Sustainability
Sustainable skiing days in Tyrol
At Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau, great importance is attached to sustainability both in the offer and in daily operations. The mountain railway companies in the Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau always pay attention to the careful use of resources and nature. We are already implementing a wide range of sustainability measures, including efficient energy management, sustainable travel offers for guests, free ski buses and our own hydroelectric power station.
Efficient energy & resource management
Increasing energy efficiency plays a central role in all areas to be able to offer our guests a great, high-quality experience in the long term. All lifts in the Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau are electrically powered, for which 100% green electricity from Austria is purchased.
In addition to hydroelectric power generation, the photovoltaic system is also used to generate electricity.
Our vehicle fleet is also being gradually converted to e-mobility.
Another goal is to expand our own electricity production using water and photovoltaic systems.
Waste is separated, collected in the waste stations and recycled.
Sustainable investments
The Hornbahn 2000 has replaced the old Hornlift 2000 since the start of the 2022/23 winter season. A large part of the Hornbahn 2000 bottom station was built underground and the roof was greened. This not only serves the visual design and integration into the landscape, but also reduces soil sealing. At the top station, the area of the service room was utilised to serve as the base for the "Top of Alpbachtal" observation tower. The entire viewing tower was built in timber, thus keeping grey energy to a minimum. The unheated panoramic room in the tower does not cause any additional energy consumption during operation.
Special emphasis was also placed on state-of-the-art cable car technology, which increases energy efficiency by 15% through the use of a direct drive.
Snow management
The emphasis is also placed on the continuous optimisation of snow guns and snow grooming machines. That is why we are continuously investing in efficient snow guns and upstream systems - with the aim of efficient snow management and to guarantee our guests wonderful skiing days in the long term..
Our piste machines have been equipped with a snow depth measurement system, which enables efficient management and control of snow production.
The purchase of one of the first hybrid piste machines in 2015 underlines our early awareness of sustainable measures.
All snow groomers in the Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau are equipped with GPS for digital snow depth measurement. This enables us to determine the exact snow depths at all times and consequently only produce snow where it is needed. This efficient snow management reduces both water and energy consumption.
Snow making
In summer 2024, the Alpbacher Bergbahn is investing 1.5 million euros, a large part of which will go towards the purchase of 50 tower snow guns. This will increase the efficiency of the snowmaking system by 20%. In addition, the new devices are more resource-friendly and consume significantly less energy. This makes a further important contribution to the sustainable use of natural resources.
In 2023, 40% of the snow guns in the Wildschönau were replaced, consuming 35% less electricity
Hydroelectric power
The hydropower station at the bottom station of the Schatzbergbahn cable car accounts for more than half of the annual electricity consumption (2.2 gigawatt hours) of the cable cars in the Wildschönau region. The groundwater heat pumps for heating the Schatzbergbahn station have been modernised in an energy-efficient manner.
A total of 9 water reservoirs with a capacity of 494,100 m³ ensure efficient and reliable snow production and thus for excellent skiing days on perfectly groomed pistes.
- There is generally no water consumption during this snow production. The water is merely stored temporarily in the ponds and as snow and then returned to the natural cycle as snowmelt.
- The water is collected exclusively by the melting snow in spring and by precipitation.
- The strategic positioning of the water reservoirs enables efficient filling and reduced energy consumption during snow production.
- Only water and cold air are needed for snowmaking; no other additives are required.
Piste construction
In areas affected by construction work, the turf is first removed, stored and then replanted. In addition, the area is constantly monitored and revegetated with site-specific plants to ensure successful recultivation and to preserve biodiversity.
The focus of all projects is on environmentally friendly implementation. All construction measures are therefore carried out in close cooperation with qualified specialist planners in the fields of biology, geology, geotechnics and hydrology and in consultation with experts for piste safety and alpine skiing.
In this way, we can offer our guests an excellent piste experience in harmony with nature.
Sustainable arrival & mobility on site
Guests can travel in comfort by train. With the "In the Railjet to the snow" and "In the Nightjet to the snow" offers in cooperation with ÖBB, you can travel from Germany, the Netherlands and Austria to the Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau by train without any stress or traffic jams.
A new local public transport concept will be introduced from the coming 2023/24 winter season, making the bottom stations even easier to reach by public transport. Use of the ski buses is also free of charge.
Guests travelling by e-car will find a total of 14 e-charging stations at the bottom stations.
For our employees
Among other things, it is embedded in the company's mission statement that each individual is particularly sensitive to environmentally friendly and nature-friendly implementation in all activities and measures and minimises the negative effects (dirt, noise, waste, etc.).
We organise free car sharing for our employees to drive to and from work.
We also provide staff accommodation in the immediate vicinity of the workplace in Inneralpbach if required.
