Snow Competency Centre Aims To Cut Snow Waste

A novel new organisation based in Norway has begun operations with the aim of helping ski resorts manage snow more efficiently, and thus cut energy use and help the environment.

The Snow Competency Centre has grown out of a research project called Snow For the Future and has won some big name backers including the International Ski Federation (FIS).

The centre’s website, published in English and Norwegian, is choc-full of ideas on how ski destinations can make best use of their snow resources, with the minimum energy use.

The four key sections of the site include: Snow Production – how to maximise efficiency in a warming climate; Snow storage – efficient storage through summer (the increasingly popular “snow-farming” technique); snow grooming (maintaining snow whilst it is being flattened by machine and snow preservation – the most efficient ways to maintain snow cover as temperatures warm.

Along with the research project and the website there are now plans to next build a physical Snow Competency Centre where ideas can be put in to practice outside of ski resorts.

The Centre’s location has already been decided as the Granåsen World Championship Nordic venue in Trondheim, with Vassfjellet Winter Park as an alpine partner.