Snowmaking in Austria: Key data, resource consumption and CO2 emissions

Assigned Session: FS 3.133: Climate change and tourism – Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation

Abstract ID: 3.7691 | Pending | Talk/Oral | TBA | TBA

Günther Aigner (0)
Günther Aigner ((0) University of Innsbruck, Dorfstraße 30, 6370, Waidring, Tirol, AT)

(0) University of Innsbruck, Dorfstraße 30, 6370, Waidring, Tirol, AT

Categories: No categories defined
Keywords: Snowmaking, Ski tourism, Carbon emissions, Energy consumption, Sustainability

Categories: No categories defined
Keywords: Snowmaking, Ski tourism, Carbon emissions, Energy consumption, Sustainability

Introduction & Purpose: Global warming has steadily increased the pressure on ski tourism (Steiger et al., 2021) which is of great economic importance in Austria (MANOVA, 2019). Snowmaking is considered a central adaptation strategy for ski tourism in the face of climate change (Knowles et al., 2023). Despite the poor reputation of snowmaking in public discourse (Die Presse, 2022), there has been little research to date on its resource consumption (Knowles et al., 2023). This study provides key data on energy and water consumption of snowmaking and resulting CO2 emissions. Methods: A questionnaire was sent out to 141 ski resorts in Austria. Data for six ski seasons was returned at the required quality level from 30 small, medium-sized and large ski resorts. The sample covers 34% of Austrian skier visits. Results: The ski resorts in the sample convert an average of 3,501 m³ of water per hectare and season into snow. The energy input is 24,449 kWh per hectare or 5.4 kWh per skier visit. The carbon footprint in the sample is 54 grams of CO2 per skier visit. The projections for the whole of Austria show an electricity requirement of 281 to 308 GWh per season. CO2 emissions are estimated at 2,829 tons. Discussion: According to estimates in the literature, the total electricity demand for snowmaking in Austria is between 335 and 950 GWh per season (Steiger et al., 2021). Our extrapolated values of 281 to 308 GWh, which are based on the first evidence-based survey of its kind, are below this range. The carbon footprint of snowmaking seems small compared to the carbon footprint of ski tourists’ travel to and from the resort (Steiger et al., 2021). The CO2 footprint of snowmaking of 54 grams per skier visit corresponds to a 0.4-kilometer drive in a diesel-powered car (Bundesministerium für Klimaschutz, 2023). Conclusion: The consumption data for snowmaking in Austria assumed in the literature appear to be too high. Incorporating the data obtained here could lead to a more objective discourse on snowmaking.


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