KEM Winter Conference Held At The Schmittenhohe In Zell Am See
Under this contemporary title “Cable car operation and winter sports in the area of tension between climate and energy”, the winter conference of the KEM Tourism focus region Zell am See-Kaprun took place on March 22, 2023 in cooperation with the Schmittenhöhebahn AG. Experts, network partners, KEM managers as well as tourism professionals and those interested in the future of winter sports have come to experience how the traditional ski area on the local mountain of Zell am See sets standards in energy efficiency and resource conservation.
"KEM's skiing" was the invitation to the KEM Winter Conference 2023 and numerous guests from all over Austria followed this call. Already at the official opening on the terrace of the Franzl mountain restaurant, it became clear that a sunny, informative and sociable day lay ahead of the participants. Directly after the opening, the first topic took place, with the employees of the Schmittenhöhebahn AG giving insights into snow production and ecological slope management and showing how best practice examples can be provided with innovative spirit and sustainability on these topics, which are certainly worthy of discussion.
On this day, skis and snowboards were the means of transport for the participants of the winter conference on the mountain and so, after a few nice turns on the top slopes of the ski area, everyone found themselves in the Sonnkogel restaurant for lunch and the second of three main topics. In one of the first ski huts to be certified with the Austrian Ecolabel, it was the restaurant manager himself who presented the delicious lunch menu to the participants. There were also exciting insights into the operation of a ski hut at almost 2,000 m above sea level and the many aspects that go into setting certified standards in terms of regionality, sustainability and energy efficiency. Regional enjoyment and high quality belong together in the Sonnkogel Restaurant and at the Schmittenhöhebahn AG.
Renewable energy and the power of the sun are important factors on the Schmitten in order to implement all resource-saving measures. At the third stop at the areitXpress mountain station, interesting insights into the topic of renewable energies were provided. Using the example of the Glocknerbahn, which has smartly and efficiently integrated numerous PV panels into the building façade, the dual use of power generation and shading was recognized. In total, there are almost 3,000 m2 of PV area on which solar power is generated in the Schmittenhöhe area. Together with the green electricity that is purchased from Salzburg AG, all of the energy used on the Schmittenhöhe comes 100% from renewable sources, and this makes the company a best practice example in the field of energy efficiency and resource conservation.
Andreas Wimmreuter, Mayor of the municipality of Zell am See personally took part in the KEM Winter Conference and is pleased that there are such exemplary companies in the tourism region that are strong in implementation. "As the mayor of the city of Zell am See, which is the sponsor of the KEM tourism project together with the municipality of Kaprun, I am very pleased to be present at today's event on the Schmittenhöhe. The mountain railways are our leading tourism companies and enormously important partners within the KEM project and in general in the Zell am See-Kaprun tourist region. The topics of energy efficiency, CO2 - free mobility, sustainability and the use of regional products are implemented by the Schmittenhöhebahn AG with great emphasis and commitment: charging stations for e-cars and e-bikes, Use of the great potential for PV electricity production. The Schmittenhöhebahn AG makes a significant contribution to making our tourism region fit for the future and ensuring economic success for the region, without forgetting to preserve our valuable natural space for future generations.”
for dr Erich Egger, CEO of Schmittenhöhebahn AG, is clear: "95 years ago, the builders of the Schmittenhöhebahn, Salzburg's first cable car, demonstrated a spirit of innovation. Now it's time to use this spirit to set standards for the future again. As the only EMAS-certified cable car company in Europe, we take our responsibility seriously and take numerous measures to make energy requirements and resource consumption sustainable. In addition to extensive solar power production on up to 3,000 m2 of PV area, we invest heavily in ecological slope management, which is designed using extensive studies. In terms of gastronomy, we are proud of the first Austrian ski huts to be certified with the eco-label. In summary it can be said
In the 96 climate and energy model regions (KEM) the energy and mobility transition is being promoted in 841 municipalities throughout Austria. To date, 4,800 concrete climate protection projects are being implemented. All measures serve to reduce energy consumption, expand renewable energy and introduce sustainable mobility models as well as raise awareness among regional actors. The central element of the model regions are the model region managers who, together with local partners, promote climate protection in the communities. This strengthens rural areas, creates sustainable jobs, boosts regional value creation and conveys a positive image of the future to the population.
