Doppelmayr has built a new chairlift that gets a third of it’s energy from a solar power station built right into the lift system. The 6-seater chairlift was built with technical knowhow by Doppelmayr and Königsolar at a cost of €6,500,000.

VKW, Illwerke, and Doppelmayr have joined forces to build the world’s first chairlift fitted with an integrated photovoltaic system at the Golm Ski Resort in Vorarlberg, Austria, thus demonstrating once more their high innovative strength: One third of the power requirements of this chairlift will be met with the power generated by the PV system. This advanced solution is another milestone in modern-day ropeway engineering and an important contribution to a sustainable future.

What is unique about the project is that the individual solar panels will be integrated directly into Doppelmayr’s standard station buildings and therefore blend in well with both the installation and the landscape.

During 1,000 hours of operation throughout the year, the Hüttenkopf chairlift consumes 180,000 kilowatt hours, 60,000 of which will now be generated by the solar power system, an amount that equals the annual power requirements of 15 single-family homes. Depending on the topography of the terrain and on the capacity of each installation, it may in some cases even be possible to reduce conventional energy consumption by up to 50 percent with this new power system.

It is generally possible to fit both new and existing Doppelmayr installations with the new solar power system. With the system’s exemplary energy efficiency and superior performance, the payback period for the higher costs of the PV system will be approximately 10 years. doppelmayr.com

Related Post: World’s First Solar-Powered Ski Lift — Or is it?

 

 

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