Compagnie des Alpes are stepping up its efforts to reach their Net Zero targets
You might not have heard of Compagnie des Alpes, but they manage some of the biggest resorts in the French Alps, including La Plagne, Les Arcs, Tignes, Val d’Isère, Méribel, Les Menuires, Serre Chevalier, and the Grand Massif ski area.The biggest contributor to Green House Gas emissions for the group is the piste bashers, they account for close to 80% of the direct carbon footprint due to the amount of petrol they consume across the season. This season, in Les Arcs and La Plagne, they tested the use of a Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) which is a fully renewable fuel made from waste grease and used vegetable oil - the diesel alternative reduces Co2 emissions by 90% and fine particles by 65%.
For the next ski season, following the successful tests, each of the snow groomers in the resorts they manage will use the HVO fuel, in total they have 130 piste bashers, which will lead to a reduction of 9,900 tonnes of Co2 being produced each year. This represents a 72% reduction in direct carbon emissions.