Earth Protect Blog

Vail Daily, from The Denver Post eEdition, July 3, 2020

Vail Resorts reports the company has taken a major step toward its goal of 100% renewable electricity as a new large-scale wind farm, enabled by the company, has gone online. Vail Resorts has committed to purchase 310,000 megawatt hours of wind energy annually from the new 82-turbine Plum Creek Wind project, which will address more than 90% of the company’s current electricity use across its 34 North American resorts. As a part of Vail Resorts’ “Commitment to Zero” sustainability pledge, the company has a goal to reach 100% renewable electricity by 2030.

Vail Resorts in 2018 announced a partnership with global renewable energy leader Ørsted to enable the Plum Creek Wind project, based in Wayne County, Neb. The amount of wind energy Vail Resorts committed to purchase was equivalent to 100% of the company’s North American electricity usage at the time. Since then, the company has acquired 17 smaller ski areas in the U.S. and now has resorts across 15 states and three countries. This virtual power purchase agreement was the first of its kind to be executed by a Colorado-based company as a buyer. In addition to the Plum Creek Wind project, Vail Resorts supports renewable energy efforts in its local communities. — Vail Daily