Dramatic theft: 18 cables for snow cannons from Tannheimer valley stolen!
Dramatic theft: 18 cables for snow cannons from Tannheimer valley stolen!
In the Tyrolean Tannheimer valley, dangerous thefts were reported from Tuesday to Wednesday. Unknown perpetrators stole a total of 18 connection cables from snow cannons. Each of these cables measures 20 meters and is essential for the operation of the snowmaking systems. So far there is no precise information about the damage incurred, but the police are already investigating and asking for information from the population. These can be reported to the Grän police inspection on 059 133/7153. Once again it becomes clear how valuable the technology behind mountain railways and slopes is, especially in times when climatic change affects snow security.
snow cannons are not only a means of obtaining snow, but are also at the center of a controversial discourse on their environmental compatibility. These machines are specially developed to spray water into cold air to create ice crystals. The use of artificial snow -making increases in the Alps, which is primarily due to unreliable snowfalls in recent years. According to a blog post from the University of Innsbruck, around 18,000 kWh of energy is required for a hectare artificial snow, which corresponds to the annual consumption of an average two-person household.
technology and future of winter sports
like Syntopia Alpina , the first major snow-making system in Switzerland was opened in Savognin in 1978. This should guarantee snow security for December and represented a supposed progress for winter tourism. The then Board of Directors of Savognin Bergbahnen AG, Tobias Kuoni, spoke of the need for new economic and life forms in the Alpine region, which should be more resilient towards the imponderability of the weather.
However, the contribution of the snow cannons to the environment is increasingly being viewed. The production of artificial snow has profound environmental impacts, including a high water and energy intensity. Every year the snowmaking systems in the Alps consume around 210 billion liters of water, which significantly influences the region's water balance. Over 70% of the Austrian slope areas have now been artificially snowed, which further increases the pressure on local water resources.
environmental protection in focus
The challenges that arise from the use of snow cannons are complex. While artificial snow at first glance offers advantages, such as longer durability and better snow under warmer conditions, there are also serious disadvantages. Artificially produced snow, an analysis of the University of Innsbruck shows, could negatively influence plant growth because it melts more slowly and thus disturbs the natural water balance. The debate about this technology is also shaped by a certain “status quo bias”, where people prefer the current state and have difficulty to break away from proven practices.
Overall, winter tourism in the Alps faces significant challenges - both due to climate change and the dependence on technological solutions such as snow cannons. The incidents in the Tannheimer valley also illustrate the fragility of the infrastructure, which is of crucial importance for winter sports. It remains to be hoped that the current investigation will bring information about the thieves and at the same time will be triggered in dealing with nature.
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Ort | Tannheimer Tal, Österreich |
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