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I s the answer blowing in the wind? Aspen Skiing Company says yes.
In an unprecedented move, the resort has announced that fully 100 percent of its energy needs will be provided by wind farms, following its landmark purchase of renewable energy certificates. What does this mean? That every chairlift, every light fixture, every heated pool within the vast resort is running off electricity provided by the blowing winds.
“Clearly the most pressing issue of our times is climate change, and addressing energy use is one of the most important actions we can take.”—Aspen Skiing Company’s Pat O’Donnell
Aspen was the first ski resort to purchase wind power, back in 1997, accounting for approximately 20 percent of its power since then. The ski resort has always advocated renewable energy and environmental protection, but now is taking it significantly further.
“This purchase represents our guiding principles in action,” says ASC President/CEO Pat O’Donnell. “Clearly the most pressing issue of our times is climate change, and addressing energy use is one of the most important actions we can take on that front.”
More than 1.3 million skiers visit Aspen resorts annually, and now 100 percent of their electrical needs will be provided by the wind. As many as 20,000 people ride their ski lifts daily; those thousands of skiers will ride from the base of Snowmass Mountain, for example, up a vertical rise of 1,372 feet, in 7 1/2 minutes, powered solely on wind power.
Just what is wind energy? Simply put, it’s electricity without consuming any natural resources or emitting any pollution of greenhouse gases. Basically, wind is captured in giant turbines—those windmill-like structures that pop up in breezy areas—and converted into energy. Wind power works for the economy, the environment, and overall energy security, say its advocates. The approximately 19,000 wind turbines currently operating in the U.S. provide electrical power to 2.5 million households.
“Aspen’s wind purchases are helping to build new wind farms and leading the way to a cleaner and more independent energy future,” says Eric Blank of Community Energy, a marketer and developer of wind energy generation in Boulder, Colorado.
How does wind power save the environment? Wind turbines displace carbon dioxide, the primary global warming pollutant. There is no pollution impact on people, wildlife, or habitats. Wind turbines are clean energy technology that supporters say one day will ease dependence on oil and gas and begin to address concerns about global warming.
Wind is inflation-proof once the wind plant is built, the cost of energy is known and is not affected by fuel market price volatility. Plus, wind energy helps diversify income for farmers, ranchers, and other landowners. The industry is growing at a rate of 29 percent over the last five years, according to the American Wind Energy Association, and has the ability to provide as much as 20 percent of the nation’s electricity. It’s an inexhaustible resource—wind power will never be depleted.
Aspen/Snowmass’s commitment to the environment goes beyond wind power. For instance, all snowcats—the snow-mobile-like vehicles that groom the mountain’s powder into manicured trails—run on clean, renewable biodiesel to protect the air and climate. Biodiesel also runs the buses that transport skiers and workers, as well as the back-up motors on the ski lifts. Biodiesel, a soy-based diesel, is a renewable fuel that reduces toxic emissions and is free of the sulfur found in traditional diesel.
Additionally, Aspen/Snowmass built one of the first 11 LEED-certified buildings in the world (LEED comes from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program). Built with green building principles, the Sundeck Restaurant on Aspen Mountain features environmentally friendly features such as passive solar design and recycled materials.
In 2004, ASC became the first ski resort in the U.S. to achieve ISO 14001 certification, a widely known and respected third-party certification bestowed upon companies that demonstrates responsible management of environmental effects.
To the rest of us, that means great skiing in clean air. When you visit, ski, or ride Aspen/Snowmass resorts, you're part of a broader movement to protect the environment.
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