More than 20,000 stakeholders gathered in Grenoble, France, this spring for Mountain Planet, an international trade show that brings together manufacturers, ski area operators, elected officials, local authorities, and other professionals to share innovations, examine mountain destination trends, and collaborate on challenges faced by mountain resorts worldwide. Among the most pressing challenges addressed at the event was the impact of climate change, and climate resiliency solutions such as mobile wind turbines and solar roof tiles were abundant at the trade show.

These products as well as other creative solutions and cutting-edge designs from mountain destinations around the globe are captured in the annual Mountain Planet Innovation Book. Here, we’ve selected a few products and installations from the book that highlight ski area operator and supplier efforts to produce clean energy or reduce energy use.

HELIOPLANT: TREE-LIKE SOLAR PANEL STRUCTURES

Unlike conventional solar panel structures that are mounted at 25- to 45-degree angles, making them susceptible to accumulating snow and thus diminished energy production, the Helioplant utilizes vertical panels mounted on a central post so snow cannot accumulate on the photovoltaic surfaces. The twin-faced modules on the Helioplant are arranged in a cross formation, so the panels face four different directions. According to the company, this reduces the annual yield between 12-15 percent compared to conventional south-facing flat panels, but the design allows for cost savings in planning, material, foundation, and installation, as well as less maintenance. The yield is more than 570 kWh/kWp during the six winter months, the company says. When it snows, a crater ring is formed around the structure, and ground clearance—adapted to the terrain—allows for snow below the panels to increase reflectivity. helioplant.energy 

SUNWIND ENERGY: SOLAR CHARGING STATIONS FOR E-BIKES

Sunwind Energy’s e-bike charging station uses SunPower Maxeon 5 AC solar panels with micro-inverters that directly transform the energy to be used with 220V e-bike chargers. It can be connected to the grid, or the electricity can be stored on integrated LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries. The panels are mounted to an aluminum structure with three charging stations, and units can be connected to create a larger series of charging stations. The units are designed to withstand snow and wind and operate in temperatures ranging from -20°C to 70°C (-4°F to 158°F). Sunwind Energy can customize the units with brand colors and logos as well as other aesthetic options.  sunwind.fr

LEITNER: ECODRIVE

The Leitner EcoDrive is an automatic adaptive speed control for ropeways that, according to the company, can save up to 20 percent of the energy required to operate. Using a camera that actively monitors the number of people waiting in the lift queue, the adaptive speed control, which is integrated into the control unit, regulates the speed of the ropeway based on what the camera sees—more people in line, the rope goes faster, and vice versa. For example, energy can be saved through the automatic speed reduction of a lift from 1,000 fpm (5 m/s) to 800 fpm (4 m/s). The company says this can also reduce wear and tear on the machinery. The EcoDrive is available for new installations and can also be retrofit on existing ropeways.  leitner.com

MND SNOW: HYDROELECTRIC SNOWMAKING INTEGRATION

MND worked with ski area operator Funivie Piccolo San Bernardo to integrate two hydroelectric turbines into the snowmaking system at La Thuile, Italy. The turbines are located at the bottom of the system and, from April to October, are activated by water flowing down through the pipes. The autonomous system produces 1,200 MWh of electricity, which is equivalent to 80 percent of the energy consumed by the snowmaking system each year, according to MND.  mnd.com