operation of mountain cableways, and technical snowmaking plays a key role in ensuring consistent planning and optimal piste conditions. At the same time, sustainability is extremely important to us. To conserve resources and protect the environment, we invest in various initiatives to make snowmaking even more efficient and eco-friendly.
In collaboration with our partners, we continually explore new ways to minimise resource consumption and boost energy, efficiency in snowmaking. Learn more about our projects and advancements in this area!
How we optimise snowmaking 1. Electricity from hydropower
Technical snowmaking is engineered for peak efficiency and is constantly being optimised.
On Jakobshorn, Jschalp and Bolgen, small hydroelectric power stations allow us to produce two-thirds of the electricity needed for snowmaking right on site. During spring and summer, existing water pipes are used to generate green electricity from collected precipitation and reservoirs. Looking ahead, we plan to expand hydropower initiatives on Parsenn and Rinerhorn to further enhance our sustainable energy production.
Around one-third of the energy required for snowmaking goes to powering snow cannons, while the remaining two-thirds are used for pumping water. Reservoirs play a significant role in energy conservation because they automatically fill in the spring with meltwater and precipitation. During the snowmaking season, these reservoirs are replenished with overflow from mountain spring catchments, significantly reducing the energy needed to pump water from the valley.
The SNOWsat measurement system optimises snowmaking efficiency and conserves water by providing precise snow depth data across ski areas. Each snow groomer vehicle is equipped to measure the distance to the ground, accurately determining the snow depth beneath. This information ensures optimal snow distribution during piste grooming, allowing for the production of only the minimum necessary amount of technical snow.
Expanding the centralised air system plays a key role in reducing energy consumption. Each snow cannon requires compressed air, which can be supplied either by an on-site compressor or a centralised system. Centralised air distribution is significantly more energy-efficient. As a result, we are systematically converting the remaining fixed snow cannons to this centralised system. In addition, TechnoAlpin is continuously working to optimise the energy efficiency of the snow cannons used.
