Our mission: As climate and environmentally friendly as possible
Climate change is affecting the whole world – its ecology, people and economy. The Sauerland Winter Sports Arena is also addressing this issue. Operators of ski resorts and cross-country skiing areas are striving to develop strategies to manage the impacts and to operate in as climate- and environmentally-friendly a manner as possible.
Given the urgency of these issues, an open-minded approach is required to allow competition for the most successful technologies on the market. It is essential to develop innovative ideas, put them into practice, test the measures and continuously improve them in order to achieve the best possible results.
Building on a wide range of projects – some of which differ in nature – the Wintersport-Arena Sauerland facilitates an exchange of experiences amongst the ski resorts, from which all participants benefit and which gives rise to measures for climate and environmental protection. The aim is to gradually develop winter sports operations so that they are lower in emissions, more energy-efficient and more resource-conserving.
To understand the impact of winter sports and the role played by the Wintersport-Arena Sauerland, it is important to note that the Wintersport-Arena Sauerland is a platform through which the operators of ski lifts and cross-country ski trails along the Rothaar Ridge have joined forces.
The CO₂ footprint of a day’s winter sports is broken down into different categories: the ski resort, catering, travel to the resort and accommodation. The operators have little or no direct influence over many of these areas. To illustrate the impact of the measures taken, the proportions attributable to each area are specified. On-site ski resort operations account for 16 per cent of the recorded CO₂ emissions from a day of winter sports. To further reduce this proportion, the ski lift operators have implemented various measures.
Use of renewable energies
A 6,000-square-metre solar power plant has been in operation at Remmeswiese in Winterberg since 2009. With an average annual solar yield of 245,000 kWh, the calculated CO₂ savings amount to around 146,000 kilograms. The ski lift operators have installed a further nine photovoltaic systems on various service buildings within the ski lift network. These generate a further 600,000 kWh per year.
Two new photovoltaic systems came into operation in autumn 2022 at Remmeswiese in Winterberg, one in summer 2023 at the top station of the K1 chairlift at Köhlerhagen in Willingen, and a solar thermal system at the St. Georg ski jump in Winterberg. The energy yield is currently being recorded and will be included in the calculation as soon as possible.
Furthermore, since 1 January 2022, the region’s four largest ski resorts have been using green electricity exclusively. This brings the share of green electricity in the Sauerland ski resorts during the winter season to 87.6 per cent.
Wind power could supply large quantities of energy. A modern wind turbine at a suitable location could, in theory, generate as much electricity as the region’s ski resorts require in a year. This would make the operation of the ski resorts climate-neutral in terms of their energy balance. The feasibility of wind turbines was already assessed many years ago, but the project failed at the time due to grid connection constraints and legal regulations. Following the relaxation of regulations and the expansion of designated areas, this issue has once again come under scrutiny. Feasibility is being reassessed for various locations.
Energy saving
Snow management has made great strides in recent years. Increased efficiency and a longer lifespan for snow as a resource ultimately reduce energy consumption.
One particularly effective measure is the introduction of GPS snow depth measurement in the four largest ski resorts. This technology has been in use since the winter of 2019/2020.
During grooming, a transmitter on the snow groomer sends signals to a satellite, which relays them to a computer. There, the data is compared with a previously recorded topographical map of the terrain. This enables operators to measure snow depth to the nearest centimetre and to work more precisely and in line with actual requirements.
Experience shows that using this technology saves around 10 per cent of the energy required for snowmaking, whilst at the same time improving slope quality.
The use of winch rollers is gentler on the snow and, on balance, results in lower energy consumption. In the larger ski resorts, winch rollers are now used almost exclusively.
Lift operators use the most modern snow-making equipment possible, as this is significantly more efficient. Older equipment is being phased out on an ongoing basis. For example, by 2023, new models of propeller-driven snow guns will be able to produce twice as much snow as in 2000, whilst using the same amount of energy. New snow lances even produce three times as much snow as models from 15 years ago.
Regular inspections and maintenance carried out by specialist technicians ensure that the efficiency of the entire system – from the pump house to the snow-making equipment – is maintained at the highest possible level.
In the ski resorts themselves, it is not snowmaking but piste grooming that accounts for the greatest energy consumption. The use of HVO has been under consideration for some time, but has so far been hindered by the fuel’s availability. At the Winterberg ski lift complex, the snow groomers have been powered exclusively by HVO100 since the winter of 2024/2025.
The use of the more climate-friendly fuel HVO100 reduces fuel-related CO₂ emissions by up to 90 per cent compared with fossil diesel. This means that, in terms of fuel consumption, the snow groomers operate in a virtually climate-neutral manner.
In Willingen, during the winter of 2018/2019, the first floodlit slope at Köhlerhagen was fitted with energy-saving LED spotlights. Other operators are testing whether LED spotlights are bright enough for floodlit operations and what energy savings can be achieved as a result.
Traditional snowmaking using propeller machines (‘snow cannons’) and snow lances utilises the cold provided by nature to finely atomise clear water, so that it freezes in the cold outside air and drifts to the ground as snow. For several years now, all-weather snow-making machines have been in use at the Winterberg ski lift complex; these can produce snow regardless of the outside temperature. Initially, these were individual systems installed for testing and development purposes.
The technology has now proven its worth and energy consumption has been steadily reduced.
Wherever cold is produced, heat is generated. From the outset, it was the aim of manufacturers and ski lift operators to utilise this waste heat, which is now possible. It is transferred to water via a heat exchanger and channelled through insulated pipes. Utilising this waste heat is currently improving the energy balance once again very significantly. As a pilot project, one system supplies district heating to the Schneewittchenhaus, which houses catering facilities, ski hire, ticket sales and staff accommodation.
The all-weather snow-making system at the Schneewittchenhaus delivers up to 95 kW of usable heat output for heat recovery. By way of comparison, a heat pump for a detached house with 100 to 150 square metres of living space typically provides around 5 to 7.5 kW of heating output.
The operators at Poppenberg, part of the Winterberg ski lift network, also intend to utilise the waste heat from their facility. Construction work has already begun, but will have to be put on hold over the winter. The operators expect completion in the course of 2025. If the project proves successful, further heat recovery systems are to be brought online as soon as possible. Once completed, up to 160 kW of heat output could be utilised there.
Multifunctional buildings and other facilities
The Snow White House in the ski lift carousel – which houses ticket offices, catering facilities, equipment hire, staff accommodation and a snow groomer garage – generates up to 103 per cent of its annual electricity requirements itself, according to calculations. Energy efficiency was a key consideration right from the start of the building’s design. Photovoltaic systems are installed on the south-facing roof surfaces.
Further measures include heat recovery from exhaust air and cooling systems.
The buildings on the Poppenberg in Winterberg have been heated with wood chips since the winter of 2022/2023. These include the catering facilities, a multi-purpose building housing the ski hire shop, and the operational buildings with the snow groomer garage.
The wood comes from local forests and is shredded and stored on site. This keeps transport distances to a minimum.
Promoting the appeal of travelling by public transport
With 49 per cent, journeys to and from the resort account for the largest share of the carbon footprint of a day’s winter sports.
However, the choice of transport – whether by bus, train, car, carpool or e-mobility – is ultimately up to the guest. Lift operators have little influence over bus and train services. To make travelling by public transport more attractive, the ski resorts have introduced a number of measures.
Since the winter of 2017/2018, the Winterberg Ski Bus has supplemented the often sparse regular bus services in rural areas, particularly at weekends. From Winterberg railway station, it passes many hotels on its way to the ski resorts of Winterberg, Altastenberg and Neuastenberg. The aim is to encourage guests to leave their cars at home or at their hotel. This reduces CO₂ emissions and eases traffic congestion and parking pressure.
Since the winter of 2021/2022, a further measure has been added to this service. The Winter Sports Arena Card, valid in seven ski resorts, and the Skiliftkarussell+ ticket, valid in five Winterberg ski resorts, allow free use of the ski bus.
To make travelling by train more attractive, a footbridge is planned at Willingen railway station. The valley station of the Ettelsberg cable car will then be just 350 metres from the platform. The bridge was originally due to be completed in 2022. However, due to various crises, its construction has been postponed.
Managing demand and regulating traffic is the remit of the AIR project, an AI-based recommendation system for sustainable tourism. As part of a nationwide network of destination practitioners and research partners, a digital visitor management system is being developed using AI. It aims to provide visitors with timely, relevant information about expected visitor numbers at their chosen destination and to draw their attention to alternative options and public transport links.
The first prototype is already in use. The results obtained are continuously reviewed, compared and adjusted.
Ecology
18.5 per cent of the ski slope area in the Sauerland/Siegerland region is either an FFH site or a nature reserve. In the Willingen ski resort, the figure is as high as 42 per cent. This status applies primarily to mountain heathland and mountain meadows, which are traditional landscape features. Whilst winter tourism has been flourishing since 1905, these protected areas were designated around the turn of the millennium within long-established ski resorts.
Ski operations make their conservation possible because the land generates income in winter during its natural dormant period. This allows the land to be managed extensively during the summer. In summer, traditional but now uneconomical forms of land management can be practised. Some of the relevant work is carried out by the ski lift operators. In return for this effort, they receive funding to ensure that the work is carried out in the interests of nature conservation.
The areas used by ski lift operators for winter sports are predominantly leased land. By complying with the strict requirements associated with the protected status, the ski lift operators demonstrate a sense of responsibility. For example, they clear the areas of discarded containers or lost items and support voluntary litter-picking campaigns. In some cases, during the summer, they assist the municipal forestry department with the reforestation of areas damaged by bark beetle infestations.
Catering in the ski resorts and along the cross-country ski trails
A visit to a ski hut or mountain hut is usually part of a day’s winter sports. When calculating the CO₂ emissions of a day’s skiing, 14 per cent is attributable to catering facilities directly on the slopes. These huts, particularly in the core areas – that is, in the larger ski resorts – are not managed by the ski resort itself. The operators are often entrepreneurs who work independently of the lift operators.
In some cases, the lift operators also run catering facilities, over which they can exert influence in terms of carbon footprint and resource use.
"Schneetittchen" House
Snow White’s House generates electricity using a photovoltaic system. Depending on the intensity of the sun, in some years it theoretically generates up to 103 per cent of its annual electricity requirements itself. Further measures include heat recovery from exhaust air and cooling systems. From the winter of 2024/2025, the catering facilities are to be heated using waste heat from the all-weather snow-making system.
Möppi’s Hut
At Möppi’s Hut on the Poppenberg in Winterberg, since the hut was rebuilt in the winter of 2019/2020, only unbreakable, high-quality reusable plastic containers – such as glasses, cups and plates made from food-safe, recyclable material – have been used. This not only improves safety, particularly during après-ski operations. Glass production is a particularly energy-intensive industry.
Whereas previously new glasses had to be purchased several times a season, breakage is now almost completely eliminated. The production of plastic containers requires only a fraction of the energy that would be needed to produce glassware. The hut is heated using wood chips from local forests. As soon as possible, the catering facilities will be heated using waste heat from the all-weather snow-making systems.
Graf-Stolberg-Hütte, Willingen
The Graf-Stolberg-Hütte meets a large proportion of its energy requirements from renewable sources. It is heated using wood from local forests. A solar panel system on the roof generates a large proportion of the electricity required. The operators have installed heat exchangers and utilise the waste heat from the cooling units. The menu features regional produce, predominantly game from the local forests. They completely avoid products from factory farming and imports.
Organic waste is disposed of via a ‘Fressdepot’. This is an underground tank that feeds the biogas plant in the neighbouring village and supplies the village with heat. Cleaning is carried out exclusively using natural cleaning products. Plastic is avoided wherever possible. With a few exceptions, reusable containers are used. This has made it possible to reduce residual waste from over 5 tonnes to less than 1 tonne per year. Recycled materials are used wherever possible.
For example, bin liners made from collected plastic waste (‘Wildplastic’) are used. The operators support regional nature conservation initiatives such as planting campaigns, insect conservation or the mountain heath project involving mountain heath lambs. To promote environmentally friendly mobility, all permanent staff have been provided with an e-bike.
Measures such as heat recovery, combined heat and power, effective insulation, meals made from regional and/or organic produce, and vegetarian or vegan options are in place at many huts and cannot be listed in full here. Some establishments are already part of the TourCert process or will be participating in it shortly.
Accommodation
21 per cent of CO₂ emissions are attributable to accommodation and catering. Whilst the ski resorts have little influence over measures in this area, these factors have a decisive impact on the carbon footprint of a day’s skiing. Guests in the region have the opportunity to choose their hosts based on sustainability criteria. Many hosts are already well on the way to meeting these standards.
The Sauerland, represented by Sauerland-Tourismus in cooperation with the Siegerland-Wittgenstein Tourism Association, has been certified as a ‘Sustainable Destination’ since the end of April 2024 and has been awarded the prestigious ‘TourCert’ seal. To this end, Sauerland-Tourismus has completed a comprehensive certification process comprising many fundamental steps. The partner network of sustainable businesses already includes many accommodation providers, and the number is growing steadily.