The Renewable Energy programme in Serre Chevalier

Serre Chevalier is the first ski area to produce a significant part of its electricity needs. With a Renewable Energy programme in place since 2018, the ski area aims to produce 30% of its electricity consumption by 2025. This programme uses three production technologies simultaneously: - Hydroelectricity: 2 sites equipped with hydroelectric installations using the snowmaking networks as energy providers - Photovoltaic: 653m2 of photovoltaic panels have already been installed on 12 sites. The flexible panels were designed by a local company, Sunwind Design - Small wind power: 2 horizontal axis wind turbines are in operation

TO GO FURTHER

The starting point
In 2011, the resort signed a contract for the supply of guaranteed electricity from renewable sources and set itself the following goal: to produce its own renewable electricity using the site's potential (2,500 hours of sunshine a year, a dense network of catchment areas and high mountain passes well exposed to the wind), but mainly using existing infrastructure.

Photovoltaic panels to convert sunlight into electricity
Since 2018, the lift stations and buildings in the resort have been equipped with photovoltaic panels. Thanks to the altitude, the cold and the phenomenon of the sun's reverberation on the snow, the resort has achieved an overall electricity production of +10% compared to the manufacturer's data, with even +25% on certain sites. These results encourage the continued deployment of this technology in the ski area and other ski areas of the CDA Group.

Wind power
Two wind turbines are currently being tested on the top of the ski area's slopes. They will eventually represent a small part of the production, but they are a real complement to the whole system.

The artificial snow network produces hydraulic electricity
Hydroelectricity will be the main source of low-carbon energy production tomorrow. Snowmaking equipment will produce electricity when it is not being used to produce snow, i.e. approximately 10 months out of 12. Water from the catchment areas becomes a renewable resource and not a consumed resource. As the infrastructure for the system is largely existing, the impact on the landscape is low.

A programme awarded by Europe
The Serre Chevalier ski area has won the "2022 EUSALP ENERGY AWARD" for the deployment of its local renewable energy programme. The EUSALP Energy Award recognises best practices that contribute to the implementation of the energy transition in the Alpine region through the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures.

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