Regional Mountain Conference

Introduction & Purpose
Ski tourism is threatened by global warming (François et al., 2023), while snowmaking is considered an important adaptation measure (Steiger et al., 2021). The resource requirements (water and electricity) and the associated CO₂ emissions are the subject of critical debates in the scientific community and the public (Knowles et al., 2023; ORF, 2023). Since the use of snowmaking is steadily increasing (Knowles et al., 2023), this study focuses on the latest data (seasons 2022/23 to 2024/25), including slope preparation and its fuel consumption.

Methods
A questionnaire was sent to all member companies via the professional associations of cable car operators in Austria, Germany, and South Tyrol (Italy) and to ski resorts in Switzerland. 39 ski resorts sent data of sufficient quality, representing 15 % of the total ski tourism volume in the Alps.

Results
On average across the entire sample 3,857 m³ of water is converted into snow per hectare of slope area equipped with snowmaking infrastructure, that is 884 liters per skier visit. Energy consumption amounts to 23,735 kWh per hectare and 5,4 kWh per skier visit. 79.2 % of the slope area in the sample can be covered with machine-made snow. The amount of fuel required for slope preparation is 1,927 liters per hectare of total slope area and 0.56 liters per skier visit. Of this fuel volume, 69.5 percent is diesel and 30.5 percent is the plant-based diesel substitute HVO. Total CO₂ emissions from snowmaking and slope preparation amount to 1.23 kg per skier visit, when assuming a hydroelectric-based electricity mix.

Discussion
The analysis of the seasons 2022/23 to 2024/25 shows an increase in water demand and energy consumption compared to previous studies (Aigner et al., 2025). The switch from diesel to HVO diesel substitute is the biggest lever in terms of CO₂ emissions in slope preparation, resulting in an 89% reduction. In ski resorts that have completely switched to HVO diesel substitute, the CO₂ footprint of all slope preparation, including snowmaking, is 317 g per skier visit. This is equivalent to driving 2.3 km in a diesel car (Bundesministerium für Klimaschutz, 2023).

Conclusion
An electricity mix based on renewable sources and the switch to HVO diesel substitute can substantially reduce the carbon footprint of slope preparation and snowmaking.

References
Aigner, G., Steiger, R., & Mayer, M. (2025). Snowmaking in Austria: Key data, resource consumption and CO2 emissions. International Mountain Conference, Innsbruck, Austria. Conference presentation.

Bundesministerium für Klimaschutz (2024) Monitoringbericht zu den CO2-Emissionen neu zugelassener PKW in Österreich im Jahr 2023. No direct link, but the PDF can be googled and downloaded. PDF last downloaded on January 27^th, 2026.

François, H., Samacoits, R., Bird, D., Köberl, J., Prettenthaler, F., & Morin, S. (2023). Climate change exacerbates snow-water-energy challenges for European ski tourism. Nature Climate Change. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01759-5

Knowles, N., Scott, D., & Steiger, R. (2023). Sustainability of Snowmaking as Climate Change (mal)Adaptation: An Assessment of Water, Energy, and Emissions in Canada’s Ski Industry. Current Issues in Tourism, 27(10), 1613–1630. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2023.2214358

ORF (2023). Studie: Energiebedarf für Kunstschnee nimmt zu. ORF Tirol. Article published on November 14th, 2023. Accessed January 27th, 2026. https://tirol.orf.at/stories/3232405/

Steiger, R., Damm, A., Prettenthaler, F., & Pröbstl-Haider, U. (2021). Climate change and winter outdoor activities in Austria. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 34, 100330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2020.100330