Ski resorts rely on snowmaking equipment to blanket their trails when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate. This process is costly on several fronts. Most resorts use diesel-powered air compressors and electric cooling systems to make and spray snow on their mountains, which is expensive, releases exhaust and is not an efficient use of energy.

National Grid helped one Central New York resort implement a new energy-efficient snowmaking process in the fall of 2023 that reduced energy usage, saves money and is environmentally friendly. Greek Peak Mountain Resort in the town of Virgil, the largest ski resort in the Central New York region, installed new snow guns to cover its 55 trails and 220 skiable acres.

Mild temperatures during the winter of 2023-24 resulted in the resort making more than 80% of its snow. The incentive helped the mountain save nearly 1.95 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, a 70% reduction from previous years. By comparison, the average household uses about 10,500 kWh per year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

“One of the joys of skiing is being outdoors to enjoy what Mother Nature gives us during the winter months,” said Alberto Bianchetti, regional director of customer and community engagement for National Grid. “By implementing new energy-efficient equipment, Greek Peak can extend its ski season and do some environmental good at the same time.”

Greek Peak earned a $384,000 incentive from National Grid to purchase 57 high-efficiency snow guns, 12 manual KLIK hydrants, electric air compressors, and upgraded pumps for its snowmaking process. The new snow guns are more efficient, eliminating the need for diesel-powered components, reducing air pollution and fuel costs.

The upgrades at Greek Peak, which were implemented in time for last ski season, reduced the resort’s carbon emissions by more than 3.5 million pounds, which is the equivalent of planting 155,000 trees or removing 305 cars from the road.

Additionally, the new pumps solved a capacity issue for the mountain. Often, the old snowmaking system would pump water quicker than it could compress air, leading to wasted water, energy and fuel. The new system balances the water and air, translating into more snow being created with less energy and in less time. Greek Peak was able to finish last winter’s snowmaking in February, having created a sufficient base for the remainder of the season.

Greek Peak, founded in 1958, is a four-season resort located in Cortland County. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, the complex offers snow tubing and snowshoeing, and mountain biking and hiking trails. Hope Lake Lodge, located adjacent to the mountain, is the resort’s 105-room hotel, spa, and event facility, and home of the 41,000-square-foot Cascades Indoor Waterpark.

National Grid Energy Efficiency Programs for Ski Resorts

Greek Peak is the latest resort to take advantage of energy efficiency programs from National Grid. The company’s specialized program for ski resorts helps business owners offer sustainable solutions that reduce energy and improve their bottom line.

• Low-energy snow guns, like the system at Greek Peak, consume significantly less energy per acre-feet of snow produced than standard-efficiency guns. High-efficiency and ultra-high-efficiency snow guns use less water and air without the diesel exhaust. More importantly, they can increase snow production to extend the ski season.
• Energy-Efficient Compressed Air Systems, also deployed at Greek Peak, remove the bottleneck for making snow by supporting more efficient snow guns while also reducing energy use.
• Variable Speed Drives and Pumps can improve guest comfort by smoothly adjusting the speed of chair lifts, gondolas, carpets, and high-capacity trams to accommodate varying passenger loads, weather conditions, and other factors. By precisely adjusting speed, these drives and pumps can save energy all across your property, including snowmaking pumps and HVAC equipment.
• LED lighting upgrades and controls inside and outside of your buildings, as well as on the slopes, can create more comfortable and well-lit areas while saving energy.

Greek Peak is one of many successful partnerships between National Grid’s energy efficiency team and New York’s ski resorts. Peek’N Peak in Clymer recently upgraded to energy-efficient systems, extending the ski season by two weeks, while reducing energy use and eliminating diesel-powered generators. Gore Mountain in the Adirondack Mountain town of North Creek earned incentives to install 401 energy-efficient tower-mounted snow guns that produce over 560 acre-feet of snow annually. The new equipment conserves more than 6.3 million kilowatt-hours a year, resulting in more than $500,000 in energy savings annually.

Ski resorts in New York can learn more about these programs by contacting an energy efficiency advisor at energysavings@nationalgrid.com or 1-800-787-1706. National Grid also offers energy efficiency programs for the agricultural, education, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, and retail and restaurant industries. Contact an energy advisor or visit ngrid.com/business to learn more.

Ski resorts interested in extending electric vehicle charging to guests can also tap into National Grid’s Electric Vehicle Charging Make Ready Program, which provides up to 100% reimbursement for electrical service costs related to the installation of EV charging ports in their parking lots.

About National Grid

National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York and Massachusetts. National Grid is focused on building a smarter, stronger, cleaner energy future — transforming our networks with more reliable and resilient energy solutions to meet state climate goals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.