For the past two fiscal years, Vail Resorts has netted 100% renewable electricity across its 37 North American resorts. In addition, the ski industry juggernaut last year improved energy efficiency by 15% relative to 2017, the year it announced it was targeting a net-zero operating footprint by 2030. Senior editor Robert Silk spoke with Kate Wilson, Vail's vice president of environmental and social responsibility, about the company's progress and how it plans to reach that ambitious 2030 goal.
Kate Wilson
Q: Can you explain how Vail achieved 100% renewable electricity? I know a key component has been the 82-turbine Plum Creek wind farm project in Nebraska.
A: It's a two-pronged approach for us. We want to build renewable projects on the local grids where we operate. That's not always possible to the scale that we want. So the way that we've approached it is to look at broad brushstrokes that are big impact, which is what Plum Creek is. It's been online since June 2020. Then we also want to do local projects where they are available. We have one of those called the Elektron Solar Project outside of Salt Lake City, which is going to come online later this year. It will power Park City Mountain.
Q: For a remote project like Plum Creek, the power you generate negates nonrenewable electric Vail actually uses on mountains, right?
A: Right. The way we think about climate change is it's a global issue. If we can invest in something local, we would love to do that. But we know that with the scale of our enterprise we also have the opportunity to make these base scale shifts and really invest in additional renewables that can come online that maybe wouldn't otherwise come online. We see that as part of using our impact for good.
Q: What else will be required for Vail to achieve a net-zero operating footprint?
A: It includes zero-net emissions, zero waste to landfill and zero-net operating impact on forest habitat. For emissions, there's on-site combustion, so diesel or propane or gasoline. Since 2018 we've invested $10 million in more than 90 energy-saving projects across our resorts. We look at snowmaking. We look at LED lighting, we look at building system and control upgrades. We look at efficient boilers. And then all the while, of course, improving the guest experience.
Q: I think of snowmaking as a big energy output at ski mountains. How are you improving efficiency in that regard?
A: The technology has come a long way. We've shifted significant segments of our fleet over to really efficient snowmaking. Some of them In Keystone, for example, we've invested in their own weather stations so that we can sense when it is the perfect wet bulb temperature to turn on the machine and that doesn't require manual labor anymore.
Q: How can you achieve zero waste to landfill by 2030? That sounds like a monumental challenge.
A: First, we start to look at whether everything that we're bringing up and down the hill is absolutely necessary, and if not, let's not bring it in the first place. We work with our supply chain and our vendors with green purchasing policies, making sure that we are leaning into that space. Then there's the whole equipment side: recycling, composting, figuring out creative ways to use old uniforms. For example, we're turning them into building insulation, we're turning them into all sorts of things. So, it's using everything you have in a more creative and innovative way rather than getting rid of it and starting again.
Q: Vail is also involved in environmental advocacy. Can you talk a bit about that?
A: My background is as a climate lobbyist in D.C., so we feel it's important to use our voice for good on these issues. Within the ski industry, we helped start the Mountain Collaborative for Climate Action in 2019. It's us, Alterra, Boyne Resorts and Powder Corp. I also chair the National Ski Areas Association environmental committee for those that maybe don't have resources at their resort. I'm lucky enough to run a team so we are able to share lessons learned with the industry to help move everyone forward. And we advocate at the local, regional and national levels on things specific to climate change. We have a government relations team also that makes sure that we are speaking up on these issues that matter to us and the industry.