Suppression of grooming emissions

Damage is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions from the Group's mountain activities, accounting for almost 80% of its direct carbon footprint due to the use of fossil fuels. Reducing our consumption and moving away from fossil fuels in this area is therefore a priority area to which CDA is committed in two ways:

- Elimination of fossil fuels on all snow groomers
- Financing a research and development project for an electric snow groomer

TO GO FURTHER

CDA is eliminating fossil fuels for all its snow groomers from the next season
Following a successful test at Les Arcs and then at La Plagne, the CDA has decided to switch its entire fleet of snow groomers to HVO100 synthetic fuel from the 2022 season.
This 100% renewable fuel, made from waste, fats and used vegetable oils, and without palm oil, is compatible with the equipment of all the Group's partner manufacturers. This substitute for diesel reduces CO2 emissions by 90% and fine particles by 65%.
The migration of all 130 snow groomers will allow, over the entire 2022-2023 season, a reduction of 9000 tons of CO2 equivalent per year, or the equivalent of 70% of the direct carbon emissions of the mountain activities excluding electricity.

Did you know? HVO 100 emits almost 6 times less per litre consumed than non-road diesel (Carbon base, ADEME, 2022).
In addition, the Tignes, Val d'Isère and Saint Martin de Belleville (Les Menuires) ski lift companies have expressed their interest in supporting the group in its commitments and its Net Zero Carbon trajectory.
The CDA's ski lift companies have undertaken to pay the additional cost of this fuel for the operators who will be joining the scheme.

First electric snow groomer "Made in Alps
In parallel with this immediate decision, and as part of a medium-term transformation, the CDA has fully committed itself to supporting the Research and Development of CM DUPON - a family business from the Isère region and the only French manufacturer of snow groomers - to launch several experimental projects aimed at developing a low-carbon snow groomer.
This winter, a prototype electric snow groomer was tested at La Plagne: the autonomy and consumption tests proved to be more than conclusive. This device saves an average of 80 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year (i.e. 500 tonnes of CO2 equivalent over the life of a snow groomer, including the manufacture of batteries) and virtually eliminates the use of hydraulic fluids.
In addition, and in parallel, the CDA and CM DUPON are already working on a prototype with a hydrogen range extender, which could meet some of the requirements.
The CDA has already confirmed its interest in ordering future low-carbon snow groomers from CM DUPON.
The choice of engines, battery electric, hydrogen or hybrid, will be made according to their relevance to each use, in order to find the best solution for the transition of our 130 snow groomers by 2030.
 

From action to practice
Fuel consumption in the grooming business is strongly linked to weather conditions. Thus, naturally abundant snow throughout the season will increase the number of hours of grooming. For several years now, the Group has also been working on optimising the grooming process, in particular by training groomer drivers and working on optimising routes through the use of GPS or snow height measurement radars. These make it possible to adjust grooming plans and snow production with greater precision and thus reduce consumption.

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