Bergbahnen Kuhtai Continues To Expand Sustainable Electricity Generation

Sustainable winter holidays thanks to the new photovoltaic system for railway operations and an ecological drive for the snow groomers.

“For many years, the Kühtai mountain railways have been making great efforts to be able to operate the ski area in an energy self-sufficient manner in the long term. With the expansion of the photovoltaic systems, part of the electricity required by the Kaiser-Kabinen-Bahn is now generated itself,” says Mag. Philip Haslwanter, Managing Director of Bergbahnen Kühtai. Numerous new photovoltaic modules on the roof and facade of the pumping station as well as on the House of Tourism provide electricity all year round to bring winter sports enthusiasts sustainably up the mountain. In addition to their own electricity production, the mountain railways are supplied with 100% ecological electricity from the Tyrolean energy producer TIWAG.

The Kühtaier snow groomers run on synthetic, biodegradable fuel

The drive of the snow groomers has also been greatly improved from an ecological perspective. Shell GTL Fuel is now an innovative, synthetic fuel (gas-to-liquids) that is obtained from natural gas and reduces local emissions. Haslwanter: “Our new fuel significantly improves air quality and has a positive effect on the health of people, animals and nature. What is particularly important to us: the fuel is biodegradable.”

Sustainable holidays in the Kühtai ski area

The Kühtai has already made numerous important investments in the sustainability of its holiday offering. These include the biomass heating plant, which only uses domestic biomass from a radius of 50 kilometers and replaces an amount of heating oil of around 1 million liters per year. The Kaisersee storage pond is naturally filled for snow production on the slopes, which saves the energy-intensive pumping of water. And in winter you can travel particularly relaxed by public transport via the connections at Innsbruck main station and Ötztal station.