SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental: Green Electricity On The Slopes For 20 Years
83 modern lifts, 270 kilometers of pistes and over 80 huts: The SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental is one of the largest ski areas in the world - and one of the most ecological. For 20 years it has been operated with 100 percent green electricity from renewable hydropower.
Since 1977, the mountain railways from six locations between Brixental and Wilder Kaiser have been working together. One of the largest and most ecological ski areas in the world has been created through ongoing investments totaling more than half a billion euros. According to the motto "insanely big and insanely close", the SkiWelt combines 83 modern lifts, 270 kilometers of slopes and 80 huts just an hour's drive from Munich.
World's first solar powered elevator
From the very beginning, SkiWelt has invested in groundbreaking projects. In 1970 the longest funicular in Europe was built in the SkiWelt Ellmau, in 1988 the first 8-seater chairlift in Europe in the SkiWelt Söll. Since 2002, 100 percent of the electricity for all systems has come from hydropower. Solar energy has also been increasingly used in recent years: at the "Sonnenlift" in the SkiWelt Brixen, one of the first completely solar-powered systems in the world, since 2008.
Insanely frugal
There are 16 near-natural reservoirs in the SkiWelt for snow-making, which are optimally integrated in terms of flora and fauna, most of which are filled by snowmelt, precipitation and springs. Incidentally, technically produced snow in Tyrol is just pure drinking water in a different form. When the snow melts in spring, the water is returned to nature in a natural way and is used to irrigate the diverse fauna. 65 snow groomers prepare the slopes every night in the SkiWelt - equipped with a GPS system for five years. This allows the snow depth to be measured and, if necessary, distributed precisely to where it is actually needed. This means that the SkiWelt has saved around 25 percent of water resources, electricity and costs since 2017. skiwelt.at/oekologie
solar power and waste heat
Skiing with the power of the winter sun: There are photovoltaic modules on more and more buildings and lifts (e.g. Jochlift and Zinsbergbahn - SkiWelt Brixen, Brandstadl - SkiWelt Scheffau). The first systems were installed here back in 2008. Since spring 2022, the Ellmau mountain railways have also been using solar energy with the full expansion of the valley and mountain stations. With 350 kilowatts peak, the systems can save up to 50 percent in external electricity and energy costs in the future. Renewable energy is also used to heat the company buildings in the SkiWelt. In addition to pellets and biomass, waste heat from lift systems, snow guns and transformers is increasingly being used with the help of heat pumps (Hexenwasserbahn – SkiWelt Söll, SkiWeltBahn – SkiWelt Brixen im Thale and Alpenrosenbahn – SkiWelt Westendorf).
Excellent for the environment
In 2017, the SkiWelt received the “World Snow Award” from the British daily newspaper “The Telegraph” in London. The fact that the ski resort has been the test winner in the “most environmentally friendly ski operation” category on skiresort.at for years is also gratifying. That is incentive enough to further reduce the footprint. More about the projects, waste separation systems and e-charging stations at skiwelt.at/oekologie.
Insanely sustainable: by train and bus to the SkiWelt
From the very beginning, the SkiWelt was one of the pioneers in the field of train and bus travel. The location of the Hopfgarten cable car was deliberately chosen more than 75 years ago to be right next to the train station. The SkiWelt Hopfgarten now has a train station which is also called "ski lift" and is only around 100m away from the Hopfgarten cable car. More than 20 years ago, the SkiWelt initiated a ski train from Munich or Denmark to the Brixental. Today it is more up-to-date than ever, so it is not surprising that the SkiWelt was a pilot partner for the ÖBB Nightjet and the ÖBB Winter-Kombiticket right from the start. In winter 2022/23, guests can also travel overnight from Hamburg, Düsseldorf and Amsterdam to all locations in the SkiWelt and start well-rested on the SkiWelt slopes in the morning. All places? Yes, because 4 Seasons Travel picks up the guests directly at the train station in Kufstein or Wörgl and brings them to the booked accommodation in all SkiWelt locations. In addition, you can travel to the SkiWelt in Austria with the winter sports combination ticket from all Austrian train stations - the cooperation with ÖBB Rail Tours makes it possible!
New in winter 2022/23: a night connection from Sweden and Denmark and the continuation of the night train from London. There will also be a daily shuttle bus service from Munich to the SkiWelt. Other projects are being developed and will be published regularly. In addition, you can travel to the SkiWelt in Austria with the winter sports combination ticket from all Austrian train stations - the cooperation with ÖBB Rail Tours makes it possible!
