Resort Upgrades
Resort Upgrades
Resort Upgrades
Snowbird Power Systems
Snowbird powers up.
Status: Completed Summer 2021
Snowbird Power Systems has been upgraded with a new cogeneration, or combined heat and power (CHP), facility. By rebuilding and relocating Snowbird's cogeneration facility, we have succeeded in bringing more efficient and reliable energy to the mountain.
Old vs New
The Previous Plant
Snowbird's original cogeneration plant started running in October, 1986, and is the only existing cogeneration facility at a ski resort in North America. The facility was acknowledged as a world-renowned engineering feat.
The cogeneration plant takes waste heat given off by electricity-producing engines and uses that heat to warm the building and water at The Cliff Lodge. The original cogeneration plant offset the majority of the power needs for The Cliff Lodge, along with the East Village.
New & Improved
The new Snowbird Power Systems facility started running in June 2021 and covers nearly all of the energy needs of the entire resort including The Cliff Lodge, Snowbird Center, The Aerial Tram and the mountain’s chairlifts.
Snowbird Power Systems reduces Snowbird's dependency on the traditional electrical grid, making Snowbird almost entirely energy-independent, more efficient and coal-free.
The Previous Plant
Snowbird's original cogeneration plant started running in October, 1986, and is the only existing cogeneration facility at a ski resort in North America. The facility was acknowledged as a world-renowned engineering feat.
The cogeneration plant takes waste heat given off by electricity-producing engines and uses that heat to warm the building and water at The Cliff Lodge. The original cogeneration plant offset the majority of the power needs for The Cliff Lodge, along with the East Village.
New & Improved
The new Snowbird Power Systems facility started running in June 2021 and covers nearly all of the energy needs of the entire resort including The Cliff Lodge, Snowbird Center, The Aerial Tram and the mountain’s chairlifts.
Snowbird Power Systems reduces Snowbird's dependency on the traditional electrical grid, making Snowbird almost entirely energy-independent, more efficient and coal-free.
New & Improved
The new Snowbird Power Systems facility started running in June 2021 and covers nearly all of the energy needs of the entire resort including The Cliff Lodge, Snowbird Center, The Aerial Tram and the mountain’s chairlifts.
Snowbird Power Systems reduces Snowbird's dependency on the traditional electrical grid, making Snowbird almost entirely energy-independent, more efficient and coal-free.
Project Highlights
- Snowbird Power Systems can cover up to 100% of the resort's power needs.
- The new plant was built without sacrificing Snowbird parking spots and is out of the way of the guests' experience.
- It is the most complex project at Snowbird since The Summit on Hidden Peak.
Awards
- Utah Association of Energy Users Award 2023: Snowbird Power Systems was awarded for outstanding leadership in energy efficiency and conservation.
- National Recognition Award 2023: Awarded to Snowbird Power Systems by the American Council of Engineering Companies, the National Recognition Award is a prestigious distinction honoring projects demonstrating exceptional engineering excellence at the national level.
By the Numbers
- Upgrading the facility has made it 60% more efficient electrically.
- Snowbird Power Systems saves 62,000 dekatherms of natural gas a year — the equivalent of removing the emissions of 789 passenger vehicles for one year.
- The new facility is 8,700 square feet.