Hög teknologi i var snöflinga
HAFJELL/KVITFJELL, Ved hjelp av fullautomatiserte snøsystemer sørger Hafjell og Kvitfjell for optimal og energireduserende snøproduksjon i to av landets råeste skidestinasjoner.
Ikke helt overraskende er snøen selve definisjonen av et godt skianlegg. Uten snø – ingen gjester. I forkant av en normal sesong produseres det kunstsnø i alle hovednedfartene i begge de to skidestinasjonene, Hafjell Alpinsenter og Kvitfjell Alpinanlegg, og den teknologiske utviklingen har hatt rekordfart de siste årene.
Technological
In the early days, old technology was used that had a high energy consumption. Now, however, the snow systems in both ski destinations are almost fully automated. The snow system covers up to 90% of all trails.
- When the plant is in operation, production is controlled from a central control system that monitors and controls pumping stations, snow cannons and valve manholes, says general manager of Alpinco, Odd Stensrud.
The employees who work with snow production in the facilities have the opportunity to start and stop production from a smartphone without being physically present in the facility.
- You can control and prioritize each individual cannon or course based on desired criteria, he says.
Important parameters are, for example, temperature, wind, snow quality, humidity and energy use.
- When everything is entered, the system will automatically regulate production and the snow quality will be optimal even with fluctuations in the weather, says Stensrud.
Fast and efficient
And the issue of energy use is an important point. By using fully automated snow systems, the consumption of energy on some cannons has been reduced by up to 70-80%. Not least, this type of production also results in a reduction in staffing. Everything is simply faster and more efficient.
There are many factors that play a role in being able to produce snow, and an important ingredient is of course water. Here, pumping is usually done from water sources that are connected to or close to the plant. In both Hafjell and Kvitfjell, the main sources for water extraction are located high up in the mountains, which reduces electricity consumption by not having to pump the water upwards.
- In Hafjell, a large part of the snow facility is run on self-pressure because the water comes in from the top of the facility, he says.
Avoid overproduction
As soon as the water is in the pumps, the snow comes out of the cannons, but then comes the job of keeping track of how much is actually produced. In both Hafjell and Kvitfjell, equipment has been invested in to be able to measure exactly that. This is equipment that is installed in the machines and that has control over the snow depth in the facility at all times.
- This means that we can have the right snow sole throughout the season, the amount of artificial snow is significantly reduced and the actual preparation of the trails becomes more efficient and predictable, he says.
Many people have probably noticed that in the spring, large amounts of artificial snow are often left on the steep slopes. By actively measuring the snow depth throughout the season, you avoid this and make better use of the snow.
- Then you get good snow conditions on the slopes all the way to the end of the season, says Stensrud.
Halved consumption
In recent years, significant expansions have been made to the snow facilities in both facilities and far more artificial snow is produced precisely because the destinations have grown with more slopes and lifts. Thanks to new technology, however, energy consumption is reduced more than the amount of artificial snow might indicate.
- Energy use per produced cubic meter of snow is more than halved if we compare with the same consumption as just 6-8 years ago, says Stensrud.
In line with the sustainability strategy of Alpinco, which owns both ski destinations, the goal is to cut emissions by 50% by 2030. On trails that require a lot of snow due to the terrain, the company has already reduced the amount of artificial snow by as much as 30% - and a corresponding reduction in energy use.
- It is a priority goal to reduce energy use as much as possible. This is entirely possible by investing in this type of technology and, not least, skilled employees," says Stensrud.
Did you catch these cases?
There is a lot going on in our destinations, Hafjell and Kvitfjell, in addition to Hafjell Bike Park. Many people have questions about how snow production works, who runs our various restaurants and, not least, how several of our construction projects in the mountains are doing.
Below you can see a selection of our latest articles from the facility.