Serre Chevalier is currently testing a new photovoltaic (PV) solution designed specifically for lifts in ski resorts. The ‘Alpha Module’ – created by Sunwind Design – is being used on the roof of the Prorel lift in the southern alps ski resort. 20% more power The photovoltaic panels are made of thin triangular prisms,...
Positive sustainability news from Les Orres in France which is starting a project to improve its energy efficiency and renewable energy self-sufficiency. There are plans for more hydroelectricity, turbine purification of used water, as well as new biomass units and photovoltaic power.
The French ski resort of Chamrousse has agreed a multi-energy ‘smart grid’ contract with the power supplier ENGIE Solutions that will make it the first ‘Smart Ski Resort’ in the country. The project will see the village centre in Le Recoin renovated as a ‘hyperlieu’ – a hyperzone – in the mountains as a model...
La Thuile in Italy was the first ski resort in the world to develop a hydroelectric system to generate renewable energy from their artificial snow network. Electricity fed back into the national grid In three years, La Thuile has produced more than 4.8 million kWh purely from the force of the water circulating in its...
We love to hear from people about their own trips to the Alps by train. Alun Pinnegar recently contacted us to tell us about his journey from London to Zermatt by train: London to Zermatt by Train Alun’s journey took 13 hours door-to-door and cost £1000 for a family of four. Given he was travelling...
We were delighted to see Ed Leigh and Graham Bell extolling the virtues of taking the train rather than flying to ski resorts on the BBC’s Ski Sunday. As Ed Leigh says: “If you’re serious about reducing your carbon footprint, then look at how you get from your house to the mountain. That traditionally accounts...
In a further sign that the Alps are being affected by global warming even more than the rest of the planet, Météo France recently announced that December 2019 and January 2020 were the second warmest in France since records began in 1900. In particular they picked out Chamonix where the average temperature during the period was...
This is a short guide to help if you’re travelling by train to Moûtiers station this winter, most likely to travel to one of the resorts of Les 3 Vallées. If you never been to the station before, or even if you have, this might help with your orientation after a long journey. Bus from...
I’ve just booked for my third trip by train to the Alps this winter and as for the previous two trips (to Les Arcs in December and Courchevel in January), I’ve analysed the cost of taking the train relative to flying. My motivation is to reduce my carbon footprint – and travelling by train saves...
We were really stoked to see this mention for the Ski Flight Free campaign in ‘Totally Snow’ magazine. The campaign has had some excellent support from the UK press:
Les Arcs already has an excellent reputation for sustainability. Ski Flight Free founder Iain Martin visited in December 2019 to check out the new 100% electric funicular that takes skiers direct from Bourg St Maurice to Les Arcs 1600. The new zero-emission funicular (running on 100% renewable electricity) opened yesterday. It takes just 7 minutes to...
While at Ski Flight Free we do not advocate taking a flight to the States (a return flight to Denver generates over 1200 tonnes of CO2), we do recognise the good work on climate change undertaken by Aspen Snowmass. Give a Flake Their ‘Give a Flake’ campaign is an excellent example of how ski resorts...
