Turning winter sports from ‘white to green’

Even SkiStar’s own snowman Valle was happy with the progress of Volvo’s electric machines.

• A Volvo L20 Electric wheel loader and a Volvo ECR25 Electric excavator from Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE), along with a Volvo FE electric truck, have been chosen as the perfect partners to execute SkiStar’s environmentally friendly vision. 
• The broad range of zero-emission solutions have been tasked with expanding summer activities in Sälen, Sweden, so customers can enjoy the mountains all year round.
• Volvo and SkiStar are working together on this transformation journey with a shared commitment towards protecting nature for the long-term and building the world we want to live in.
  
  

Climate change is having an impact across almost every aspect of our lives. Changing the way we work towards more sustainable operation is no longer a niche requirement, it is essential. Many companies like SkiStar rely on snow for the continuation of their leisure activities, yet rising temperatures are leaving many resorts struggling as natural snow vanishes, gradually shifting the priorities of the hospitality industry.

With an ambition to reduce its carbon footprint by 50% by 2030, from a 2020/21 baseline, SkiStar called on Volvo CE to support it in its efforts – as both companies have committed to the Science Based Targets initiative. Volvo CE is the obvious partner with its own commitment towards net zero value chain greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, in line with the Paris Agreement. 

SkiStar is also no stranger to electromobility, having experience with other electric solutions such as electric snowmobiles and electric snow groomers.

Rickard Lindgren, Snow making and snow grooming manager and Viktor Persson, Workshop manager for Volvo CE electric machines.

Volvo’s L20 Electric wheel loader, ECR25 Electric excavator and Volvo FE electric truck are a powerful trio in delivering great results across different tasks with low noise, more comfortable operation and most importantly a minimal carbon footprint. They are helping to build a summer ski slope, by removing snow – which they can do outside of daytime working hours without disturbing sleeping guests – preparing tracks, transporting material and putting in dykes for a sprinkler system. They are also helping create a 40 km/h mountain coaster and upgrading a mountain bike track.

The Volvo FE electric truck is one of three electric solutions from Volvo Group working on site.

Charging the machines has also been a breeze thanks to a solid electric infrastructure, which has been set up to support the production of snow during wintertime. The machines were quickly and easily powered using Volvo’s charging solutions connected to this 63A high-power grid.
Fanny Sjödin, Sustainability Manager at SkiStar, says: “We are driven by the importance to get people out into nature, but we need to protect the environment, which gives so much back to us as human beings. At SkiStar we have high ambitions with our sustainability work and have already reduced our carbon footprint by 84% in the last six years. We recognize that Volvo shares the same vision so this collaboration has allowed us to build this future together.”

Gustav Boberg, Segment Leader at Volvo CE, says: “Not only does SkiStar share our strong sustainability mindset, but we have also been able to share our own separate experiences with electric products. It has been great to see how our own electric solutions fit so well into their business. The transformation is taking place here and now – and the key to our success is collaboration.”

When finished, the summer ski slope will be a 7,000m2 slope of artificial grass, made entirely of bio-produced sugar cane. Also included in this construction project will be a mountain coaster for adrenaline-fueled fun during the summer months.

This project has been made possible by the close collaboration between SkiStar, Volvo CE, Volvo Trucks and their respective dealers: Swecon Anläggningsmaskin and Rolf Ericson Lastvagnar och Bussar.