Squaw Valley's Energy Efficient Cable Car

[Squaw Valley USA] While California utility regulators and government officials seek to resolve the state’s energy crisis, Squaw Valley USA has continued to implement systems designed to improve the resort’s energy efficiency, including recent upgrades to the Cable Car that have resulted in drastic reductions in energy usage.

In December 2000, Squaw Valley installed a new Silicon Controlled Rectifier or S.C.R. control for the resort’s Cable Car to replace an older generator-driven drive system. Since its installation, the new system has proven to be 96.85% more energy efficient, with a reduction of the overall kilowatt-hours used by 91.48% and a cost savings of almost 50% during the month of February 2001.

These savings are a result of operational differences between the old generator-driven motor and the new S.C.R. drive. While the old system operated continuously throughout the day, the advanced technology in the new S.C.R. drive allows the motor to shut off in-between every Cable Car trip. This means that the system operates only a fraction of every hour throughout the day, significantly cutting back electricity use. "Squaw Valley is always looking for new ways to make the mountain more efficient," explains Nancy Wendt, President of Squaw Valley Ski Corp. "We are pleased because the new system allows Squaw Valley to help conserve vital electrical resources while cutting back on operational costs. It is a win – win situation for everyone."

The new S.C.R. drive is only one of Squaw Valley USA’s many energy saving upgrades and facilities installed by the resort’s Facilities Engineer, Dr. Hardy Herger. A native of Switzerland, Herger’s main focus has been developing geothermal technology and he has been integral in implementing energy efficient systems for Squaw Valley for over 30 years. Herger’s guiding principal is that geothermal is the only sensible solution for high-efficiency heating and cooling and energy conservation. "Everyone needs to think completely different about the way we choose to heat and cool our homes and buildings because our resources are very limited," explains Herger. "Geothermal technology conserves resources, and for us, it costs about 40% less to operate than propane or diesel."

Additional energy saving projects with which Herger has been involved include the installation of energy efficient light bulbs in the Cable Car lobby and other resort facilities and the implementation of an incinerator to efficiently dispose of solid waste, reducing the amount of garbage sent to landfills. This incinerator is located at Squaw Valley’s mid-mountain Gold Coast complex and is considered one of the most efficient garbage-burning systems in the U.S., saving Squaw Valley over $50,000 annually. In addition, the heat recovered through the incineration process amounts to over 500,000 BTUs per hour, enough to heat the entire Gold Coast building, provide all the hot water for the facility’s kitchens and restaurants as well as heat the hydronics for the 20,000 square foot sundeck.

Other energy saving facilities at Squaw Valley USA include a geothermal heat pump used to heat the 15,000 square foot Children’s World with an 8,000 square foot snow melting system, and an energy efficient heat exchanger used in the Funitel. For more information about all of Squaw Valley’s energy conservation and environmental improvement programs visit www.squaw.com and click on the Sustainable Slopes logo.