4th Biggest French Ski Region Goes 100% Green-Energy Powered

Les Sybelles, one of the world’s biggest ski areas (4th biggest in France) with more than 300km of slopes, nearly 150 runs and 70 ski lifts inter-connecting half-a-dozen resorts in the Maurienne region is the latest to announce that all of its electricity needs will be met by 100% renewable energy sources.

From this winter 2019-20 the region will receive 100% certified renewable electricity from local hydro-electric centres, as well as solar and wind power source, for all lifts, snowmaking and other operations thanks to a partnership with power company EDF.

Les Sybelles is just the latest of France’s and the World’s biggest ski areas to go 100% green-energy  powered. The country’s second biggest, the Paradiski region combining the skiing of Les Arcs and La Plagne has been using 100% renewable energy to power its ski lifts and other electrical needs since 2012. This is certified by the European label, TÜV-SUD (www.tuev-sued.de), which ensures that the strictest standards set to date for 100% renewable energy: hydroelectricity, wind power, and solar power.

The five resorts making up the Grand Massif ski area (Flaine, Samoens, Morillon, Les Carroz and Sixt) have also been 100% green energy powered since 2016. In 2012 all five resorts earned AlpEnergies100 certification for their long-term commitment to reduce CO2 emissions and for committing to exclusively using renewable energy sources (hydro, wind, and solar power). They are also Green Globe certified.

Along with being 100% green energy powered most ski areas are also working to cut energy consumtion and several are increasingly generating their own green energy on suite from wind turbines, solar panels, ground-source heating, biomass fuel, engine-heat-recovery, micro-hydro and other green power systems.