Aspen Skiing Co. goal: carbon neutral by 2020

Company officials believe improving energy efficiency will help their bottom line

Scott Condon
The Aspen Times
Aspen, CO Colorado
April 22, 2008

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ASPEN — The Aspen Skiing Co.’s quest to be a “green” company is forcing it to ponder some tough issues — like beginning the ski season later and dropping some high-profile events such as World Cup racing.

The Skico’s new energy plan calls on the company to offset all the carbon dioxide it produces through its operations by 2020 by eliminating waste and tapping heavily into renewable resources.

There are a lot of simple steps the company can take to achieve that goal, according to the report by Auden Schendler, Skico executive director of community and environmental responsibility, and Matt Hamilton, manager of that department.

But it also will require a long, hard look in the Skico’s corporate mirror. The report suggests that Skico management make some big decisions on operations and energy use.

“What are the consequences of moving to a Dec. 1 opening?” the report asked. “What are the energy costs of holding World Cup vs. the benefits? To what extent are we planning to increase grooming and snowmaking, and what is the endgame there?

“To what extent can Aspen Skiing Company address issues that directly affect our guests and product?” the report said.

Schendler assured skiers that the company won’t switch its opening day to Dec. 1 from late November anytime soon, but those are the type of conversations that are occurring, he said.

“We can’t necessarily stop what we’re doing. We have to fix what we’re doing,” he said.

Cutting energy consumption
A key to the energy plan is to reduce consumption, and therefore carbon emissions, through greater efficiency. The goals are to shave 10 percent off the 2000 consumption level by 2012, and knock usage 25 percent below the 2000 level by 2020.

“Even though we have implemented many successful energy efficiency programs since 2000, our total energy use, and cost of energy relative to operational budget, has risen dramatically,” the report said. “Gas and diesel costs have climbed by 218 percent since 2000. Total energy costs have grown 114 percent.”

The Skico spent about $2.1 million on natural gas, electricity and fuel in 2000, the report showed. That expense soared to $4.5 million in 2006.

Most of increase was because of rising costs of energy, but Skico also is consuming more. It produced 30,925 tons of carbon emissions in 2000 and 32,315 tons in 2006, the most recent year examined.

Increased energy costs are “a drag on our profitability” while the increasing emissions “conflict with our guiding principles,” the report said.

Skico goal: Sell lift tickets and save energy
So, the energy plan was created by Schendler and Hamilton to improve the Skico’s green outlook, financially and environmentally. It will take big steps — such as environmental designs of new buildings — and smaller steps, such as buying only snowmobiles with four-stroke engines.

“The effort we’re describing requires a paradigm shift: as a company, we make money by selling lift tickets and real estate, but also by saving energy,” the report said.

Steps proposed include:

Provide timely reports to major departments that compare monthly energy consumption to the previous year to put some perspective on the issue.

Provide incentives to departments that reduce their bills.

Hire an energy manager. Mammoth ski area in California created the position five years ago and managed to reduce energy costs while continuing to grow.

Invest in more efficient heat tape and snowmelt systems at Skico hotels.

Work with lightbulb producer Silvan on a lighting analysis and make recommended improvements. Explore solar electric systems for Skico headquarters at the Airport Business Center, The Little Nell and other major facilities.

Investing in renewables
Along with energy efficiency, investment in renewable energy sources is the foundation of Skico’s strategy.

The Skico is working on plans to build microhydroelectic facilities at each of its ski areas (one already exists at Snowmass), Schendler said. It also is exploring a wind turbine at Snowmass.

An even bigger step is possible investment in a wind farm. Skico could commit to a long-term purchase of a power from a wind farm, helping make its development easier, Schendler said. The concept is being explored with Holy Cross Energy for a wind farm in Colorado, he said.

Schendler said the Skico energy plan will depend on carbon offsets — where some type of green effort is taken to offset the energy consumed — only as a last resort.

The company’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2020 is achievable, he said, but the strategy must be a work in progress. Also, the plan only looks at Skico operations. Airplane travel by company officials and its guests isn’t part of the equation, at least not in this plan.

scondon@aspentimes.com