A small ski area on the outskirts of Stockholm has begun operating with entirely green electric powered machinery from today (January 30, 2024), its owners, the SkiStar Group, have announced.

The entire vehicle fleet at Hammarbybacken ski area near Stockholm is being replaced with electric powered vehicles that will be charged with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The switch also entails a significant change in work routines, including new procedures and staff training.

“We are challenging ourselves to think differently and our hope is that it will lead us further in the transition towards more sustainable mountain experiences,” says Fanny Sjödin, Sustainability Manager at SkiStar.

The electric vehicles include a Prinoth E motion Husky, a Volvo L25 electric from Volvo Construction Equipment (electric wheel loader), a VW ID cargo electric car, a Polaris Ranger EV electric ATV and two Taiga Motors Nomad electric snowmobiles.

On-site charging will be done via a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), consisting of six battery packs, equivalent to 235 kWh. The charging solution is provided by Volvo Energy and Volvo Construction Equipment. The service provider for Volvo’s products is Swecon Anläggningsmaskiner AB.

New agreements with Vattenfall and Ellevio ensure 100% renewable electricity and water for all operations.

Skistar owns and operates several of the largest alpine ski resorts in Scandinavika including Sälen and  Åre in Sweden and Hemsedal and Trysil in Norway and describe the Hammarbybacken initiative as a pilot project to demonstrate that transitioning to completely fossil-free ski facility operations is feasible.

“As a market leader in alpine ski tourism in Scandinavia, we feel a responsibility to drive the climate transition,” continued Fanny Sjödin, adding, “By daring to conduct this pilot project, we aim to show that it is possible to transition a ski resort to fossil-free and look forward to the insights this will provide us.”