A White Paper Studying 5 years of Data from ARENA System

Multi-source data use for resource saving and efficient snow making in a changing climate - a case study from Gastein, Austria.

Written by: Andrea Mayer, Maximilian Mündler, and Stefan Etzer of

PowerGIS for you, Geographical Information System GmbH, ARENA Slopemanagement, Salzburg, Austria, and Gasteiner Bergbahnen AG, Salzburg, Austria.

    Why Slopemanagement   

•     Ski resorts in the Alps and worldwide face major challenges from climate change, including rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, increased unpredictability, and rising energy and water costs (Olefsetal., 2020).

•     Winter tourism is crucial for Austria's economy (accounts for 6.1 % of GDP) (Wirtschaftskammer Österreich, 2023).

•     Artificial snowmaking is necessary to make ski tourism predictable, but costs up to 20 % of a ski resort's revenue. Ski resorts must operate economically, adapt to climate change, and contribute to climate protection simultaneously. (ÖKS Projekt-Consortium, 2015 and Gobiet et al., 2022).

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    Data and Methods   

•    High-resolution terrain model data from drone flights,

•    GPS-based models of the existing snow depth generated by the operating groomer machines (Figure 1) and

•    Natural snow depth data generated from the SNOWGRID model by

Geosphere Austria led to a master plan containing target snow depths. The ARENA management system is used for real-time snow depth monitoring and decision support (Figure 2). Responsible operators receive personal support for decision-making by the ARENA team during the winter season.

  Figure 2: ARENA management platform. Analysis of the snow depth on a slope section in the Gastein ski resort in two winter seasons. The resort reduced its water and energy consumption in this section by 25 % from season 21/22 to season 22/23.

    Results   

·       Reduction of water consumption for artificial snowmaking to below 400,000 m³, exceeding the initial goal of 500,000 m³.

·       Continuous savings over three years; water and energy consumption reduced again by 18 % from 2022/23 to 2023/24.

 ·       Creation of planning confidence given the changing framework conditions with ongoing climate change.

    Challenges & Learnings   

 •     All ski resorts face similar challenges due to climate change.

•     Process optimization offers significant savings potential.

•     Key factors for project success: Effective communication and involvement of the operational team, as well as stakeholder engagement.

            Conclusion         

Not only does the ski resort of Gastein show a huge saving (Figure 3).

    For the whole of Austria, there is a theoretical saving potential of 76 Mio. €.

Consideration could even be given to mandatory political implementation, as Austria needs to take action to reach its climate and emission goals.