Alta Ski Area strives to be energy-efficient in a way that supports economic viability while minimizing our environmental impact. Due to our high elevation, extreme weather patterns and an average of 548” annual snowfall, the basic models of energy efficiency don’t always apply to our energy use. To implement efficiency initiatives, we must think creatively and collaborate with others—internally and externally—to find a way to tailor efficiency models to fit our unique operations.
Each year, we measure our carbon emissions to identify sources and quantities, hold ourselves accountable and provide operational transparency. This data serves two primary purposes: reporting our annual emissions to the NSAA’s Climate Challenge and informing our climate initiatives decisions. Although emissions rise and fall with energy use, our three largest sources remain the same:
- Electricity – Powering lifts and snowmaking
- Fuel – Grooming equipment and vehicles—varies with snowfall and terrain coverage
- Natural gas – Heating buildings and running kitchen appliances
Understanding how emissions are distributed clarifies where to invest—the biggest opportunities for reduction are in the sources that consistently make up the largest share of our footprint. The following initiatives highlight how we’re working to leave greener tracks on our slopes:
Renewable Energy Credits >
Solar Panels >
Snowmaking Efficiency >
Renewable Diesel >
Ski Pass Recycling >
Food Waste Collection >
Rubber Recycling >
LEED Silver Certified Building >
EV Chargers >
RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDITS
Since January 2022, Alta has committed to matching 100% of its annual electricity consumption with renewable energy by purchasing Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) at a premium price. More than 50% of Alta Ski Area’s annual greenhouse gas emissions come from electricity used to run lifts, power buildings and support snowmaking—essential operations for a ski area. These emissions are largely beyond our control, as our provider, Rocky Mountain Power (RMP), determines the grid’s energy mix, which is currently dominated by coal, followed by renewable energy and natural gas. While we continue to urge RMP to move away from coal, Alta supports grid decarbonization by participating in RMP’s Blue Sky Program.
This initiative reduces our carbon footprint by approximately 3,567 metric tons of CO₂ annually.
What Are REC's?
RECs represent renewable energy delivered to the grid. They are tradable, non-physical certificates verifying that one megawatt-hour of electricity was generated from an eligible renewable source—reducing the need for conventional power. RMP purchases this energy from independent clean-energy producers in our region.
Purchasing RECs helps grow the renewable energy market in Utah by increasing demand. Through the Blue Sky program, RMP also funds local, community-based renewable projects. These “steel-in-the-ground” projects support organizations without access to federal incentives, including shelters, food banks, fire stations, community centers and schools.
Why did Alta choose this option?
Alta’s current electricity use levels limit its options for acquiring renewable energy. RECs allow us to support renewables now while we continue to assess future options that better fit our operations and more directly support renewable energy. The AEC is closely monitoring House Bill 411, Community Renewable Energy Program, which is a potential avenue for participating communities—including the Town of Alta—to achieve 100% net renewable energy by 2030.
Solar Panels
In 2015, Alta partnered with Rocky Mountain Power and DwellTek to further its commitment to renewable energy by installing 98 solar panels. Next time you're at Alta, keep an eye out for these panels soaking up the sun at three key locations: Collins Patrol Shack, Cat Shop and the Buckhorn employee housing building.
L: Cat Shop |C: Buckhorn Building | R: Patrol Shack
These solar arrays were strategically placed to maximize sun exposure and operational efficiency while generating clean, renewable electricity year-round. The energy produced powers essential mountain operations and employee housing—reducing reliance on conventional energy sources and lowering emissions. The solar panels offset approximately 126 tons of carbon emissions annually, equivalent to planting 3,238 trees each year.
Snowmaking Efficiency
In 2024, Alta replaced 20 snowmaking lances and two tower fan guns to improve the efficiency of its snowmaking system. According to future weather forecast models, the number of days with temperatures cold enough for snowmaking has decreased and is expected to continue declining. Thus, having an efficient snowmaking system is essential for making the most of cold temperatures when they occur.
Alta replaced various lances from the 1990–2005 era with brand-new DEMACLENKO EOS 4.0 lances, which can produce three times more snow than the older models, resulting in a 200 percent increase in efficiency. Two tower guns from the late 1900s—the Techno Alpin M12 and T40—were also replaced. The new tower guns now produce twice as much snow from the same amount of energy as the 25+-year-old models.
The increase in efficiency is illustrated by the Energy-Snow Ratio (ESR), measured in kWh/m³. This ratio describes how much energy (kilowatt hours) is used to produce one cubic yard (m³) of snow—the lower the ESR figure, the better the efficiency
Renewable Diesel
Renewable diesel is a fuel product made from organic feedstock and is chemically identical to petroleum diesel created from crude oil. It is an attractive option not only for its emissions reductions, but also because it does not require any modifications to machinery. In the summer of 2024, Alta piloted renewable diesel in our heavy machinery with seamless results. This success encouraged us to expand the pilot program into the 2025–26 ski season. If renewable diesel is fully adopted, Alta’s fuel emissions could be reduced up to 70%. However, to prevent gelling in cold temperatures, it needs to be mixed with some petroleum diesel, estimating an emissions reduction of approximately 30–50% during winter. This pilot is currently ongoing—stay tuned for updates!
Ski Pass Recycling
This winter, Alta Ski Area is recycling retired plastic ski passes. Most of these cards cannot be reused and are typically sent from the slopes to a landfill, where they will remain indefinitely. Instead, Alta will send the collected passes to TerraCycle where they will be transformed into new materials, such as playgrounds and gym flooring.
Since the start of the pass collection pilot program in February 2025, we have collected an average of 30 pounds of used ski cards per month—during ski season. By weighing these passes, we’re gathering data to help us track the amount of plastic waste that ski cards really produce and find ways to reduce it. So, the next time you’re at Alta, give your Alta card a second chance by reloading it online or in person. If you find an old pass, drop it in our pass recycling boxes at the base of any lift or hand it to an employee. Thanks for helping us keep plastic out of the landfills!
Food Waste Collection
Alta's food waste collection pilot program began in spring 2019. Each week, staff transported the collected food waste to Wasatch Resource Recovery (WRR)—a large-scale food digester located in North Salt Lake. During this pilot, 6,400 pounds—3.2 tons—of food waste were diverted.
After a brief hiatus, Alta partnered with Snowbird and Momentum Recycling to send compostable waste to Wild Harvest Farms—a large-scale composting facility in Peoa, Utah. This facility accepts both food waste and compostable disposables, which was critical during COVID-19 when restaurants relied on single-use items.
In 2022, Alta began sending food waste back to WWR and coordinated pickups with Snowbird and Momentum Recycling to reduce canyon travel. Here, the organic material is processed through the digester, then converted into bio-gas for heating homes and nutrient-rich fertilizer for farming. This collaboration continues through the 2025–26 ski season.
Why Is This Important?
Food waste makes up nearly 30% of landfill material. When food waste decomposes in an open environment like your garden, microorganisms eat the organic material and break it down through an aerobic (oxygen-rich) process, which releases a small amount of carbon dioxide. When food waste enters the landfill, it is buried underneath layers of inorganic waste and trapped in an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment, where bacteria break down the waste and release methane.
Both methane and carbon dioxide are greenhouse gases, but methane is highly effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere—acting like a thick blanket over the Earth. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), methane is about 80 times more effective at warming the atmosphere than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. The impacts of different gases on global warming are defined through a metrics system called the Global Warming Potential (GWP). The GWP is a measure of how potent a greenhouse gas is and how long it will remain active in the atmosphere, with methane having a much more harmful GWP than Carbon Dioxide over a 100-year period (Understanding Global Warming Potentials 2022).
Since March 2021, Alta has diverted more than 200,000 pounds—103.4 tons—of food waste from landfills.
Diverting Alta’s on-site food waste allows us to make tangible impacts on our greenhouse gas emissions. We are also contributing to local renewable programs with the creation of natural gas and fertile soil. The goal of this program is to make our operations more circular, minimize our environmental footprint and give back to our community in meaningful ways.
Rubber Recycling
Ski boots are designed for peak performance on the slopes, but walking in them can be challenging—off-mountain slips, trips and falls are common. To help skiers avoid these risks, Alta Ski Area installs non-slip, rubber flooring in highly trafficked walkways. Over time, the rubber flooring wears down and begins to crumble, losing its effectiveness and necessitating the installation of new floor tiles. Alta Ski Area recently joined a circular program with Ecore, a rubber product manufacturer that recycles and transforms old rubber into new products. The process is simple: we send them our worn-out rubber floor tiles and, in return, they send us “new” tiles made from recycled rubber. Around and around it goes.
In the summer of 2024, Alta sent 14,000 lbs—7 tons—of old rubber flooring to Ecore. This material will be reduced to crumb rubber and repurposed in various applications. In exchange, Alta receives tiles made from discarded vehicle tires. Vehicle tires often end up in landfills or are burned as fuel in cement kilns, releasing toxic chemicals into the air. To combat this, Ecore transforms these tires into flooring for gyms, turf infill, speed humps, rubber mulch and hospitality base layers. These materials can be recycled again into new rubber flooring products in their next life.
LEED Silver Certified Building
The Skier Services building—located at the Wildcat base area—was awarded a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification following its construction in 2012. LEED is a globally recognized green building rating system that provides a framework for designing healthy, efficient and cost-saving buildings.
Alta’s Skier Services building achieved LEED Silver based on these interior and exterior design features:
- Building Envelope Design – The structure's walls and windows were built to be tightly sealed, minimizing unwanted heat loss or gain. Windows with low U-factors (low heat transfer rates) further improve energy efficiency.
- Sustainable Materials – All wood used is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified, which is considered the gold standard for responsibly managed forests. Exterior Öko siding is made of durable, fire-resistant concrete that requires no painting and little to no maintenance. Inside, low-emitting paints and solvents were used and the carpeting is made from recycled materials.
- New Central Plant – During construction, Alta upgraded outdated systems in the Buckhorn, Lifthaus and the new Skier Services buildings by creating a central plant. This replaced older mechanical and electrical equipment with more efficient systems for heating, water and electricity across all three buildings.
- Automated and Controlled Heating – Variable frequency drive pumps, 95% efficient boilers, computerized monitoring and modulated valves optimize water and energy use. Fixtures in the building use at least 20% less water than those in the ski area's older buildings.
Electric Vehicle Chargers
Alta Ski Area has two Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers through the Leaders For Clean Air EV charger program—located on the east end of the Albion Day Lodge.